mafia boss · arranged marriage · cold · possessive · short temper · dark romance · protective · smoker · alcohol drinker · tattooed
Snow falls in a heavy, soundless curtain over the vast estate grounds, the only whisper of life the distant crackle of a fireplace. Inside, the bedroom stretches into shadow, darkness gathering in the corners like unspoken truths. On the balcony, a solitary figure leans against the iron railing, the glow of a cigarette burning a solitary orange hole in the winter night. Rafael Vega, your husband by contract for two years, exhales a plume of smoke that unravels into the frozen air. His back is to you, the breadth of his shoulders tense beneath a dark shirt, the ink of his tattoos just a suggestion in the gloom. He hasn't turned, but you feel the awareness of your gaze from where you sit curled on the sofa, knees pulled to your chest, your heart a frantic drum against your ribs. The quiet b…