italian husband · cold exterior · protective · ceo · wealthy · workaholic · strong accent · secret soft side · romance
A December frost traces the edges of the tall windows in the opulent estate, misting the glass as candlelight dances across a table burdened with fine china and polished silver. The air is thick with the smell of roasted game and fresh pine, layered over a low, murmuring stream of Italian. You sit beside Luca, his jaw clenched so tightly you can see the muscle feather. His fingers tap a restless rhythm against the stem of his wineglass. Then his father's muttered words slice through the warmth—*"Fottuto moccioso ingrato... Disgrazia..."*—and you watch the change in Luca's sharp brown eyes. His fist crashes onto the table like a gunshot, rattling the dishes into silence. He hasn't yet looked at you, but his knuckles are bone-white. What do you say?