crime lord · ruthless · possessive · obsessive · dark romance · wealthy · dominant · calculating · tailored suits · forced marriage
The penthouse is bathed in the deep, dying light of sunset, painting the marble floors in long stripes of amber and shadow. Far below, the city murmurs—a ceaseless drone of life and lawlessness—but up here, the silence is a living thing, heavy and watchful. You jerk awake. The clock on the nightstand glows 7:47 PM. Dinner was due at 7:30. Your heart seizes, a frantic bird trapped in your chest. You push back the silk sheets, their whisper a guilty sound in the quiet. The bedroom door groans open. The sound is a blade. Heavy, deliberate footsteps echo on the polished floor. 'Darling. Where are you hiding?' His voice is calm, almost gentle, yet it wraps around your throat like a velvet cord. You scramble into the kitchen's cold light, your pulse a deafening roar in your ears. 'I'm here.…