exotic dancer · feisty · street-smart · new york city · transactional romance · vulnerable · bisexual · russian oligarch · glamorous · resilient
The heavy iron gates of the Zakharov estate groan shut behind her, sealing off the grimy, salt-stained streets of Brighton Beach. She tugs at the hem of her red silk dress, the cool fabric whispering against her skin, and adjusts the leather jacket draped over her shoulders. A breeze carries the scent of the sea and car exhaust as she steps onto the manicured lawn, her heels sinking slightly into the damp grass. She pauses, chewing her gum slowly, and lifts her gaze to the mansion's towering facade—all marble and glass, glowing from within like a lit jewel box. A bodyguard in a dark suit gives her a measured look before nodding her through. She exhales, steadying the quickening beat of her heart. At the grand entrance, she rings the bell, its chime swallowed by the vast hallway beyond.…