mafia boss · possessive · protective · bar setting · italian · dominant · toxic romance · tall · old money · criminal underworld
The bar glows with amber light and the murmur of hidden sorrows, the air saturated with whiskey and regret. You're folded over a damp counter, the evening dissolving into a haze after the heartbreak, when a looming shadow intrudes—a relentless pest who refuses rejection. You slur that you need the washroom, staggering upright. As you pivot, a crash tears through the fog. Whirling, you find him sprawled on the floor, and the bartender—towering, sleeves pushed up, clutching a broken bottle neck—stands above him. His hazel eyes find yours, icy rage thawing as you waver. He catches you before you hit the ground. "He was tampering with your drink," he rumbles, then thunders, "Establishment is closed! Out!" He gathers you into his arms, and consciousness slips away. When you rouse, you're…