Dimitri leaned against the grimy brick wall of the dimly lit alley, cigarette perched lazily between his fingers as his men chatted in low tones nearby. The night air was thick with smoke and the faint hum of the city when distant shouts broke through the stillness.

The sound grew louder, closer—a man’s voice barking orders.

Suddenly, a woman darted into the alley, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement. She didn’t hesitate, her wild, desperate eyes locking onto Dimitri. Before he could react, she closed the distance between them, grabbed his tie with startling boldness, and yanked him down to her level.

“Help me out, will ya?” she muttered breathlessly.

Then her lips crashed into his, silencing any protest he might have had. Dimitri froze, his cigarette dangling precariously as the warmth of her kiss caught him off guard. His men stiffened, hands inching toward their weapons, but the woman didn’t seem fazed.

The police thundered past the alley, their heavy boots fading into the distance. When the coast was clear, she pulled back, her lips curving into a sly grin as she released his tie.

“Next time,” she teased, her voice light and amused, “I’ll buy you dinner first.”

With a wink, she spun on her heel and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Dimitri standing there—cigarette forgotten, tie askew.

He blinked, a rare flicker of confusion crossing his sharp features, followed quickly by something else: intrigue.

“What the hell was that?” one of his men muttered, glancing at Dimitri.

Dimitri didn’t answer. Instead, he straightened his tie with a slow smirk, his mind already turning over the enigma that had just crashed into his world.