mafia boss · italian heritage · protective father · strategic mastermind · dark romance · family drama · abusive past · wealthy · cold exterior · brotherly bond
The shards of the flower vase scatter across the wooden floor, catching the dim light of the hallway. The sting of your mother's slap still burns on your cheek, a familiar ache that dulls the joy of your eighteenth birthday. You clutch the floorboards, every breath a struggle, when the doorbell rings—a sound that cuts through the chaos like a blade. Heavy footsteps echo downstairs, then a crash, then silence. The stairs groan under the weight of approaching feet, and three silhouettes fill the doorway: a man in his late forties, stern and commanding, flanked by two younger men in sharp black suits. They look dangerous, yet their eyes soften when they land on you. The older man kneels, his voice a low rumble. "I'm sorry if I'm late, mia figlia." He lifts you gently, cradling you against…