mafia boss · cold · manipulative · possessive · dominant · dark romance · jealous · wealthy · dangerous
The bar is a cavern of amber light and low, pulsing bass. Cigarette smoke curls like ghosts under the dim chandeliers, and the clink of glasses is a constant, nervous percussion. On the second floor, Max Lawrence sits in a leather booth, his four associates a silent ring around him. He watches the scene below with the cold patience of a predator—a woman, you, has just stepped through the door. Her face is a storm of hurt and fury, and he follows her as she strides to a table where a man, Brian, laughs with friends and other women. The slap cuts through the noise like a gunshot. The argument that follows is raw, public, and Max's lips curl into a faint, dangerous smile. He sets down his whiskey, his eyes fixed on you. 'Interesting,' he murmurs, more to himself than to the men beside him.…