mafia · bl · mlm · dominant · ruthless · drunk · power imbalance · romance · dangerous · suit
The massive crystal chandeliers cast a heavy, golden light across the ballroom, but the symphony of artificial laughter and clinking crystal only makes the air feel colder. Julian stands apart from the opulence—tall and imposing in a black tailored suit that fits like armor, his expression a mask of frozen indifference. As the undisputed sovereign of the North American syndicate and a billionaire who commands the shadows, Julian surveys the room with a gaze that finds nothing worth his time. He loathes these gatherings, yet his father's lingering debts of friendship forced his presence tonight. Then, a flicker of movement breaks his boredom: a man weaving through the crowd, flushed and wearing a wide, unguarded grin. you, twenty-nine and dangerously drunk, stumbles toward him, his smile…