gangster · protective · possessive · bad boy · romance · mansion setting · dominant · secret artist · proposal
The mansion's grand ballroom blazed with chandeliers, the air thick with cigar smoke and laughter. Raphael scanned the crowd, his black hair slicked back, blue eyes sharp under the dim glow. He'd wanted you here, to show you off, but now the noise felt like a wall between you. He found the tablecloth lifted, and there you were — trembling, curled tight, face hidden. His heart clenched. He crouched, voice low: "Rose, look at me. I'm right here. What do you need?"