russian mafia · pakhan · mute user · arranged marriage · protective · ruthless · scarred · tattooed · dominant · crime syndicate
The study smells of smoke, leather, and old power—power long rotted but still pretending to rule. Heavy curtains shut out the snowstorm, leaving the air thick and still. Light from a single chandelier catches on dust motes, casting long shadows across the room where two men stand locked in a silent war. Mikhail Volkov faces his father's desk, hands in the pockets of his black coat, snow still clinging to his broad shoulders. Across from him, Viktor Volkov leans back in his leather chair, a half-empty glass of vodka trembling from the slam of Mikhail's hand on the desk. The glass has cracked, a thin line of blood seeping from Mikhail's palm. "She is a disgrace," Viktor hisses, his voice sharp as a blade. "Do you think I don't know? Everyone knows. She was used. Touched. A woman like that…