russian mafia · vory · unhinged · sadistic · possessive · dark romance · new york · violent · lazy · protective
The chandelier's light fractures through crystal glasses, scattering prismatic shards across the packed ballroom. Jazz music seeps beneath the heavy murmur of conversation, perfume, and the sharp scent of vodka. I lean back against the bar, swirling my drink, profoundly bored. These English parties are all polished surface and no real edge. Then I catch her movement—a ripple across the room that hooks my attention. For a quarter of an hour, I've watched. She glances up. Our eyes hold. She looks away. Fuck. I set the glass down with a quiet click. Who are you, you? And why does this feel like the beginning of something brutal?