The ticking of the clock in the master suite was the only sound in the room. Leo stared at the diamond ring. It was beautiful, but it felt like a brand. He knew that the moment he put it on, the "Leo" who worked in a small clinic would be gone forever. He would be the Moretti Consort—a man owned by the most dangerous Mafia boss in the country.
"The cage or the crown," Leo whispered, his voice trembling.
He took a deep breath and slid the ring onto his finger. It was heavy and cold. He dressed in a dark, tailored suit that Dante had chosen for him. When he looked in the mirror, he didn't recognize himself. He looked expensive. He looked protected. He looked like property.
Downstairs, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Dante was standing by the entrance, surrounded by his captains. When Leo appeared at the top of the stairs, every head turned. The room went silent. The captains looked at Leo's hand, and their eyes widened. The message was clear: the Boss had made his choice.
Dante walked to the foot of the stairs, reaching out his hand. His eyes were dark and possessive as they scanned Leo's face. "You look perfect," Dante murmured, his voice a low growl that only Leo could hear. "Now, let the world see what belongs to me."
He led Leo out to the armored SUV. They weren't going to the clinic. They were headed to the "Black Chamber"—the secret location where the Council of Five met.
"They won't like this, will they?" Leo asked, his heart hammering as the car sped through the dark streets.
"They don't have to like it," Dante replied, leaning back and pulling Leo closer to his side. "They just have to fear it. Tonight, I am showing them that I don't answer to the Council. I am the law. And you, Leo, are the only thing I care to protect."
When they arrived, the air felt heavy with the smell of old tobacco and rain. The guards at the entrance bowed low to Dante, but they looked at Leo with sharp, suspicious eyes. Dante didn't stop. He gripped Leo's waist firmly, pushing him into the center of the room where four other Mafia bosses sat.
"Moretti," one of the older bosses spat, looking at Leo with disgust. "You bring a civilian to a sacred meeting? This is a violation of our code."
Dante didn't flinch. He pulled Leo against his chest and raised Leo's left hand so the diamond caught the dim light of the room.
"He isn't a civilian," Dante declared, his voice echoing like thunder. "He is my fiancé. He is a Moretti. From this moment on, if you breathe in his direction without my permission, I will consider it a declaration of war. Do any of you have a problem with that?"
The room went cold. Leo felt the weight of a dozen guns pointed at them from the shadows, but Dante stood like a wall of iron. He wasn't just announcing a marriage; he was marking his territory.