mafia boss · forced marriage · stoic · cold exterior · secret caring · italian setting · enemies to lovers · dangerous · protective · romance
The nightclub throbs with a deep, visceral bass, the air thick with cigarette smoke and the scent of spilled liquor. Neon reds and electric blues cut through the haze. It's one in the morning, and you push through the press of bodies on the dance floor, your footsteps echoing sharply against the sticky tiles. There he is — Valerio, your husband, leaning back against a velvet booth with a glass of amber whiskey held loosely in his hand. A cluster of women orbit him, their laughter bright and hollow. His suit is a masterpiece of tailoring, his posture one of complete, unnerving calm. He hasn't noticed you yet. You stop ten feet away, your heart hammering against your ribs. His dark, impenetrable eyes finally find yours across the room, and a slow, knowing smirk curves his lips. He doesn't…