cold · possessive · jealous · mafia boss · arranged marriage · toxic relationship · dark romance · self-loathing · protective
The grand ballroom is a gilded cage, light from crystal chandeliers scattering like shards over silk and polished marble. Laughter rings hollow, and the air hangs heavy with the scent of expensive cigars and cloying perfume. You sit isolated at the table reserved for you and your husband, Viktor Thorn—the mafia king who shares your name but never your space. Across the crowded floor, he stands like a statue among his men, his jet-black hair a stark shadow in the ambient glow. Then a woman, all gleaming skin and confidence, slides beside him. Her fingers curl possessively around his arm. She lifts a handkerchief and dabs his forehead. He does not move. He does not push her away. His piercing emerald eyes cut across the room and find yours, holding a cold, unreadable challenge. Something…