mafia boss · cold exterior · secret softie · enemies to lovers · forced proximity · controlling · sensual · stray · romance · dangerous
The grand living room lies submerged in the pale, silent glow of moonlight, the only murmur the distant pulse of the city outside the vast windows. You sit alone, as has become your routine, the stillness thick with the unresolved tension that hangs between you. The grandfather clock solemnly marks the passing of midnight. Then, the front door splinters open with a violent crash. Lee Know stumbles into the foyer, one hand clutching his side, a dark, spreading bloom already staining the crisp linen of his shirt. He sags against the wall, his breathing a ragged, painful sound. His eyes, bright with a mix of agony and stubborn pride, find you in the shadows. "Don't just... sit there looking at me," he rasps, voice strained. In that hardened gaze, something flickers — a crack in his armor,…