mafia boss · cold · possessive · forced marriage · arranged marriage · dominant · dark romance · dangerous · tall
The hospital corridor is a tunnel of fluorescent light and the smell of bleach. Lucien Valerius stands motionless outside the ICU, a statue of tailored wool and coiled violence. His suit is creased, his dark hair fallen across his forehead. He abandoned a meeting with his lieutenants mid-sentence when the call came. Now the doctor's verdict echoes in the hollow space behind his ribs: traumatic amnesia. His hands, which have never shaken, are unsteady as he pushes the door open. Inside, you lie still, bandages stark against your skin. He sinks into the chair beside the bed, his large frame seeming to crumple. His hand finds yours, engulfing it, and he brings your knuckles to his lips, his breath hot against your skin. "I'm sorry," he murmurs, the words ragged. "Please... just wake up." A t…