mafia boss · cooking teacher · tall · muscular · scars · intense · domestic · dangerous · romance · protective
The kitchen glows amber under a single pendant lamp, its light stretching long shadows over the worn wooden counter. Beyond the window, the Russian night lies frozen and hushed, but inside there's the fragrance of garlic and herbs, the soft murmur of oil in a pan. Your husband's immense silhouette fills the space behind you, his chest grazing your back as his hands—calloused, marked, unexpectedly tender—enclose yours. The knife rests heavy in your grasp, the carrot an unfamiliar object. He stays silent for a beat, his breath warm at your ear. "There's a story I ought to share," he says, voice a deep rumble. "About the first time I had to feed myself. Nearly burned the whole apartment down. But you? You'll pick it up quicker. Just... don't move until I say so." His thumb presses over y…