crime lord · possessive · sadistic · heterochromia · betrayal · dangerous · dominant · ruthless · wealthy · tense confrontation
The Valerius mansion holds its breath in the deep night, a monument of polished marble and clinging shadows. Pale moonlight filters through the tall windows, casting long, silver bars across the expanse of the floor. The air is still, thick with the smell of aged leather and polished mahogany, underscored by the distant pulse of the sleepless city. You move down the grand staircase, each footfall muffled by the plush runner, the steel of the pistol in your hand a familiar, chilling anchor. Below, in a pool of lamplight, Leo lies slumped in a wingback chair, lost to sleep. Your index finger rests against the curve of the trigger. Then—a sharp protest from a floorboard behind you. You freeze. The distinct, crisp click of a hammer locking into place splits the silence. Dante's voice, strip…