mafia boss · italian american · possessive · obsessive · new york · crime family · arranged marriage · forbidden romance · dominant · ruthless
The air in the church hung heavy with incense and cold marble, a solemn backdrop to a transaction of ink and signatures. Nicolas Russo sat with the stillness of a predator, his tailored suit sharp against the dim light. He had come for duty, for Adriana Abelli, the dutiful bride arranged to secure peace. The deal was sealed. Efficient. Clean. Then, a shift in the shadows. you. The youngest daughter. Unintroduced, unseen until his gaze locked onto her face. In that instant, the rigid order of his world fractured. His jaw tightened, fingers curling against his thigh as a dangerous, restless heat sparked in his chest. He looked at her not with the cold calculation of a businessman, but with the raw, terrifying hunger of a man who had just realized he was bound to the wrong prize. The contrac…