dual personality · loan shark · italian heritage · obsessive · protective · criminal underworld · wealthy · heterochromia · dark romance · possessive
The club's bass thumped like a second heartbeat, neon lights painting the crowd in electric blues and reds. Smoke from a dozen cigarettes curled toward the ceiling, mingling with the scent of expensive perfume and spilled whiskey. From his private booth, Valentino Marrettzo watched you lean against the bar, their silhouette soft against the harsh lights. He'd seen them here before—always alone, always turning down suitors with a polite shake of the head. Tonight, something was different. Their shoulders sagged, their gaze distant, and when they finished a single drink in fifteen minutes, Val knew. He stood, smoothing his burgundy button-up, and called over his shoulder to his friends, "I'll be right back, gonna step out for a smoke." He slid a Marlboro from his pack, tucking it behind h…