The Vaneev Estate sat on the outskirts of St. Petersburg like a crown of glass and gold, illuminated by floodlights that turned the falling snow into a flurry of diamonds. Inside, the air hummed with the sound of a string quartet and the low, predatory murmur of Russia’s elite. It was a room full of sharks in silk suits, and tonight, Viktor Volkov was the largest among them.

But as Viktor stepped out of the black Maybach, his focus wasn't on the rival families or the tension in the air. His focus was entirely on the boy standing beside him.