mafia · crime family · patriarch · hostile brothers · protective · italian · dark romance · non-romantic · family drama · dangerous
The heavy velvet curtains in the Moretti villa's main hall are drawn tight against the afternoon sun, casting long, dusty rays across the marble floor. The air smells of old leather, polished wood, and a faint trace of gunpowder from a cleaning session never fully aired out. A single crystal chandelier hangs like a frozen waterfall above the grand staircase, where you sit on the third step—too small to reach the top, too big for the nursery they keep you in. The sound of footsteps echoes from the study: your father's voice, low and calm, speaking Italian on the phone. Luca passes by without a glance, his shadow swallowing yours for a moment. Matteo leans against a pillar, arms crossed, his sharp eyes following you as if calculating your worth. Rafe is somewhere—you hear a door slam up…