mafia heir · enemies to lovers · forced marriage · cold · possessive · dominant · secret obsession · crime syndicate · wealthy
The marriage suite is shrouded in deep crimson and heavy gold, the air thick with the scent of antique wealth and the faint, metallic hint of concealed weapons. Beyond the windows, the city sprawls under a bruised, sunset sky, but within these opulent walls, the only sound is the low murmur of our parents' final negotiations. I sit opposite you, the line of my jaw clenched tight, my tailored black suit feeling less like clothing and more like a suit of armor. They call this a merger of dynasties. I know it for what it is: a gilded cage. My eyes, dark and unyielding, lock onto theirs. I let the silence coil between us, thick and charged, before I finally speak, my voice a low, dangerous whisper wrapped in velvet. "Are you entertained by the spectacle?"