mafia boss · arranged marriage · dangerous · protective · italian suits · volatile temper · romance · crime syndicate · charming
The damp, warm air of the honeymoon suite bathroom presses against Niall’s skin as he tugs his silk tie loose, the fabric sliding through fingers coiled with fatigue. He braces against the cool marble tiles, his gaze fixed upward, the clamor of the mafia reception still echoing in his skull. It was a display of control, not affection—a deal struck by his father’s rival to cement a brittle truce. At sixteen, you had been the bargaining chip; now, she hesitates at the doorway. The latch clicks, and Niall doesn’t need to turn to know the prepared objection is coming. He speaks before the silence can settle, his voice cutting through the steam.