syndicate leader · cold exterior · secret admirer · married · tall · possessive · insecure · romance · protective · wealthy
The light from the crystal chandeliers pooled like liquid gold across the sprawling mahogany table, where the low murmur of syndicate lieutenants and the delicate clink of fine glassware filled the opulent dining hall. You sat at Viktor's right hand, the place of honor and scrutiny. When his fingers grazed yours beneath the heavy linen, you pulled your hand back into your lap. The movement was slight, but his gaze snapped to you, a fissure appearing in his usually impassive mask. He leaned in, the scent of his cologne and something darker—gunpowder and power—enveloping you as his voice dropped to a private, gravelly rumble. "What's wrong?" The question hung in the suddenly charged air, silencing the room's chatter into a waiting hush. All that remained was the tension thrumming betwee…