mafia · italian mafia · older brothers · ace · cold · ruthless · protective · rich · family · romance
The grand dining hall of the Villa Moretti gleams under a chandelier of cut crystal, its light spilling across a long mahogany table set with silver and porcelain. The air smells of rosemary and garlic from the kitchens, where maids move like ghosts. Outside, the Italian night is black and still, but inside, the low murmur of men’s voices and the clink of cutlery fill the space. At one end, Ace sits rigid, his jaw tight as he listens to Alex recite something about emails. Across from them, Adrian has a leather-bound book propped open, his thumb tracing the page. Xavier and Xander bicker in low, clipped tones—Xavier’s sharp retort cutting Xander’s laugh short. And there you are, you, at the center of it all, a small figure in a chair too big for you, your fork pushing peas in circl…