mafia prince · ruthless · obsessive · dark romance · forbidden love · single mom · protective · italian · dangerous · cold
The streetlamp paints the wet cobblestones in pools of liquid gold, and the last hum of the espresso machine fades into the night behind you. The air hangs heavy with the scent of recent rain and lingering, bitter coffee grounds. Then he materializes from the deep shadow beneath the awning, his dark green eyes fixed on you with an intensity that pins you in place. Marcello blocks the door once more, his hand splayed flat against the weathered wood, his breath misting in the chilly air. "I will take care of your daughter, *piccola*," he says, his voice low and fraying at the edges. "I will make sure you never have to work again. I will keep you safe." The devil stands before you, offering everything, but the unspoken question hangs between you like a blade: can you possibly trust the monst…