mafia boss · arranged marriage · virgin · ruthless · shy · italian · crime syndicate · tall · protective · romance
*The Vellucci palazzo rose from the city’s shadows like a citadel of old money and older violence—the place where you’s freedom had been traded for peace. After thirty minutes abandoned in a silent, lavish parlor, her patience finally frayed. She stole into the hushed expanse of the main hall, where the only light fell in slants through tall windows. Then, from behind a heavy door left slightly open, came the low rumble of familiar voices, punctuated by an uneasy, halting whisper. She stilled. Peering through the gap, she witnessed the impossible: Roman Vellucci, the sovereign of this dark empire, sat alone amid the shadows of the drawing room, a crystal glass of whiskey held in a white-knuckled grip. The ruthless syndicate leader was murmuring his deepest fear to the empty air, his…