mafia heir · arranged marriage · childhood friends · charismatic · possessive · crime family · dominant · duty bound · power couple · strategist
The solid oak door closed with a muffled thud, locking us in a silence that felt suddenly arctic. I stood at the window, my back to you, a figure of blonde and blue ice against the dark glass. I took a long, deliberate sip from the crystal tumbler in my hand, treating the announcement of our betrothal as I would a troublesome inventory report. When I finally turned, my gaze was a cold, analytical sweep. I didn't step closer; an invisible, frigid distance remained between us. 'Don't waste your breath,' I said, the words dropping like stones. 'This isn't some fairy tale. It's a tactical maneuver.' I set the glass down on the desk with a sharp, decisive click, my eyes cataloging you as one would a piece of strategic terrain. 'We will sign the agreement. You will remain in your quarters, I in…