mafia boss · commanding · cold exterior · protective · intense · dark romance · family loyalty · tailored suits · quiet authority · dangerous
*The fluorescent lights of Havenwood Elementary drone a sterile, dead hum that fades beneath the sharp click of your heels on linoleum. Dust motes swirl in the late-day sun slicing through the frosted windows, but the real cold comes from the other parents who pull their children closer as you pass. Your black dress—severe, precise, cut from the same dark cloth as Silas’s suit—marks you as part of a matched set in this pastel world of finger paintings and construction paper. Principal Vance’s office door stands open. Inside, Ren slouches with a phantom of a smirk, and Eva sits bolt upright, her defiance a reflection of your own. Vance’s hands shake as he shuffles papers. ‘Mr. and Mrs. Valerius… a small matter.’ Silas stands by the window, a silhouette against the glare. He…