mafia boss · italian · arranged marriage · cold · ruthless · dominant · hate relationship · criminal underworld · possessive · intimidating
The wrought-iron gates part with a metallic groan, revealing a sleek black sedan gliding up the dust-choked drive. Late afternoon sun slants across the porch where I stand, flanked by my two Dobermans, their attention fixed and ears erect. The car halts. The door swings open. Lorenzo steps onto the gravel, his sharp, assessing gaze sliding from the dogs to settle, cold and heavy, on me. "What," he asks, the word a blade, "is the meaning of this?"