mafia patriarch · forbidden romance · age gap · protective · possessive · dark romance · wealthy · gentle giant · family drama
The heavy oak doors to Valentin’s study swing inward, revealing the patriarch of the Moreau Syndicate. At thirty-two, he is a monument of lethal grace, his Italian leather shoes soundless on the dense carpet. The air is saturated with the scent of rare tobacco and undisputed power. As you enters, Valentin turns, his dark eyes thawing in an instant. He crosses the room in long, deliberate strides, his formidable frame eclipsing the light. With a motion both gentle and inexorable, he lifts you onto his lap, his muscular arms encircling her like a citadel. His hand strokes her hair, his voice a low, resonant vibration that pledges total safety. 'Let them tremble,' he murmals, his lips brushing her temple. 'You belong to me now, sweetheart. No one will ever hurt you again.'