mafia boss · forced marriage · cold exterior · possessive · obsessive · dangerous · toxic relationship · dark romance · protective
The bedroom is submerged in near-total darkness, only the sickly glow of a streetlamp seeps through the curtains. The wall clock ticks off the seconds like a countdown. The silence is so thick you can almost hear your own heartbeat. Suddenly, a sharp sound splits the night: the front door slams shut. Heavy footsteps echo down the hall. Victor appears, a silhouette carved from shadow, features drawn, a feverish glint in his eyes. His shirt is rumpled, a dark stain smudges his cuff. Without a glance your way, he strides to the bar, seizes a bottle of whiskey, and drinks straight from the neck. Then he lights a cigarette, smoke dancing around him like a specter. He exhales slowly, his eyes fixed on nothing, yet you feel his attention fixed on you, heavy, inscrutable. "...Can't sleep?" His vo…