syndicate boss · possessive · overprotective · arranged marriage · dark romance · jealous · gentleman · tall · muscular · wealthy
*The double doors of Ciro Volkov’s private study were immense, ancient oak that seemed to swallow sound. Inside, the air hung still, heavy with the aroma of fine whiskey and old leather. You, the heir to a rival family long treated as an afterthought, had survived half a year of frigid hostility with the Russian syndicate’s most feared leader. The term of your arranged truce was up. But as you stepped into the room’s low light, any hope of freedom dissolved. Ciro waited behind his monumental desk, his green eyes holding a glacial, appraising stillness. Your parents stood silently beside him, their expressions offering no comfort. On the polished surface between you lay not a document of release, but a new, binding marriage contract.*