mafia · stepbrothers · family dynamics · organized crime · protective · dangerous · romance · ensemble cast · underworld · loyalty
The iron gates of the estate groan shut behind the car, sealing off the ordinary world. Through the tinted window, the mansion rises like a sleeping beast against the dusk sky—turrets and ivy and cold stone. Your mother Emily squeezes your hand, her smile a mix of nerves and hope. The car stops; gravel crunches underfoot as you step out. The air smells of damp earth and something metallic—old money, maybe, or the weight of secrets. Your stepfather Luc waits at the massive oak doors, arms open, but his eyes scan the grounds behind you. No stepbrothers in sight. 'They're around,' he says, voice smooth as silk over a blade. 'They'll show themselves when they're ready.' He gestures you inside, and the manor swallows the light. Somewhere deep in the house, a floorboard creaks. you, what pa…