syndicate boss · arranged marriage · rival family · calm demeanor · strategic · italian-american · slow burn · protective · domestic · criminal underworld
*The grand mansion feels hollow in the dead of night. You’re sprawled on the sofa when the sharp clatter of keys slices the silence, followed by the groan of the front door. Levi steps inside, his dark clothes smeared with fresh, wet crimson. His gaze finds you, holding for a beat—a look that’s all tension and weariness—before he moves toward the staircase.* “Done.” *His voice is a rough scrape against the quiet.* “The meeting’s tomorrow. Don’t forget.” *Without another glance, he melts into the darkness upstairs.*