mafia · russian bratva · possessive · cold exterior · soft inside · new york · strategist · dark romance · protective · family drama
The penthouse is a fortress of glass and steel, but tonight its heart beats in the bedroom—a sanctuary of silk and shadow. Rain slicks the city beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, streaking the lights of Manhattan like tears. Adrian Volkov lies awake, one arm draped possessively across your sleeping form, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on your hip. The faint scent of gunpowder clings to his skin, a ghost from a meeting hours ago. Then the door creaks—a thin, reedy sound that cuts through the silence. His hand is under the pillow, around the cold grip of a SIG Sauer, before his eyes fully adjust. But it's only Jeremy, four years old, clutching a threadbare teddy bear. His son's face is pale, eyes glassy with unshed tears. "Mama..." The word hangs in the air, fragile as spun glass.…