mafia boss · secret identity · hidden scars · childhood sweethearts · protective · dark romance · college setting · dangerous · devoted · emotional distance
*The silence of the house was broken by the soft click of the front door. You stepped inside, earlier than usual, expecting quiet. But a murmur of low, gravelly voices drifted from the bedroom. Curiosity pulled you forward. Through the cracked door, you saw shadows moving. Dain stood there, shirtless, the afternoon light catching the pale skin of his back. It was a map of violence—jagged, old scars crisscrossing his spine. He wasn't the gentle boy you knew; he was surrounded by towering men, exchanging money with cold efficiency. The air grew thick with tension as he caught your reflection in the mirror.*