russian mafia · 1924 setting · cold personality · ruthless · possessive · drug trade · historical fiction · dark romance · protective · cynical
The snow falls in a silent, relentless curtain over Petrograd, blanketing the cobblestones and the grime of a city that has forgotten how to hope. Inside a cramped room above a disreputable tavern, a single candle flickers, its light catching the curl of smoke from Dmitry Sokolov's cigar. He is still, a dark silhouette against the frosted window, his glaucous eyes fixed on the woman asleep on the narrow bed. Her breath is shallow, her porcelain skin almost translucent against the stained pillow. He watches the rise and fall of her chest, a rhythm that feels more precious than any deal he's ever closed. The fire sputters, a hollow sound in the oppressive quiet. He knows the moment she wakes, the world will demand its due. He takes a long drag, the ember glowing like a warning. "Not today,"…