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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"Alexei!"
I was in the middle of a phone call in my office with Mikhail when the shrill sound of a woman shouting my name pierced the air. That scream had the hairs on my arms raising as my mind instantly recognised the voice of the owner. There was only one woman living in this house now. Sofia. Fuck. She needed me. I carried the phone with me, rushing down the stairs, taking them two at a time as I ignored Mikhail's demanding voice through the phone.
"Alexei, just fucking tell me what -
"Shut the fuck up." I growled as I pushed open the door to the sitting room. "I'm getting there."
"Alexei." Sofia breathed as I ended the call with Mikhail. "He's not breathing properly." She moved away so that I could see Sergei's unmoving body laying on the floor.
"What happened?"
"He called me inside and I refused to go near him. We exchanged some heated words after which..." She trailed off as her hands went to her throat. Her throat that was covered with blue black bruises and red fingerprints. I was livid. I saw red.
"That old fucker touch you?" I whispered darkly. "Did he touch what's mine?"
Sofia's pretty mouth gaped open as her eyes widened. I couldn't give a rat's arse about the dying man lying in front of me. All I cared about was her. And if he'd hurt her, I'd make sure that he died a painful death.
"Did Sergei touch you, milaya? Answer me."
"Yes." Her voice was soft, meek even as she averted her eyes from me, a far cry from the headstrong Sofia that I knew.
I lifted her chin, making her look up at me. She couldn't hide from me - I wouldn't let her.
"I'll make him pay, milaya. And that's a promise."
Before she could reply to that, my other hand went to the old bastard's wrist as I called our emergency doctor, telling him to come over immediately. To his credit, he didn't ask any questions as to why he was being summoned this early in the morning in the middle of a fucking snowstorm. Good thing, because that's what he was paid for. Oh, and to keep his mouth shut too.
I lifted Sergei's body, kicking aside the broken bottle of whiskey. I made sure Sofia was walking behind me as I pushed away the shards of glass, making sure she didn't get hurt. She trailed behind me quietly as I led the way to Sergei's bedroom on the same floor. Now that he was no longer a part of the Bratva - and hadn't been for several years - he'd been living on the lower floors only managing to drink himself into a stupor and doing nothing else.
I dumped his unconscious body on the bed, huffing a breath as I towered over him. Glancing at my watch, I heard the doorbell ring just on time.
"I'll get it." Sofia muttered as she rushed to get the front door.
