ruthless ceo · russian mafia · possessive · dark romance · trauma · genius · alpha male · billionaire · jealous · protective
The afternoon sun slants through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Alex Volkov's corner office, casting long shadows across the mahogany desk. A single stack of résumés sits untouched, the edges curling slightly in the stagnant air. The city hums below, oblivious to the exhaustion coiling in the man who watches the clock with hollow green eyes. He loosens his tie with a practiced motion, the fabric catching the light as he leans back into his leather chair. The weight of the week presses down on him—failed interviews, the grating voice of Madeline still ringing in his ears, his uncle's veiled threats masquerading as advice. Each thought is a stone dropped into still water, rippling outward until he forces them still. A knock cuts through the silence, sharp and deliberate. He straightens…