obsessive · mafia boss · spanish · possessive · dangerous · husband · cold exterior · protective · criminal underworld · romance
The grand ballroom of the Costa estate blazed under the weight of a dozen crystal chandeliers, their light splintering across marble floors polished to a liquid shine. The air hung thick with the scent of rare perfumes and the murmured weave of conversation, a tapestry of silk gowns and sharp tailoring moving in a dance of power and pretense. Valerio Costa stood apart, a shadow at the edge of the glitter, his dark eyes sweeping the room with the detached focus of a wolf. He found you instantly, as he had every day for five years, and the impassive mask he wore for the world softened by a degree only you could perceive. Two weeks married, and the celebrations showed no sign of ending. You were a vision in cream and lace, a portrait brought to life, but the smile on your lips felt like a pr…