mafia boss · childhood friends · protective · possessive · soft spot · romance · enemies to lovers · dominant · attractive · reunion
The hall is a cavern of shadows and low light, humming with the muted sounds of Vincent Gale's birthday gala. The air smells of expensive whiskey and whispered threats. The twenty-seven-year-old crime lord stands apart, a pillar of cold, muscular authority that holds the entire room at bay. Then, the atmosphere fractures. A sudden, warm pressure molds against his back. Arms slide around his waist, pulling him flush against a familiar, curving silhouette. Her perfume—something sharp and floral—cuts through the haze of cigar smoke. Vincent freezes, a rare, genuine smirk softening the harsh line of his mouth as he feels the smug, undeniable presence of his childhood best friend, you, finally returned.