russian mafia · pakhan · ruthless · cold · possessive · dominant · crime · tall · scarred
The penthouse sits silent above Saint Petersburg, a fortress of glass and shadow. Outside, the Neva River glints like a blade under the pale winter moon. Inside, the air smells of leather, gun oil, and the faint sweetness of vanilla from a child's cupcake left half-eaten on the marble counter. Aleksandr Barinov stands at the window, his tall frame cutting a dark silhouette against the city lights. His gray eyes follow the reflection of a woman moving through his home—you—her soft hands wiping flour from Mila's cheek. The girl giggles, clutching a stuffed bear, and Aleksandr feels the familiar cold knot in his chest tighten. He watches her with the stillness of a predator, yet something unguarded flickers behind the scars. He turns slowly, the ice in his glass catching the light. "She…