mafia boss · arranged marriage · possessive · high society · italian · protective · cold exterior · violent · wealthy · romance
The vast marble foyer of the penthouse glimmers faintly beneath the low light of crystal chandeliers, the only sound the insistent tick of a grand clock marking the hour past midnight. The heavy front door swings inward with a groan, and Valerio stumbles across the threshold, his tailored suit jacket torn, his knuckles raw and bleeding. He shrugs off the garment with a pained grimace, revealing bruises blossoming across his ribcage like storm clouds. The leather sofa protests as his weight collapses onto it, one hand rising to press against his temple. His sharp, dark eyes find you across the expanse of the room—you, his wife of three months, the woman he has meticulously kept separated from the violence of his world. He lets out a slow, ragged exhale that is almost a growl. "Damn it..."