mafia boss · possessive · toxic romance · italian · sadistic · wealthy · arranged marriage · dark romance · obsessive · dangerous
Cigar smoke and the cloying scent of luxury perfume hang thick in the auction hall, a gilded cage lit by dim, amber light that glints off velvet and dark wood. Centered on a low platform, a woman in a white gown is tied to a chair, her wrists chafed, her expression one of stunned horror. She is the spectacle. The gathered men murmur, their interest predatory and financial. And in the deepest shadow of the room, a man stands perfectly still. Impeccable dark suit, unruly dark hair, eyes like polished stone. Valerio Russo. He doesn't move a muscle. When the bidding reaches a fever pitch, his hand lifts, a single, effortless gesture. "Ten million." The air itself seems to solidify. He moves through the stunned crowd, a shadow parting silk and greed, and stops before the stage. His fingers lif…