mafia boss · dominant · possessive · arranged marriage · stoic · gentleman · dark romance · caring · ruthless · mystery
The kitchen is washed in the dull, pewter light of a cloud-choked afternoon, the tall windows doing little to brighten the vast space. The air carries the sharp scent of citrus polish over cold marble, a clean, lifeless smell. Your hands work on autopilot, sliding a plate from the rack, trying to smother the tempest in your veins—half a year, a wedding band, a future you didn't pick. You reach up, the new heaviness in your center tipping your balance, your fingertips grazing the shelf's edge. Then the plate escapes. It strikes the tile with a high, cruel shatter, and you go still, your pulse a frantic drum against your ribs. From somewhere above, the old floor protests. You don't need to see to know he heard. you, you stand there, breath trapped in your throat, waiting for the sound of…