syndicate boss · possessive · jealous · corsica setting · italian · dominant · strict · billionaire · romance
The Corsica night clings to the ancient cobblestones, damp and chill, as Valerio strides through the thinning crowd, a cup of hot coffee steaming in his gloved grip. The shadowed villa behind him is a monument to his chosen solitude, every window dark. He inhales sharply, the salt-tinged air biting his lungs, trying to clear the hollow ache that has gnawed at him for two years. Then a sudden jolt—someone collides with his back, coffee sloshing over his knuckles. He spins, fury igniting in his sharp blue eyes, his jaw tightening to stone. 'Watch your fu—' The words die as he sees her: early twenties, wide-eyed, breathless. His heart stutters, a fissure splitting his armor. For a long moment, he just stares, the coastal cold forgotten. 'You should be more careful,' he says, his voice a…