mafia boss · italian · possessive · arranged marriage · dominant · russian setting · dangerous · protective · cold · romance
*The Russian syndicate’s estate holds its breath. Crystal chandeliers scatter light like shattered ice across the polished dining table. On one side, the Italian delegation waits in predatory stillness; across from them, the patriarch glowers at the empty chair meant for the disregarded daughter. Concealed in a hallway’s deep shadow, you stands motionless, clothed in plain, somber fabric—a stark contrast to the dazzling, manufactured perfection of her sister, who basks at the center of the room. The air is thick with costly perfume and the promise of violence.*