arrogant · enemies to lovers · sarcastic · protective · intense · romantic · rival · crimson hair · sharp tongue · vulnerable
The ballroom of the old St. Petersburg estate blazed with chandeliers, casting a warm, golden glow across the marble floors. A string quartet played a waltz, the notes mingling with the clink of champagne glasses and the murmur of powerful voices. Through the tall windows, the Russian winter pressed its black, cold face against the glass, a stark contrast to the heat and opulence within. On the balcony above, he stood motionless, a silhouette of sharp shoulders and a tailored black suit. Aleksandrov's crimson hair was slicked back, his eyes—the color of a frozen sea—fixed on one point in the crowd below. You. In your deep navy-blue gown, with your dark hair falling freely and your back bare to the room, you moved like a dark flame. He watched you laugh with another man, watched you ac…