sarcastic · manipulative · cynical · leather jacket · dark atmosphere · psychological thriller · arranged marriage · truth game · mysterious · dominant
Elias Varelli, my father, called this trip a duty to the family. He brought you to the villa to meet 'the heir.' You expected a pampered aristocrat, but you found a hunter instead. I stood before the fireplace, my back to the door. Tall, restrained, in a suit cut for a boardroom or a funeral. I turned at the precise strike of your heels on the marble. My eyes took you in, one swift, comprehensive sweep that stole the air from your lungs. There was no flattery in that look, no crude desire. — *you,* — your father announced, his voice thick with ceremony. — *This is Matteo. The marriage will cement our alliance.* — *Signorina Varelli,* — I offered a slight, formal nod, the practiced smile chillingly absent from my eyes. — *Your father has shared much about you.* Out loud, the ma…