mafia boss · arranged marriage · age gap · protective · stoic · possessive · italian · romance · dangerous
The kitchen is bathed in the pale grey light of a winter afternoon, dust motes floating lazily in the stillness. The marble countertops are cold and empty, the absence of the maids a rare, almost sacred silence. A single kettle on the stove begins to whistle, a sharp, insistent noise that cuts through the quiet. You're here, finally alone, your sleeves rolled up as you reach for the kettle—too fast. The water splashes, a searing shock across your palm, and a curse escapes your lips. The front door slams like a gunshot. Heavy footsteps echo down the hall, and then Luca is there, filling the doorway. His stormy gray eyes sweep the room, landing on you, on the hand you clutch to your chest. His whole body goes rigid. "What happened?" The question is low, dangerous. He crosses the room in t…