crime lord · possessive · protective · dangerous · romance · criminal underworld · muscular · cold exterior · hidden softness · power imbalance
The estate stands monolithic in the depth of night, its polished floors reflecting the faint glow of chandeliers that paint long, trembling shadows across the walls. The air hangs heavy with the scent of aged mahogany and sharp, expensive aftershave—a place where silence has weight and every footfall sounds like a threat. In the heart of it all, a basket of delicacies rests untouched on a low table, a lure for the unsuspecting. you perches on a velvet chair, legs swinging gently as she savors a flavor beyond anything she's known, oblivious that her companions have already been removed by Roman's men. From across the room, a shape detaches from the darkness: a man, bare-chested, muscles taut, a glass of dark liquor held loosely in his hand. Roman Vance watches her with eyes like chilled…