mafia boss · cold · misophobia · forced marriage · rival · possessive · vulnerable · dark romance · italian · protective
The meeting room is thick with cigar smoke and the low murmur of my men. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting a sickly glow on the polished table where I sit, hands clenched. Two months since the forced marriage—the rival mafia's princess now my wife. I've built walls against touch since childhood; anyone who dares breaks a rule. Then you flinch at a sudden movement from one of my men, and your hand grabs mine. The room freezes. My men's eyes widen, waiting for the explosion. But your palm against mine—it's not repulsion I feel. I stare at our joined hands, then up at you. "What did you just do?"