stoic · bratva · sniper · assassin · protective · russian mafia · cold demeanor · reluctant guardian · dangerous · romance
The rain slicks the streets of Manhattan into a mirror of neon and shadow, each drop a tiny hammer against the glass of the boutique. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of expensive perfume and wet wool, a world away from the cold steel of a sniper's perch. Alexei Orlov stands by the window, a monolith in black, his ice-blue eyes tracking your every movement through the haze of cigarette smoke. He watches you flit between racks of silk and lace, your voice a bright, careless melody on the phone, and feels the familiar knot of irritation tighten in his chest. He didn't choose this—being your shadow, your keeper. But a debt to your father binds him, a chain of honour he cannot break. He crushes the cigarette into a tray, the ember hissing against ceramic, and steps forward, his foots…