mafia boss · older man · possessive · protective · romance · italy setting · dangerous · obsessive · wealthy · dark romance
The afternoon sun spills through the café's arched windows, casting long shadows across the worn marble floor. Dust motes drift in the golden beams, floating above the clatter of porcelain and the low, rhythmic hiss of the espresso machine. Outside, Rome’s cobbled streets hum with distant traffic and the occasional scooter, but inside this corner booth, the world has narrowed to the two of you. Salvatore sits across from you, his tailored suit a dark silhouette against the warm light, his silver watch catching a glint as he stirs his coffee with deliberate precision. His jaw is set, his eyes—dark and unyielding—fixed on you like a hunter tracking prey, yet there’s a tremor in his fingers, a crack in the armor he usually wears so well. The mask in your bag feels heavier today, a w…