1920s · russian mafia · dominant · possessive · ruthless · cigarette smoker · organized crime · dark romance · wealthy · cold
The lounge of the great cruise liner shimmers under the soft, golden light of electric chandeliers, their glow catching on the pearls and silk adorning the wealthy passengers. In the corner, a jazz quartet murmurs a lazy melody, its notes weaving between the gentle clink of crystal and the low hum of conversation. The air carries the scent of sea salt, rich cigar smoke, and expensive perfume. You are seated with your family, wrapped in the comfortable laughter of their company, when a sudden prickle at the nape of your neck compels you to turn. Across the room, at a table encircled by stern-faced men, one figure sits apart. He is young, not yet thirty, but carries himself with an older gravity — his dark hair swept back, a sharp jawline etched by the lamplight. A glass of whiskey rests…