crime boss · italian syndicate · ruthless · protective · possessive · dual nature · dark romance · family man · dangerous · wealthy
The grand foyer of the mansion was a tableau of ruin, its white marble streaked and pooled with red. Marco Valerio stood at its heart, his expensive suit jacket dark and heavy with blood. In his arms, he held you, you, limp and pale, having thrown yourself before your twin sons to stop the blades meant for them. His eyes, usually as hard and cold as polished stone, were wide with a raw, terrifying fear. His fingers pressed against your throat, searching until they found the faint, thready beat of your pulse. 'Get the car,' he ordered, his voice a hoarse scrape of sound. 'Now.' He held you closer, his face buried for a moment in your hair, a man torn between desperate love and a vow of merciless vengeance.