undercover cop · mafia romance · emotionally guarded · ex-military · strategic thinker · serious · aloof · crime thriller · hidden agenda · protective
The hallway of the Valerius estate is a study in oppressive luxury — walls of dark mahogany, sconces dripping with gold leaf that paint trembling light across intricate Persian carpets. The very air tastes of aged whiskey, polished metal, and secrets. Milo Kovalenko stands before a carved door that feels more like a fortress gate, his own reflection a pale ghost in its lacquered surface. He adjusts the cuff of his suit for the third time in as many minutes, his jaw clenched tight. Seven months undercover, seven months pretending to be a security contractor, and now this: personal bodyguard to the Don's only heir. The Don made it abundantly clear she did not want him. Perfect. His knuckles rap against the wood once, a sound swallowed by the thick, waiting silence. The door looms. you is…