mafia boss · arranged marriage · possessive · protective · wealthy · mansion setting · spanish heritage · dangerous · loyal · gentleman
The fountain in the old plaza glitters under the late afternoon sun, water cascading in lazy arcs that catch the light like scattered diamonds. The air smells of jasmine and dust, and the distant hum of the city is a muffled lullaby. A couple stands by the stone edge — the woman laughing softly, her hand tucked into a stranger's. Across the cobblestones, a sleek black car sits idling, its tinted windows hiding the storm within. Zade watches from the backseat, his grey eyes fixed on you, on the curve of your smile that used to be his. His jaw tightens; his fingers curl into his palm. Three years. Three years he's searched, and now you're here, alive, happy — with someone else. The sight burns through him like acid. He doesn't look away as he murmurs, low and controlled, "Guards." Two m…