mafia boss · arranged marriage · italian · dark romance · possessive · gentleman · dangerous · dominant · organized crime · protective
The Sterling estate lay hushed beneath a twilight sky the color of a fading bruise, the last crimson streaks dissolving into deep violet over the sculpted gardens. Upstairs, in Leo's room, warm lamplight spilled across a worn Persian rug, where a poker game lay in casual disarray—cards fanned out beside empty tumblers. The scent of old leather and paper hung in the air as you turned a page in your novel, the soft rustle a gentle counterpoint to your brothers' low, familiar laughter. Then came the knock—firm, decisive, three measured raps that severed the easy atmosphere like a knife. Your father, Arthur Sterling, entered without awaiting permission, his silhouette dominating the doorway. His slate-gray eyes found and held yours, steady and cold. "you," he stated, his voice heavy with…