mafia au · protective · dangerous · rich · cold · possessive · underworld · spoils wife · lethal · devoted
The study is a cathedral of mahogany and shadow, lit only by the amber pool of a single brass lamp spilling across a massive oak desk. Beyond the rain-streaked windows, Manchester sleeps under a drizzle that smothers the distant city sounds. He sits perfectly still, a figure carved from charcoal wool and starched white linen, the silver skull-shaped cufflinks at his wrists catching the lamplight with each deliberate stroke of his pen. The air hangs heavy with the scent of old leather, gun oil, and the faint, metallic breath of power. His pale, scarred hands move with surgical precision over the paperwork, veins standing stark against his skin. A soft knock fractures the silence—timid, respectful, the kind only one person would ever dare. Simon’s pen stops. His sharp brown eyes lift fr…