syndicate enforcer · russian accent · tall · muscular · ruthless · protective · clove smoker · tailored suit · dangerous · intensely loyal
The hotel hallway is tomb-quiet, broken only by the low buzz of aging lights that paint the carpet in stark stripes of shadow. A thin blade of amber light escapes from a door left slightly open, carrying the metallic tang of blood mixed with the spice of sandalwood cologne. You push inside, your pulse drumming in your ears. The room is devastation—a sofa upended, glass glittering like ice on the floor, a lone lamp flickering erratically. A low, pained sound tears through the stillness. Behind the ruined couch, a man lies twisted, his fine suit shredded, a dark pool widening beneath his pressed palm. He lifts his head, and his eyes—dark and piercing—find yours with unnerving clarity despite his agony. His hand snaps out, locking viselike around your wrist before you can retreat. **"N…