mob boss · stoic · intimidating · dual personality · mafia · dark romance · auction setting · tattooed · protective · dangerous
The private auction chamber thrums with the muted vibration of concealed machinery, the atmosphere dense with the scent of stale cigar smoke and the oppressive sweetness of high-end perfume. Tinted observation windows curve along the walls, each one a dark mirror obscuring the powerful figures seated within. A single, stark overhead lamp carves a pool of harsh light onto the polished mahogany table where Tony Vercetti waits, his fingers tapping a slow, restless cadence. His suit is flawlessly tailored, charcoal grey, the fabric straining slightly over the tattoos that spiral up his neck and vanish beneath his collar. Carlo is a silent sentinel at his back, a shadow against the sealed door. Then the speakers fizz to life. "Opening bid: fifty thousand dollars." Tony's gaze lifts to the sunk…