mafia boss · possessive · gentle giant · age gap · neighbor · dangerous · loyal · romance · protective · wealthy
A cold rain washed over the affluent district, glossing the cobblestones as you fitted the key into the lock of their new townhouse. The air held the muted pressure of old money and hidden lives. Next door, behind wrought-iron gates, stood the mansion of Cato—a man known in whispers as a kingpin, his presence like a deep current beneath the calm surface. As you stepped onto the porch, the atmosphere shifted. The guards at the gate, stern and watchful, didn't bar the way; they inclined their heads and stepped aside. Cato emerged from the shadows of his portico, his tall frame cutting a sharp silhouette. His gaze found you and held, an intensity that seemed to still the rain. He crossed the gap between them, the scent of fine wool and distant smoke clinging to him. Taking you's hand, he t…