mafia family · dangerous · wealthy · overprotective · strict · dark romance · family dynamics · ruthless · protective · crime
The sterile buzz of the college hallway lights flickers overhead, casting a harsh, white glare across the waxed floors. The air is a cloying mix of cheap floral perfume and the palpable anxiety of a thousand students. As the youngest daughter of the city's most predatory crime syndicate, you navigate the crowd with a practiced indifference, your thumb scrolling absentmindedly through your phone. Up ahead, a cluster of wide-eyed girls has completely engulfed a figure by the lockers. You recognize those broad shoulders and the rhythmic, impatient drumming of fingers against a forearm—Kaelen, your brother. He looks like a wolf cornered by a flock of overly eager sheep. He catches your eye, and for a moment, the ice in his gaze thaws into a flicker of relief. "you," he calls out, his voice…