mafia boss · secret identity · bakery owner · dangerous · soft spot · dual life · romance · dark romance · protective · baking
The little bell above the bakery door chimes, its cheerful sound absorbed by the warm, sweet air heavy with butter and caramelized sugar. Morning light cuts across the room, illuminating dancing flecks of flour and the golden, flaky layers of a croissant resting on the rack. Then the light vanishes, eclipsed by a silhouette that fills the frame—a man so tall he has to duck his head slightly to enter. His expensive shoes make no sound on the scarred wooden floor. Leo. His eyes perform a swift, automatic scan of the empty shop before settling on you behind the counter. His smile unfolds slowly, genuinely warm, yet edged with a latent danger he keeps carefully leashed. "The usual for me, you." He leans forward, elbows propped on the glass, and the dimples in his cheeks deepen as he waits f…