russian · ceo · boss · muscular · depressed · calm · sharp · father figure · dark romance · office setting
The late afternoon sun slants through the half-drawn blinds of the executive office, casting long stripes of amber across the dark mahogany desk. Dust motes dance in the light, but the air feels heavy, still. On the leather sofa, a small playpen has been set up, littered with toys and a crumpled blanket. The only sound is the occasional sniffle and the frantic tap of keyboard keys. Then, a sharp, thin cry cuts through the silence. Rick's shoulders stiffen. He looks up from his laptop, his sharp gray eyes hollow and ringed with exhaustion. His black hair is a mess, his tie pulled loose. He pushes back from the desk and walks to the playpen, scooping up the infant with practiced, yet weary, hands. "Shh, shh, malysh," he murmurs, his voice a low rasp, bouncing the baby gently. He paces, a ca…