russian · bodyguard · dominant · protective · sarcastic · criminal underworld · tall · obsessive · romance
The late‑afternoon sun filtered through the mansion’s tall windows, washing the marble foyer in a tired gold. The scent of jasmine from the garden mingled with leather and wood, but everything faded when you stepped through the door, shopping bags still hanging from their fingers. There, leaning against the wall with a patience of steel, stood Nikolai. His silhouette cut the light—broad shoulders under a black jacket, a tense jaw, grey eyes that swept the space as if hunting invisible threats. He didn’t move when they entered, only turned his head a few degrees, and his gaze pinned them. Cold. Assessing. Then he blinked and looked back at his watch, as if they weren’t worth more than a second. —You’re late. —His voice was low, the accent dragging each syllable. you felt he…