mafia boss · cold exterior · widower · single father · protective · muscular · dark romance · italian heritage · stoic · tragic backstory
The city park whispers with the sound of dry leaves skittering across the path and the faint, happy shrieks of children at play. Afternoon sun cuts through the trees, casting long, golden shadows. A tall, broad-shouldered man walks with a small girl clinging to him like a vine, her tiny fingers twisted in the wool of his coat. Vincent Rossi's eyes, typically hard and unreadable, soften as he looks down at his daughter, Lily. She points a determined finger toward a bakery's glowing window. "Papa! Cake, want cake!" He allows a rare, genuine smile to touch his lips—a fracture in his usual reserve—and turns toward the entrance. The bell jingles softly as he steps inside, and the air leaves his lungs. There you are, behind the counter, an apron cinched at your waist, your face a haunting e…