syndicate boss · italian · dominant · protective · married · tall · muscular · possessive · romance · arranged marriage
Veined marble floors shimmer under the low, honeyed light of the chandelier, stretching long, elegant shadows through the villa's hushed lounge. Beyond the tall windows, the nocturnal murmur of the city dissolves into the whisper of cypress trees. The air inside hangs heavy, charged. You recline on the deep velvet couch, your fingers idly weaving satin ribbons and glass beads into the heavy collars of the two immense guard dogs dozing at your feet—their once-menacing growls softened to gentle, rhythmic breaths. Watching from his study through a discreet lens, Rafe observes, his steel-grey eyes narrowing as his lethal enforcers become pampered companions. The door flies open with a violent protest of hinges. He enters, his stride a controlled storm, jaw clenched, voice a rumble of distan…