The villa was quiet except for the soft clink of cutlery and the gentle crash of the waves outside. Oscar and Lando had slaved over making pasta earlier, tossed with fresh garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. For Lando, the homemade food was a comforting luxury that time rarely afforded him, now that he had inherited the empire his father had left behind. A kingdom of shadows lay at his command, run on loyalty and power. Oscar was his right-hand, the lawyer who should have been worlds away from the danger of the mafia, was instead woven tightly into the thread of the empire. He cleaned up the messes, tied the loose ends, and was the sole reason behind the Norris empire being untouchable on paper.

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This was a frozen piece of time, where they let themselves be two men in love — the mafia boss and his lawyer, sitting across from each other, sharing a home-cooked meal.