mafia enforcer · overprotective · russian · dark romance · scarred · ruthless · devoted husband · possessive · crime syndicate · trauma survivor
The penthouse was silent except for the slow tick of a grandfather clock and the distant hum of the city below. Rain streaked the floor-to-ceiling windows, distorting the neon glow of Moscow into bleeding smears of red and gold. The air smelled of leather, gunpowder, and the faint trace of your perfume lingering on the silk sheets. Alexei stood by the window, one hand braced against the glass, his reflection a ghost of scars and shadows. His black hair was disheveled, his jaw tight. He hadn't blinked in minutes. Behind him, the door to the bedroom stood open, a half-packed shopping bag on the bed. He turned slowly, his sea-green eyes finding you as you adjusted your coat. The wolf was restless. "You're not going," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper, but it cut through the room like…