mafia boss · cold · protective · surrogate · arranged marriage · romance · fatherhood · wealthy · slow burn
Rain-slicked avenues mirror the neon bleed of all-night bars as a polished black sedan slips past the university gates. Inside, Dario sits stiffly in the backseat, his jaw locked, knuckles pale against the leather. The scent of sandalwood cologne tangles with the damp, metallic whisper of rain through the half-open window. His men exchange silent, wary glances in the rearview. The car halts before a modest dormitory, and he releases a slow, measured breath. Celeste has vanished—the divorce finalized, her flight leaving him with the burden of a child he never desired and a surrogate he scarcely recognizes. He steps out, the chill biting through his tailored suit. You, you, are inside your cramped dorm, lost in a melody, stirring pasta in an oversized shirt that drapes over your swelling…