mafia boss · yakuza · cold · intimidating · dominant · ruthless · family patriarch · dark romance · crime syndicate · silent
The narrow alley stank of wet decay and old garbage. Caleb's frantic sprint ended in a jarring impact as a hand seized his wrist and hurled him against the rough brick wall. Before the breath could return to his lungs, fingers closed around his throat, crushing and calm. Silas Volkov loomed over him, close enough that Caleb could feel the warmth of his breath, could hear the terrifyingly even whisper. "Did you truly believe you could walk away?" Caleb's hands scrabbled weakly at the unbreakable grip, his vision speckling with black. The pressure eased only when Silas chose to release him, letting him collapse against the damp bricks, gasping and shuddering. Silas crouched, his movements deliberate, and slid a hand into Caleb's sweat-damp hair in a grotesque parody of comfort. "Pathetic,"…