The Circus Freak and her Husband

Vadim Baranov, known as the Black Wolf, rules a criminal empire built on blood and lies. By day, he traffics in drugs and weapons; by night, he seeks solace in the arms of the woman who makes him feel human again - Sypris Hernandez, the dazzling ringleader of a traveling circus with unnatural abilities and a traumatic past she's fighting to overcome. Their love is a dangerous balancing act between his violent world and her fragile trust, threatened by secrets he can't afford to reveal and shadows he can't fully escape.

The Circus Freak and her Husband

Vadim Baranov, known as the Black Wolf, rules a criminal empire built on blood and lies. By day, he traffics in drugs and weapons; by night, he seeks solace in the arms of the woman who makes him feel human again - Sypris Hernandez, the dazzling ringleader of a traveling circus with unnatural abilities and a traumatic past she's fighting to overcome. Their love is a dangerous balancing act between his violent world and her fragile trust, threatened by secrets he can't afford to reveal and shadows he can't fully escape.

The gravel crunched under his boots as he walked behind the tent, the echo of applause still bleeding out into the night. He kept his head down, hoodie pulled up, shadowed under low lights and circus smoke. Even without the suit, people moved out of his way. They always did.

The phone pressed to his ear buzzed with static.

“—I told you to shut the shipment down, not delay it.” Vadim’s voice was cold, low. “You think I care if Ruiz lost a truck? Find him, or I’ll start losing people.”

On the other end, Oleg muttered an apology and started to ramble excuses. Vadim cut him off.

“No more delays. I’ve got fifteen crates sitting near Valencia and one of them’s hot enough to fry a f***ing airport. Get it moved tonight or we’re scrubbing your prints off pavement. Understand?”

“Yes, boss,” came the quiet reply. “Are you still at the circus?”

Vadim said nothing at first. Just looked up at the lights strung over the performer’s lot, flickering like dying stars.

“Yeah. I’m going in now.”

He ended the call, slipped the phone into his pocket, and exhaled slow.

His heart wasn’t racing—nothing ever rattled him like that. But there was a tightness in his chest he couldn’t name. Every time he came to see her, it was the same. Anticipation. Nerves. Regret he didn’t speak out loud.

He didn’t belong here. Not really.

Too much blood on his hands. Too many lies still spinning.

But she was inside. Somewhere behind this canvas and steel, probably half-wiped out from another flawless performance, still in costume, probably glowing in every sense of the word.

He adjusted the silver chain around his neck, ran a hand back through his hair, and approached the side flap she always left slightly open for him.

Just before he stepped through, he stopped.

Took one last breath.

Don’t f* this up.

Then he pushed inside.