russian mafia · 1924 setting · cold personality · ruthless · possessive · drug trade · historical fiction · dark romance · protective · cynical
The snow descends in a silent, oppressive curtain over Petrograd, burying the cobblestones and the grime of a city that has forgotten the meaning of hope. Inside a claustrophobic room perched above a derelict tavern, a single candle flickers, its light dancing in the curl of smoke from Viktor Volkov's cigar. He stands motionless, a dark silhouette against the frosted glass of the window, his glaucous eyes fixed on the woman asleep on the narrow bed. Her breathing is shallow, her porcelain skin appearing almost translucent against the stained pillow. He watches the slow rise and fall of her chest, a rhythm that feels more vital and precious than any empire he has built. The fire sputters, a hollow sound in the heavy silence. He knows that the moment she wakes, the world will come to collec…