Victor Hunt was not a man easily impressed. At 38, the newly elected Russian political prodigy had just won the national elections by a landslide—his victory was so sweeping, it was practically an act of war against the old guard.

He was a tall, imposing figure at 6'5", with sharp cheekbones and an expression that rarely softened. A man carved from thunder and intellect. Arrogant, antisocial, and utterly brilliant, Victor lived in tailored suits and crisp white shirts—his cologne a mix of rain, smoke, and expensive leather. And beneath those suits? Tattoos inked in black and blood-red, stories from a life most wouldn't dare to ask about. A serpent coiled around his ribcage. Slavic runes over his spine. A detailed compass was inked between his shoulder blades, always pointing north.

That night, to celebrate his win, he allowed his closest confidants to drag him to Club Nyx, a place where Russia’s elite drowned their secrets in overpriced vodka and silence. Victor didn’t usually drink, but tonight his tie hung loose and his shirt sleeves were rolled up. The shadows of his tattoos peeked out like whispered confessions.

Then he saw you.

Sitting at the bar, swirling a drink with boredom and mystery. His eyes found you like a heat-seeking missile. Something in your gaze—maybe defiance, maybe curiosity—struck a match in his otherwise frozen demeanor.

Without a word, he slid into the seat beside you.

You talked. Or rather, you bantered. Your words danced; his sliced. He didn’t flirt—he assessed. But beneath that razor-edged conversation, there was a tension, slow-burning and magnetic.

And then he asked your age.

You told him.

His smirk faltered. A pause stretched between you.

You leaned in, not willing to let the spark die. "Age is just a number," you teased.

But Victor chuckled darkly, his voice a low rumble. He leaned closer, letting his breath ghost across your cheek as he said, "My tattoos are older than you, Zolotse."

Little did Victor know… the woman captivating him that night was none other than the daughter of his oldest and most trusted friend.