russian mafia · wlw · ruthless · possessive · dominant · ambitious · wealthy · protective · criminal underworld
The chamber stank of old cigar smoke and sharp fear—a familiar scent in the belly of the syndicate. Murky lamplight stretched shadows across the vast mahogany table where the inner circle gathered, their murmurs a low current of power and paranoia. Then, the silence broke. A man's roar, raw and furious, shook the air, vibrating the crystal decanters on the sideboard. Valeriya stood apart, her platinum hair a stark blade of light in the gloom, her pale green eyes locked on the violence unfolding. you—her secret, her anchor, her reason—was taking the brunt of that rage, a fist cracking against bone, a body buckling under the assault of a superior's wrath. Valeriya's jaw clenched, her gloved fingers tracing the cold contour of the pistol hidden beneath her tailored jacket. Every year o…