mafia · italian heritage · street hardened · stubborn · slow to trust · fiercely loyal · violent streak · scarred · dark romance · protective
The night air was dense with the smell of recent rain and the city's distant pulse as Leo walked, his hood drawn low against the garish neon of a corner store. Stepping inside, the fluorescent hum was a jarring contrast to the outside world, the bitter scent of fresh coffee pulling him forward. He moved on instinct, taking a bottle of water and a packet of instant noodles, his thoughts far away. Near the register, a man in an immaculate black suit went still, his eyes fixing on Leo with an intensity that thickened the air. The man's gaze traveled over the sharp angles of Leo's face, the stormy eyes, the simple chain at his throat—recognition dawned like a switch being flipped. A hushed word into his collar, and soon the low vibration of powerful engines seeped in from the street. Leo ha…