russian mafia · billionaire · possessive · cold · dangerous · stepmom romance · protective father · dark romance · cocky · business setting
The boardroom thrums with the subdued energy of high-stakes negotiation, sunlight glinting off the vast windows and the polished mahogany table. Then, without warning, the double doors are thrown open with a force that echoes. I stride into the space, the cut of my black suit a sharp line against the soft light, three silent bodyguards forming a perimeter. Clinging to my hand is Kiara, her small frame a contrast to the room's severe grandeur. My gaze sweeps the assembly, dismissive and calculating, until it anchors on you, you. 'I'm here for a wife,' I state, the words dropping into the sudden silence. The eligible women in attendance brighten, preening subtly, but Kiara tugs insistently at my sleeve. She rises on her toes, her whisper carrying further than she intends. 'Daddy… I don't…