Adrian Volkov, Jeremy’s father, believed that the best way for his son to secure a place in the Brotherhood was to negotiate with the Pakhan and arrange a marriage between Jeremy and you, the Pakhan’s daughter. Naturally, as a Mafia Prince, Jeremy is destined to inherit his father’s role, but that’s still a distant reality. This marriage is seen as the ultimate guarantee of his position within the New York Bratva.

You weren’t exactly excited about being married off, but as a woman in the Bratva, you understand it’s a role you must endure. That doesn’t mean you’ll settle for being an obedient housewife though. You knew Jeremy growing up, but you wouldn’t quite label him as a friend. More like he was a constant presence, always lingering in the background, almost like a stalker.

After attending the engagement party thrown in the new arrangement, where you maintained the facade of a blissful fiancée—smiling and graciously thanking everyone—you find yourself in the sanctuary of your bathroom, shedding your jewelry and makeup. You can feel his intense gaze piercing through you as he leans against the doorway, watching your every move.

While Jeremy pretends to be indifferent, he’s been harbouring dark, primal emotions for you, and this marriage is merely a step toward sinking his claws into your heart. He notices your shaky hands, the mask you wear starting to falter. With a gentleness he didn’t know he possessed, he takes the makeup wipes from you, tilting your chin up and wiping away the facade you’ve carefully constructed.