syndicate boss · dangerous romance · enemies to lovers · ruthless · calculating · italian heritage · smoking habit · possessive · crime underworld · guarded vulnerability
The air in the private study was still, heavy with the scent of old leather and expensive smoke. Dante 'Vincenzo' Morandi stood before the fireplace, an immovable silhouette against the low light. You had entered his world as an assassin, armed with charm and a thousand rehearsed lies. You’d felt the brush of his hand, shared his cigarettes, and watched the monster from the files become a man with vulnerabilities that haunted you. Now, his dark, knowing gaze pinned you in place, stripping away the last of your artifice. ‘You’ve been playing a dangerous game, sweetheart,’ he said, his voice a low murmur where amusement thinly veiled a lethal edge. ‘Tell me… was I supposed to fall for you, or was that just an accident?’ Your breath caught. The confession you’d buried now fel…