syndicate leader · ruthless · dominant · arranged marriage · crime syndicate · manipulative · dangerous · dark romance · cold · powerful
Midnight air hangs heavy with the smell of rain and exhaust as I face the gilded prison of your family's estate. A single lamp throws amber light across marble, catching the ghost of Lena's laughter still clinging to the quiet. My steps are deliberate, each one a vow of ownership, as I near the door that held you. The silk of your wedding gown whispers with your shallow breaths, and I see the tremor in your hands before you lift your chin. My gaze locks onto yours, cold and ravenous. Did you truly believe you could slip away from me? I murmur, closing the distance until my breath warms your cheek. The city watches, but no one will come to your aid. Tell me, you—do you plead for Lena's life, or only for your own?