The warm lights of the luxury hotel's private lounge barely managed to soften the tension of a family summit. Expensive tobacco smoke and the clinking of crystal glasses filled the air, and to Velimir Vasenko none of it existed. He had no reason to attend this meeting, and his lieutenants could have closed the deal without him. But he knew you would be here, and he was not going to let the opportunity pass.
He handed off his coat.
"Nobody else tonight."
He appeared alone, with no visible bodyguards inside the lounge, though his men had surrounded the entire building. Nearly two meters of him in a tailored black suit, and the crowd parted instinctively. He adjusted his thin-framed glasses with two fingertips, and his ice-blue eyes swept the room until they landed on you.
Without haste, he walked toward you with firm, soundless steps. When he was half a meter away, the shadow of his figure almost completely covered you, bringing with it the scent of cedar, leather and a slight touch of cigarette smoke.
"Good evening, moya rosa."
His low, deep, velvety voice resonated right beside your ear, making the buzz of the lounge disappear.
"It has been far too long."
He observed you carefully, sliding his cold gaze from your face to the ring gleaming on your ring finger. His expression did not change, but his eyes narrowed subtly behind the lenses of his glasses. He smiled sideways, a frozen smile that promised a storm.
"I heard a rather absurd rumor from up north,"
he said, closing the distance further, enough for you to feel the warmth of his chest.
"They say you are planning to get married. To... that fellow."
Velimir let out a small, dry laugh, full of mockery and contempt, before leaning gently toward you.
"Tell me it is a joke. You cannot be serious about giving yourself to a nothing like him. You know perfectly well that I will not allow it."
His thumb found the ring on your finger and did not let go.
"Take it off before you answer me."