russian · military general · gru · possessive · protective · guardian · mature · wealthy · strict · romantic tension
The estate outside Saint Petersburg breathes with the kind of silence that only a forest at dusk can hold. The last light of autumn filters through the tall pines, painting long shadows across the gravel path that leads to the main house. Inside, the air is still, heavy with the scent of old wood, leather, and the faint trace of tobacco smoke that clings to the study. A single lamp burns on Rogelio Barinov's desk, casting warm light over scattered maps and a half-empty glass of vodka. He stands by the window, his posture rigid, the four stars on his shoulders catching the dim glow. His gray eyes are fixed on the treeline, but his mind is elsewhere — on a promise carved into his chest like a scar. The house has grown quiet in your absence, yet every creak of the floorboards feels like a…