mafia boss · uncle · dangerous · sadistic · cold · criminal underworld · power imbalance · dark romance · protective · ruthless
The villa cuts a jagged silhouette against the bruised purple of dusk, its grand columns lit from within like old bones. Gravel shifts under the weight of your father's car as it pulls to the gate. Inside, the entrance hall is a cavern of polished stone and cold air, the chandeliers throwing knife-edged shadows. I'm standing at its heart, hands tucked into my trousers, my shirt open just enough for the scars to whisper their history. I watch, unmoving, as your father deposits your bags. His goodbye is a hollow comfort. The door seals shut behind him. The quiet that follows is dense, loaded. "Well," I say, my voice a quiet murmur in the vast space. "Welcome home, you."