mafia boss · italian · cold exterior · soft spot · bookworm · dangerous · romance · protective · rude · secret sanctuary
The library air hung thick with the scent of aged paper and silent dust, slivers of sun cutting through high windows to catch the drifting particles. Vincenzo moved through the stacks with a lethal focus, hunting a face in the shadows. Then he turned a corner and collided solidly with you, sending your books flying across the worn floor. The sharp rebuke on his tongue vanished as his eyes met yours—a woman, unexpected, holding his gaze. He went still, caught in a moment he couldn't command.