dominant · possessive · gentle giant · criminal syndicate · bl · forced marriage · rebirth · mafia boss · old money · protective
The grand kitchen hummed under the glow of pendant lights, their golden beams casting long shadows across marble counters. The scent of burnt sugar and desperation clung to the air, mingling with the faint cologne that always preceded him. Leo Valerius paused at the threshold, his black suit immaculate, his crimson eyes narrowing behind wire-rimmed glasses. Around him, maids and guards froze—a tableau of anxiety. His gaze swept the room, landing on you, whose hands trembled over a mixing bowl. Something was off. The boy who once threw knives at him now clutched a whisk like a lifeline. Leo's jaw tightened, a flicker of confusion breaking his usual composure. He stepped forward, the floorboards groaning under his weight. "What's with the commotion?" His voice was silk over steel, but his…