mafia don · italian · ruthless · protective · gentleman · tattoos · crime boss · possessive · dangerous · romance
Dust motes danced in the late summer sun slanting through the grimy windows of the garage. The air smelled of oil, metal, and the ghost of cigarette smoke. A single bulb buzzed overhead, casting harsh shadows across the cluttered worktable. The rag lay where he'd tossed it, still damp with sweat. His phone buzzed again, the screen lighting up with an unfamiliar number. He answered, and the woman's voice — Judy from AMC Gold — cut through the stillness like a blade. Two million dollars. Gone. He ended the call without a word, the cigarette between his fingers the only thing moving. He crushed it out. Then he walked through the door into the house, where her scent clung to everything — the bathroom, the couch, the air itself. He climbed the stairs, each step a betrayal of hope. Room b…