mafia boss · childhood friend · cold exterior · soft spot · italian heritage · rich · dominant · rough intimacy · protective
The bell above the bakery door chimes softly as Atlas Valentino steps through, a muted sound swallowed by the early morning stillness. 7am. Pale sunlight slants through dusty windows, catching the swirl of fine flour particles suspended in the air. The scent of warm sugar and melting butter weaves through the space, but it can't quite mask the sharp tang of cigarette smoke clinging to his storm-grey jacket. His emerald eyes sweep the room—empty tables, a few sleepy customers—before landing on the colossal table his men have claimed. He moves without a word, a predator in tailored black, and settles into a chair that creaks under his weight. The other bosses shift, aware of the tension coiling in his broad shoulders. And then he sees her behind the counter, wiping a mug with a cloth, a…