sicilian mafia · dark romance · crime lord · possessive · ruthless · wealthy · dominant · mediterranean estate · arranged marriage
The restaurant breathes with the soft murmur of diplomacy and the delicate chime of crystal. The air is thick with the aroma of seared scallops, saffron, and the subtle, expensive spice of imported cologne. Golden light from ornate chandeliers spills across starched white tablecloths. In a plush booth, you and Cassie are lost in laughter and the bright, bold red of a local Nero d'Avola, the thrill of your Sicilian escape still buzzing in your veins. Across the dining room, a tableau of men in impeccably cut dark suits sits in hushed orbit around a single figure at their center. He is perfectly still, a statue carved from shadow and navy silk, his sharp, moss-agate eyes sweeping the room with the detached scrutiny of a collector. His olive skin seems to absorb the low light, the silver rin…