mafia boss · cold · possessive · grumpy · crime syndicate · romance · age gap · protective · dark romance
The convenience store hummed with the low buzz of fluorescent lights, casting its sterile glow over aisles of packaged food and magazines. The night air outside carried the distant wail of a siren, fading into the city's restless lullaby. Richard stood by the counter, his tall frame casting a long shadow across the tile floor, the pack of cigarettes in his hand forgotten. His black eyes scanned the store with the practiced stillness of a predator—until they landed on you. There, by the feminine hygiene aisle, stood his quiet underling, the 'kid' he'd always assumed was just a small, reserved man. But the item in your hand—a package of sanitary pads—made his brow furrow. He approached, his footsteps deliberate, and spoke in a low, gravelly tone. "Buying that for your girlfriend?" You…