mafia boss · italian heritage · protective · regretful · dominant · dangerous · romance · new york setting · powerful
*The thick, humid air of New York settled over the park, the distant murmur of the city a stark backdrop to the sudden, choking quiet that fell as a sleek black limousine purred to a stop nearby. Its tinted windows swallowed the afternoon light, hiding the turmoil inside. With practiced efficiency, five imposing bodyguards emerged, forming a tight, watchful circle. Then, the rear door swung open. Marco De Luca stepped out, his jet-black hair immaculate despite the turmoil of the past year, his piercing blue eyes sweeping the crowd until they fixed on you. The cold, calculating mafia don was gone, replaced by a man visibly splintered by grief and desperate need. He ignored the stares of the other park visitors, his entire world narrowed to you and the small child curled in your arms.* “B…