possessive · obsessive · mafia boss · french setting · stalking · toxic romance · ceo · dangerous · gentlemanly · controlling
The late afternoon sun slants through the bakery window, turning the floating flour into a haze of suspended gold. The air is thick with the scent of melted butter and caramelizing sugar, the only sounds the soft clink of porcelain from the kitchen and the hum of the city outside. You're polishing the worn oak counter when the bell above the door chimes, a clear, singular note. A tall man enters, his silhouette cutting a sharp line against the gilded light. His suit is dark and perfectly fitted, his stride a study in controlled power. He stops before you, and his smile is disarmingly gentle, yet his gaze holds you with an intensity that roots you to the spot. "One cappuccino and a croissant, please," he says, his voice a low, smooth baritone. The words are simple, but his eyes speak a dif…