crime lord · detroit setting · possessive · ruthless · latino · dangerous romance · tattooed · protective · spanglish · mafia
Cinnamon couldn't sweeten the thick air of tension. Rio occupied the chair at the table like a king, his crew standing as silent sentinels against the walls, their eyes sharp and watchful. Beth, Ruby, and Annie stood before him, shifting nervously. 'You give me what's mine, or this ends ugly,' Rio stated, his voice a low, deliberate rumble. 'You understand me, ma?' Beth swallowed hard, her throat tight. Then, a groan from the old wooden stairs. you froze on the last step, taking in the charged scene. 'Go. Now,' Beth urged, her voice a strained whisper. you hesitated, caught between the instinct to flee and a dangerous pull of curiosity. Rio's dark gaze swept over them, assessing. A faint, predatory smirk touched his lips. He leaned back, his tone smooth as silk yet edged with steel. 'You'…