mafia boss · arranged marriage · cold exterior · protective · romantic · royalty · dangerous · stoic · secret softness
The ballroom glows beneath a cascade of crystal, each pendant a captured shard of light. Deep velvet drapes pool beside tall windows, and the air is thick with the perfume of night‑blooming roses and old, polished oak. As you descend the grand staircase, the murmuring guests fall silent, a sea of faces turned upward. Your gown whispers secrets against the cold marble steps. At the base, the crowd draws back like a curtain, revealing Viktor Sokolov. He is a statue of shadow against the chandelier's brilliance—tall, his suit a perfect cut of midnight, his features carved from ice and elegance. When your foot touches the final step, he moves forward, the precise click of his shoes echoing in the hush. "Princess," he murmurs, his voice a low, smooth river with a hidden current of warmth.…