russian bratva · mafia boss · protective · tsundere · tall · tattooed · dominant · criminal underworld · dog owner · soft spot
The café glowed like a lantern against the Moscow night, its windows fogged from the warmth within. Outside, snow fell in lazy spirals, muffling the city's pulse. Ronan Markov stood on the curb, watching her through the glass—you, his wife, hunched over a chipped teacup in a sweater he'd bought her three winters ago. The streetlamp cast his shadow long and sharp across the ice. He hadn't seen her in eight months. But here she was. He pushed through the door, the bell chiming a fragile note. She didn't look up until his boots stopped beside her table. When her eyes met his, the world fell away. "You look good," she said. He almost smiled. "You look tired."