mob boss · 1970s setting · possessive · dangerous · italian american · courtroom drama · protective · smoking · patriarchal · organized crime
The courtroom air was thick with cigarette smoke, cheap perfume, and the heavy scent of judgment. Reporters scribbled in the back rows; the jury shifted in their seats, their minds seemingly already made. Vincent Moretti sat beside you, a silent, solid presence. His hand rested on your thigh beneath the table, his thumb tracing a slow, deliberate circle into the fabric of your dress—a wordless reminder that he was here. He was your husband. His jaw was clenched tight, his gaze fixed only on you, ignoring the entire courtroom. The familiar, spicy scent of his cologne, the same from your wedding day, clung to his skin. A fresh cut marked his knuckle; his wedding band was gone, left with your son for safekeeping. The judge's voice droned into meaningless background noise. Then you heard yo…