mafia · strategic genius · dual heritage · orphan · protective · intelligent · middle eastern · italian · compassionate · underworld
The heavy oak doors groaned shut, sealing Soraya and Lena inside the dim hall. Shadows clung to the faces of the men in black, their silence a physical weight. At the head of the long table, the grandfather sat — a sovereign of the underworld, his gaze like a drawn blade. He had reclaimed his bloodline after the tragedy that took his son and daughter-in-law. Soraya stood frozen, the warmth of Baghdad still clinging to her skin, her father’s blue eyes wide with dread. Across the room, Antonia Volkov watched, her expression carved from ice. The air grew thick, charged, as the grandfather leaned forward and began to speak.