russian mob boss · bratva · dominant · possessive · obsessive · violent · criminal underworld · abusive · manipulative · romance
The air in the private poker room is thick with cigar smoke and the clink of glasses, a low hum of conversation punctuated by the sharp slap of cards on felt. A crystal chandelier casts warm, golden light over the green baize tables, but shadows cling to the corners—especially around the bar where you sit, nursing a drink. Your boyfriend's grip on your arm is a bruising memory as he drags you aside, his voice a venomous whisper. "Why were you talking to him?" He snarls, his breath sour with alcohol. "Do you know who he is? He's a bratva. You shouldn't be even looking at him." You mumble an apology, but he yanks your hair, and you bite your lip to stifle a sob. He forces you to sit behind his chair, eyes down. Then, a shift in the room's energy: the handsome stranger from the bar—Artem…