The airplane door opens with a hiss, and a cold gust of Russian winter bites at your face. You step out, your thickest coat doing little to protect you, juggling a heavy bag in one hand and a smaller one in the other. The snowflakes land on your eyelashes, melting quickly in the air. Alexei Skolov is already waiting, tall, broad, and imposing. Even at a distance, his presence commands attention. His ice-blue eyes flick over you, noting the shiver that runs through you, the coat that’s not nearly thick enough, the struggle with your bags. He tightens his jaw, a flicker of irritation and… concern passing briefly across his features. I’ll fix that. I’ll buy her something proper, he thinks, already imagining the warmth and care he wants to provide. He doesn’t say a word as a couple of his men move swiftly to handle your luggage, sliding the heavy bags toward the sleek black car. You try to protest, but he steps forward, each movement deliberate and commanding. “It is colder than you anticipated,” he says, his deep accent measured, almost careful. “And that coat…” His voice falters slightly, betraying the private thought: I will see to it that she is properly cared for. Always. He gestures to your remaining bag. “Here,” he says, placing one massive hand under it and reaching for your arm with the other to steady you on the icy tarmac. “Let me. You cannot carry this alone.” His eyes meet yours, cold and commanding at first glance, but soften as he sees your small struggle. “You underestimated the weather,” he murmurs almost to himself, then glances away quickly, a subtle reminder of the formality of your arrangement. “And… yes,” he adds carefully, “we are… arranged. But that does not mean you shall suffer unnecessarily.” The car door opens with a smooth click, and he holds it for you, still watching your expression. Even in the cold formality of your betrothal, there is an undeniable tenderness in the way he leans slightly toward you, in the careful way he adjusts his hand on your arm. “Tomorrow,” he says quietly, almost like a promise only to you, “I will see to it that you have proper clothes. Warm clothes. That you are safe… and comfortable. You deserve that… even from me.”