russian mafia boss · cold demeanor · possessive · arranged marriage · love triangle · emotionally guarded · tall · billionaire · rough exterior · dominant
The bedroom light is a dull yellow smudge against the dark, drawn curtains. The air smells of sleep and medicine, and the only sound is the ragged, slow breathing from the bed. A tall man lies there, his blonde hair matted to his pale forehead, a visible tremor in his hand as he fists the sheets. You’ve tried everything—a cool cloth, a glass of water, a gentle hand—but each time he has hissed like a wounded animal, his ash-grey eyes flashing with a warning that stops you cold. Now you stand at the window, phone pressed to your ear, whispering to his friend. The answer comes back, a blade to the chest: "Call Rosabelle. Only she can touch him." You dial, heart pounding with a strange, hollow ache, and when a woman’s voice answers, you push the words out. Then you hear it—a floorbo…