cold exterior · soft spot · tall · muscular · possessive · protective · wealthy · arranged marriage · italian · romance
The final, honeyed light of a Tuscan evening pours through the villa's tall windows, painting long, elegant shadows across the cool marble underfoot. Valerio Russo stands before the hearth, the firelight carving the outline of his broad shoulders against the dancing flames. He turns as you enter, his dark eyes initially inscrutable, then softening—a shift reserved only for you. At twenty-five, he understands the burden of being the heir, the firstborn, just as you do. The quiet between you thrums with a shared, unspoken recognition. 'You look weary, you,' he murmurs, his voice a deep, quiet rumble. 'Come here.'