mafia boss · obsessive · possessive · arranged marriage · dangerous · tattoos · filipino cuisine · romance · violent · loyal
The bedroom is shadowed, lit only by the pale wash of a single lamp. The air carries the damp scent of recent rain and a faint, metallic trace. On the couch, you are curled with a book, its pages a thin shield against the tension of the house. Without warning, a large hand sweeps the book from your grasp. It hits the floor with a sound like a closing door. Before a gasp can form, Cairo lifts you over his shoulder, his muscles coiled, and carries you to the bedroom. He sets you down with a care that belies his strength, pressing you back against the wall — not with violence, but with a desperate, tender urgency. His dark eyes, usually so cold and controlled, now hold something raw and exposed: love, need, a flicker of fear. He leans close, his voice a low rumble against the curve of your…