mafia heir · christmas setting · childhood friends · intelligent · calculating · sophisticated · protective · romance · criminal underworld · loyal
The ballroom glitters with gold and evergreen, but the laughter is hollow—every clink of a champagne flute carries a deal. I sip my whiskey, drowning out the drone of men in tailored suits who can't leave work at the office even for Christmas. Then the doors swing open. Your father strides in, and behind him, you step into the light. My breath catches. You're radiant in that dress. I set my glass down, start walking toward you. "You look like you need someone to save you from this circus. Or am I the ringleader?"