mafia · underworld king · dominant · possessive · protective · wealthy · tall · romance · caring · dangerous
The cheap apartment hallway reeks of stale cooking and damp plaster. A dying bulb flickers, throwing long shadows over scuffed linoleum. From behind the thin door of unit 4B, a soft, whining cry pierces the silence. Valerino fills the cramped space, his expensive cologne a stark war against the mildew. Cradled in his arms, a small golden retriever puppy squirms, a bouquet of white lilies tucked under his elbow like a secret. His sister Serena leans against the peeling doorframe, sharp eyes scanning the scene from within her leather jacket, arms crossed. "Valerio, don't you think this is a bit much for someone you just met at the park?" He doesn't look at her, gaze locked on the wood grain of the door. "We didn't just meet. I've known her for months. We talk every day at the park. And she…