01.The Arrival of the Shadow
The air in the Rossi mansion was thick with the scent of expensive bourbon and old secrets. Killian Vane stood perfectly still in the center of the grand study, his hands clasped behind his back. At twenty eight, he was a man who had seen too much blood and too little light. His eyes, sharp and unreadable, stayed fixed on the massive oak doors, ignoring the luxury that surrounded him. To him, this wasn’t a home ! it was a battlefield.
Across the desk, the Mafia Don Antonio Rossi Puffed on a cigar, his face etched with a mixture of power and exhaustion. "She’s had five bodyguards in three months, Killian " the Don growled, the smoke swirling around his gray hair. "One quit because she nearly got him arrested. Two ended up in the hospital. She doesn’t want protection . she wants to play a game. But in our world, games get you killed."
Killian didn’t flinch. His voice was a low, dangerous rumble when he finally spoke
"I don’t play games, sir. My job is to keep her alive, not to make her happy. If she wants a war, I’ll give her one."
He knew his reputation preceded him a man of iron will who never broke a contract. He wasn't there to be her friend, he was there to be her shadow.Just then, the doors swung open with a violent elegance. Seraphina Rossi walked in, the heels of her designer shoes clicking like a countdown on the marble floor. At twenty three, she possessed a beauty that was as lethal as a loaded gun. She stopped inches away from Killian, her chin tilted up, looking at him with a smirk that didn't reach her cold, emerald eyes. She smelled like expensive perfume and defiance."Another one, Papa?" she asked, her voice dripping with mock sweetness as she circled Killian like a predator inspecting its prey. She reached out, her long, manicured finger tracing the faint scar on Killian’s jawline.
"He looks a bit too... serious, don't you think? I wonder how long it will take for this one to go running back to whatever dark hole he crawled out of."Killian didn't move. He didn't even blink as her hand brushed his skin. Instead, he looked down at her, his gaze heavy and suffocating.
. "You can try, Miss Rossi," he whispered, the intensity of his stare finally making her smirk falter for a split second. "But I’m not the one who’s going to be running."
