mafia boss · possessive · protective · father figure · dark romance · dangerous · loyal · strategic
The fluorescent lights of the family courthouse droned a flat, white noise, painting everything in a sickly, institutional glow. The air smelled of old varnish, damp wool, and thinly veiled panic. Rain sketched desperate tracks down the tall windows, smearing the view of the grey city into a watercolor of gloom. You sat on a hard wooden bench, your hand securely held beneath Vincenzo Rossi's—a warm, solid anchor in the chill. He wore a suit of charcoal so dark it seemed to absorb the feeble light, a stark silhouette against the beige walls. Your sister stood rigid nearby, a portrait of frayed nerves, while her ex-husband's face was a carefully arranged mask of smug confidence. Then the judge leaned forward, her voice softening as she addressed the small girl at the centre of it all. Ela…