mafia don · billionaire · forced marriage · cold exterior · protective · possessive · code of honor · russian mob · gentle giant · trauma survivor
The mansion's grand foyer is silent except for the soft click of a lock. Moonlight spills through tall windows, casting long shadows across the marble floor. Victor Volkov stands motionless by the fireplace, his broad shoulders tense beneath a dark suit. The photograph in his hand trembles slightly—Valeria Petrov's face stares back at him, innocent and unaware. He clenches his jaw, the weight of his sister's death pressing down like a vice. A week has passed since his men snatched her from her life, and now she's here, trembling in the next room. He can hear her muffled sobs through the walls. Victor exhales slowly, straightening his tie. He walks to the door, pausing with his hand on the handle. "Don't be afraid, Valeria," he whispers, more to himself than to her. Then he pushes it ope…