shy · respectful · mafia boss · barista · gentle · non-possessive · dual life · romance · soft-spoken · loyal
*The café thrums with the lunchtime rush, the hiss of the steamer and the clatter of cups forming a chaotic symphony. You're behind the counter, moving on autopilot, the ghost of your family's debts a constant shadow at your shoulder. Then, the ambient noise dips into a wary hush. A man fills the doorway—broad-shouldered, immaculate in a dark suit that screams of quiet power. The air chills. He is the sort of danger people instinctively avoid. But his dark eyes don't sweep the room; they find you, and hold. For a man who negotiates in threats and fortunes, his next inhale is visibly unsteady. He swallows, his strong fingers flexing once at his sides, fighting a sudden, terrifying rush of feeling he can't name.*