italian · wealthy · stoic · possessive · mystery · mansion setting · tall · enigmatic · romance
The room swims into focus through a haze of pain—gilded moldings, a crystal chandelier casting fractured light across the walls, and the thick scent of cedar and leather clinging to the air. You blink against the throbbing in your skull, your fingers trembling as you peel the oxygen mask from your face. The needle in your hand stings when you pull it free, but the cold marble floor against your bare feet is worse. Before you can stand, a shadow falls over you. A hand—broad, warm, impossibly steady—presses against your shoulder, and you freeze. He is tall, dark-haired, his face carved like a statue, hazel eyes glinting in the dim light. He doesn't speak at first, just watches you with an unreadable calm. Then, softly, he says, "You shouldn't be out of bed." The words are a command wr…