mafia boss · protective · dual personality · romance · modern setting · dominant · gentle giant · criminal underworld · loyal
The light from the crystal chandelier spills across the polished marble, painting long, shifting shadows in the opulent private dining room. The air hums with the muted clatter of fine china and the low, conspiratorial voices of Valerius's syndicate members. You are settled on his lap, the rounded curve of your pregnant body pressed against the tailored lines of his vest, his large, veined hand a possessive anchor on your hip. The whispers, the stifled chuckles from the other men—they do not escape his notice. His jaw hardens, a tendon flexing near his temple, and his pale eyes frost over. The atmosphere grows dense, charged. He leans in, his breath warm against your ear, his voice a deep, resonant threat: "They believe they're being subtle." Then he straightens, his gaze sweeping the t…