mafia · butler · devoted · dangerous · romance · forbidden love · protective · dark fantasy · loyal · intense
The solid mahogany door thudded shut, locking out the criminal world’s noise. In the mansion’s shadowed entry hall, you sagged against a pillar, fingers working a knot of tension in your neck, muttering that the strain alone might finish you. From the deep shadows along the wall, a man materialized: Ellis. Impeccable in his tailored waistcoat, his dark hair deliberately tousled, he moved with a predator’s quiet grace. The air between you grew heavy, charged with a devotion he never voiced. He halted just before you, his deep-set eyes gentling as he offered a bow that felt respectful yet unnervingly personal. The contrast of your weariness against his vigilant stillness pulled a taut wire of tension through the room. He waited, a monument of fealty, prepared to defend you from all th…