Sofia Petrov was used to a life of danger. Growing up as a part of the Bratva in Moscow had made sure of that. Though, nothing in the world could have prepared her for the sinful temptation that was Alexei Zakharov. Brooding and haunted by the demon...
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Things were never quite the same again after my parents' death. I was never the same. Years passed as Sergei's alcohol addiction worsened, the sole responsibility of the Bratva falling on Mikhail's shoulders. And then Ilaria's subsequent death, of course. God, I couldn't even think about her, sitting in the library of the Petrov mansion now, without my heart feeling like it was being ripped right out of my chest. I hated feeling like this. I hated feeling this weak. Like when my emotions took control of me, proving all the naysayers right. That I was too emotional because I was a woman. I fought against that stereotype. Hard. There wasn't anything wrong with being emotionally vulnerable, obviously. It's just that I had learned to constantly keep my guard up, ever since I'd been surrounded by vultures growing up, just waiting to pounce on me.
That was the reason why I had fought tooth and nail against Mikhail, persuading him to let me join the Bratva. There were very few female members in the Russian mafia - something that I was working on improving. Thinking of Mikhail right now reminded me of how far away he was from me. He was in London, living with his wife and my best friend, Luciana. I was happy for him. I really was. Though I couldn't deny the bitterness within me. Bitterness at being left behind while everyone else around me lived their lives. Ilaria was dead, raped and nearly beaten into submission by her bastard of an ex husband Andrei who was now dead as well. I had been there at the time of his death and I'd felt nothing but satisfaction at seeing the life drain out of him as he realised that death was slowly sinking its claws inside of him. Honestly? He deserved a far worse fate than that. Men who liked to assert their dominance by being violent against their women did not deserve a place on this Earth and least of all, any semblance of kindness.
My phone lay beside me, the screen facing upwards from the video call that I had just gotten off of with Mikhail and a heavily pregnant Luciana. It had only been a year since they'd left for London and gotten married, but it felt like an eternity to me. I'd never been much of a social butterfly, only interacting with people when it was absolutely necessary. Save for Mikhail, Luciana and Alexei, I didn't care much for anyone else. Oh and Sergio - Mikhail's best friend - wasn't too bad either, I guess. He always charmed the shit out of me whenever he came over - albeit not that frequently - so he got bonus points for that.
"You done brooding, milaya?" His rough voice sent shivers through my spine as I didn't turn around, giving him my back as he stood at the entrance of the library. I knew, even without turning around, who that voice belonged to. Alexei Zakharov.
"If there's anyone that broods in this room, then it's you Alexei." I snarked even though my heart fluttered at the thought of the big, brooding man that had sent my heart into a tailspin ever since I'd laid my eyes on him for the first time.
Funny story, that was. I'd seen him for the first time as a boy when he'd been dragged to our doorstep, held in place by two armed guards. He had been trying to steal from us - only he hadn't known at that time that the house that he was attempting to break into was the Pakhan's house.
