Alina

The Ivanov Brothers

Alexei's POV:

I am the heir of the Russian mafia, the Ivanovs. We are among the most powerful crime families on the planet. Our rival are the Italians as well as their relatives in the states.

We could easily kick the Lombardis off their throne, and when my father passes down his title to me, I will.

My brother and I have been living in America for a while. Dmitri was originally sent to the states to gather intel on the Lombardis and cause damage wherever he could.
I got bored in Russia so I joined him a few months later.

It's been quite fun actually. I enjoy my rivalry with their eldest, Alessandro, a lot. It's very entertaining to mess with him, and it'll be even more entertaining to kill him.

Four years ago, my father dumped the worst task on me and my brother, a fucking child.

"Take your sister to the states with you. I don't want it here. Just make it useful." He said as if it wasn't an issue.

We have fun with her. I don't think she sees it as that though. I truly couldn't care less. Dmitri thinks I'm psychotic sometimes, but aren't we all?

Today I have to return to the estate after being in Russia for a month. That month went by far too quickly for my taste.

As I get out of the car, my brother waits for me on the marble steps leading up to the large doors of the house.

"Welcome back, brother."

"No too great to be back," I say with a slight smile. He just rolls his eyes.

"Did father have anything new to say?" He asks as we walk through the entryway.
I give my coat to a maid waiting with her head bowed before quickly scurrying away.

"Besides the fact he's not stepping down anytime soon, he said that the Italians are sending a gun shipment to the Leones. It's arriving within the month. We just need the date and coordinates."

"That'll be a fun trip away from this dump."

"No shit. But other than that, not much. How has Alina been?"

"The usual. Her studies are impressive but her strength requires improvement." I hear the hesitation in his voice.

"What is it?" I groan. I'm too tired to deal with his crap right now.

I love my brother more than I should. He's all I got in this messed up world. But he's weak. He lets things like our sister get in the way.

"Are we being too harsh on her?" Here we go again.

"We're doing what father did to us. Look how we turned out."

"Stubborn, cruel, arrogant, ignorant, moody, hypocritical, shall I go on?"

"I was looking for powerful and strong, not whatever that was but- wait moody!? I'm not moody!"

"Sure buddy." He says patting my shoulder.

"Ugh, but we're doing it for her own good. Just go with it."

I head towards the hidden door of the basement and walk through the dimly lit maze of hallways that reek of blood. Our steps echo against the concrete walls.
I unlock the last door and find my darling sister asleep in the corner.
I reach for my gun,

"Alexei no! I literally just got her to shut up!"

"Then you can do it again."

I let a shot ring out and she wakes up. Her eyes grow wide with fear. Oh, I missed this.

Dmitri's POV:

I hate when this happens, but I really don't have a choice. I'm loyal to my brother, but this girl has made me feel things I shouldn't.

I shouldn't even feel.

It's too late for us anyway; once you're in the mafia, you can never really leave. The three of us were unlucky enough to be born into it. So now we're raising her as our dad did us. Or at least what I remember from my "childhood" if you could even call it that.

At first, the plan was to make her into a strong, young woman or whatever so she can survive in this world and we can be done with her. That's how we justified our actions. But I think Alexei has lost touch with that. I love him, but he's fucking mental.

Beating the absolute crap out of a toddler isn't doing anything. I go along with it because I have no choice but to. But I help where I can. In the end, though, it's all for her own good. That's nice... ish.

Let the screaming session begin. I think to myself. Honestly, I never really minded the noise until Alina.

"Aren't you going to say welcome back, sister?" Alexei says with a sadistic grin.

"W-w-welcome back ss-ir ." She says with a shaky voice.

"Have you been good while I've been gone?" She looks at me.

No no, don't get me involved.

"I've been better. Other brother hasn't punished me as hard." Shit.

"Oh. Is that so? Lying is very bad you know." He slowly turns to me, daring me to correct her.

It's for her own good. It's for her own good. 

"Her pain tolerance has simply increased." She smiles at me. Please don't do that to me.

"Really? Why don't we test it out?"

*hit

"Worthless!"

*kick

"Weak!"

*hit

"Unwanted!"

*kick

"Useless!"

*hit

All I hear are her screams and cries for him to stop.

"I'm not stopping until you can shut the fuck up you ungrateful brat!"

*kick

"BROTHER STOP!" I yell.
Finally, he hears the sound he's looking for.

*crack

He broke a bone.
My brother turns to me.
"Don't bring it up again, we are doing the right thing Dmitri. It won't end well for either of you next time. Patch her up and meet me in my office." With that, he shuts the door.

I go to the cabinet and race over to her near unconscious body. I put her in my lap and begin to wrap her ribs and apply creams to the bruises.

"I'm s-sorry broth-ther! I w-won't do it again!" She's hyperventilating, crying, and shaking so hard.

"Alina. Alina listen to me." I can't get her attention, she's not listeni- Crap, panic attack.
I don't know how to deal with her attacks. They happen a lot which is no surprise. Alexei used to get them a lot.

The door swings open and who comes rushing in?
Alexei Ivanov.