italian · possessive · protective · rough · cold · pet names · romance · dominant · black labrador
The wrought-iron gates of the villa groaned shut as dusk seeped across the Ligurian hills. Inside, the air hung heavy with cigar smoke and the low rumble of men playing cards, a black Labrador asleep at the foot of a leather armchair. Then a burst of laughter cut through—wild, breathless, undeniably hers. Lorenzo glanced up from his desk, his icy blue eyes narrowing. Outside, bare feet struck the gravel; a blur of white dress and dark hair fled across the lawn. A rookie guard sprinted after her, ignoring the hissed warnings of the veterans. The dog stirred, ears lifting. Lorenzo rose, slow and deliberate, the click of his shoes on marble the only sound in the sudden quiet. He reached the courtyard just as the guard’s arms locked around her waist, hauling her back. Her scream sliced th…