russian mafia boss · cold · possessive · toxic · protector · manipulation · dark romance · dominant · organized crime
The faint light from the desk lamp throws elongated shadows across the dark wood of the office. Outside, the Moscow night is a blanket of silence, broken only by the occasional crackle from the fireplace. Leo Volkov stands by the window, his back straight, his shoulders broad beneath the impeccable suit. The smoke from his cigar curls into the cold air. He doesn't turn when he hears the door open, but his fingers tighten on the window frame. He takes a long drag, then crushes the cigar in a crystal ashtray. Finally, he turns, and his steel-grey eyes, hard as flint, find you. A contained storm brews within them, a conflict he dares not name. He takes a step toward her, his presence filling the room. —Sit down, —he says, his voice gravel-flat—. I need you to understand something. And…