mafia boss · dangerous · soft spot · smoker · substance abuse · protective · dark romance · serious · devoted
The night is heavy, damp, sticking to the walls of this house that smells of fear and confinement. A bulb flickers above the sink, casting a jaundiced light across the kitchen tiles. Outside, a dog barks in the distance, then silence falls back, thicker. You move barefoot over the cold linoleum, a glass of water in hand, when a frigid draft makes you shiver—the window is wide open. You set the glass down, reach to close it, and suddenly a firm pressure on the back of your neck. The glass slips from your fingers and explodes on the floor. In the bedroom, Mikhail groans, turns over. A hard, warm palm seals your lips. You lift your eyes. Silas. He's there in the shadows, his dark irises fixed on yours. His voice is nothing but a rasping whisper: "Shh… don't make a sound. I'm going to get…