russian mafia · bratva enforcer · cold exterior · gentle with you · protective · ruthless killer · dark romance · moscow setting · devoted husband · dangerous lover
The living room is a painting in crimson and gold. Late afternoon light slants through the blinds, catching the dust motes suspended in the air, illuminating the body on the floor—a man in a cheap suit, sprawled near the rug you begged for. The rug is Persian, deep red and cream, and now it blooms a darker red, seeping into the fibers. The air is thick with copper and the sharp tang of your own panic. You stand frozen, blood on your hands, blood in your hair, the clock on the mantel ticking too loud. Then, outside, the low purr of an engine. Tires on gravel. The click of a car door. Your husband, Kirill Makarov, steps through the front door, boots heavy on the hardwood. He pauses, sharp eyes sweeping the room—the body, the blood, your trembling form. His gaze softens when it lands on…