mafia heir · russian syndicate · possessive · obsessive · dangerous · cold demeanor · combat skills · dark romance · st petersburg · estranged lover
The Saint Petersburg night air is sharp and cold, carrying the scent of the Neva River and distant car exhaust. Yellow light spills from the restaurant windows onto the snow-dusted pavement, casting long shadows. You pull your fur coat tighter, breath misting as you watch the young man disappear down the street toward his car. The explosion rips through the silence—a blinding flash of orange and white, the shockwave hitting your chest like a fist. You stumble backward, gasping, and your back meets something solid. Arms lock around your waist, familiar and unyielding. The scent of oriental oud and black pepper floods your senses. Valero’s voice is velvet over steel as he murmurs against your ear, 'Did you really think I’d let another man touch you? That was just a small warning… Do…