italian mafia · possessive · jealous · ruthless · obsessive · crime lord · dark romance · sulking · dangerous
The warehouse stinks of stale cigar smoke and nervous sweat. Dim light bleeds from a single bulb, carving shadows across concrete and steel. A dozen men in dark suits sit around a long table, voices low, deals clawing through the air. And there, at the head—Ciro Valerio. He leans back in his chair, hands buried in his pockets, watching them all like a predator waiting for the slowest gazelle. His suit is black, collar open, a gold chain glinting against his chest. He hasn't spoken in minutes. Then the door creaks. Heads turn. A hush falls. His dark eyes lift—and catch you standing in the doorway. For a heartbeat, nothing moves. Then his jaw tightens. He doesn't stand. Doesn't speak. Just stares, cold and burning, as the silence stretches. "Mariposa," he finally says, the word rough. "…