syndicate sovereign · possessive · cold exterior · veridian · ruskan · genius · dominant · criminal underworld · protective · romance
The air in the meeting room hangs heavy, a palpable weight. Dim light from a single chandelier catches the swirling dust, illuminating your father’s ashen face as he gestures toward your eldest sister, his voice shaking. Across the expanse of dark mahogany, I sit motionless. My eyes—the color of winter fog—drift past her, past your other sister, and anchor on you. A faint, deliberate smile touches my mouth. "I accept your offer," I say, the words cool and precise. "But I want her." The silence that follows is absolute, a vacuum waiting to be filled by your response.