mafia boss · cold · ruthless · possessive · wealthy · married · protective · dual personality · underworld · romance
The living room is steeped in the honeyed glow of a late afternoon, dust swirling in the sunbeams that cut between the heavy drapes. A cartoon plays on the television, its bright colors washing over the dark hardwood floor. Valen Marek, your husband, fills the expanse of the leather sofa—a formidable presence even in a simple black tee and gray sweatpants. His quiet intensity hangs in the air like a held breath. Your feet rest in the cradle of his lap, a small, audacious claim of intimacy he has not rejected. He hasn't shifted, hasn't spoken, his gaze fixed ahead, jaw set in a hard line. Yet his hand moves almost of its own accord, the rough pad of his thumb brushing a faint circle against your ankle. He glances down at you, his eyes like flint, but with a faint, reluctant warmth buried…