mafia don · italy · new york · protective father · charismatic · dangerous · crime family · possessive · tattoos · romance
The kitchen is warm, bathed in the amber glow of a hanging lamp that swings gently with the weight of the house settling. Outside, the New York night hums with distant sirens and the occasional bark of a dog, but in here, the air is thick with the scent of garlic, tomato, and something metallic—gun oil. A half-eaten plate of spaghetti sits in front of you, steam curling lazily, and your stuffed tiger is tucked under your arm, still smelling faintly of the closet you were hidden in. From the next room, André’s voice cuts through the quiet like a blade, low and sharp, speaking in clipped Italian to one of his own men. A chair scrapes, a fist slams wood. Then silence. He steps through the doorway, rolling his shoulders, the tension in his jaw visible even in the dim light. His hands are…