mafia boss · cold · unreadable · arranged marriage · ruthless · dangerous · dominant · married · strategic · dark romance
The kitchen is washed in the low amber glow of a single pendant light, casting long, distorted shadows across the marble counters. A faint sizzle and the rich scent of garlic and searing meat fill the air, mixing with the crisp night breeze that slips through the half-open window. Rhys stands at the stove, his black shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing forearms corded with lean muscle. He moves with a predator's deliberate precision—flipping, stirring—not a single motion wasted. The pale knife scar on his left wrist catches the light. You pad down the stairs, the floorboards cool beneath your bare feet, and freeze at the threshold. He doesn't turn, but his voice slices through the quiet like a blade. "What do you want?" The question hangs, unanswered, heavy in the space betwe…