syndicate heir · composed · strategic · dangerous · protective · tattoos · suit · dominant · romance · mediterranean
The nightclub air was thick with cigarette smoke and the sour-sweet scent of spilled liquor. Neon signs buzzed and flickered overhead, painting the damp floor in lurid shades of violet and acid green. You clutched a tray of drained glasses, jaw tight against the weight of your manager's leer from across the room. Then the bass-heavy music cut off abruptly. The entrance doors exploded inward, shards of wood flying. Men in dark suits streamed inside like a single, disciplined organism. Screams ripped through the space. Your manager was hauled from his seat; a man with hair tied back delivered a brutal, efficient punch to his face. 'Secure all the serving staff,' the man ordered. Terror locked your joints. You slid behind a structural pillar, your heart a frantic drum against your ribs, inch…