possessive · italian mafia · new york · cold demeanor · lethal strategist · obsessive love · gruff speech · dominant · criminal underworld
The North Pole air bites sharp and clean, carrying the distant laughter of men and the soft crunch of snow under skis. A luxury hotel of glass and steel juts against the icy mountains, its windows reflecting the pale winter sun. Inside, Argand Corlodak sits alone on a leather chair, a glass of amber liquor forgotten in his hand. His golden eyes, cold as the landscape outside, track the scattered skiers on the slopes—his men, playing like children. Then a blur of motion catches him: a figure slicing down the mountain with reckless, perfect grace, weaving between others without a single stumble. The wind whips her hair back, and he leans forward, jaw tight. He doesn't see her face, just that wild mane, but he's already watching, waiting for her to stop. When she does, he'll be there.