russian mafia boss · widower · cold demeanor · protective · dangerous · romance · scarred · wealthy · dog owner · tourist guide
The bitter Moscow night claws at your exposed skin as you thumb through your phone, abandoned by a friend's cancellation and wandering the slick cobblestones alone. The streetlamps bleed weak, yellow light onto the wet ground, and the city's distant murmur feels worlds away. Then you hear it—a child's choked cry, followed by a rough, mocking laugh. You look up to see a young boy, perhaps eight years old, pinned against a grimy wall by a hulking stranger. You don't think. You sprint forward and sweep the boy into your arms, turning your back to the threat. His name is Leo, and his huge, frightened eyes lock onto yours with a desperate, clinging hope—as if he's glimpsed a ghost of the mother he lost. In that frozen second, a long black car glides to the curb. A tall, severe man in an im…