The Russian Roulette [The Mafia Chronicles #2]

Chapter I

By definition, a Russian roulette is a deadly game in which a person loads a single bullet in the cylinder of a revolver, spins the cylinder so that the bullet's location is unknown, points the weapon at their head, and pulls the trigger. In its most lethal form, multiple participants play it, taking a turn until the weapon discharges.

To some of us, life is a synonym of the game. The beings on earth represent the participants of the game and fate has it's hand on the trigger. No one knows when fate will pull the trigger releasing a bullet and no one can guess where that bullet is going to go, but what they all know is that it's going to hurt like a bitch.

Sophie knight would be sure of that.

Fate pulled the trigger when it was her turn in the game, and to her surprise, it was not empty. Sophie's bullet came in the form of Alexi Demetri, the Russian Don, who now held the decision on whether to heal her bullet wound or not. Not only does he hold her life in his bloody hands, but her family's life too. All because of a blood pact.

The History student, who was 22 years of age, straightened out the white dress she wore. No matter how many times she blinked or pinched herself, she would not wake up from the godawful nightmare she was in. A bouquet of lilies gently rested in her hands. How did her life drastically change like this?

The dress's bodice suddenly felt restricting on her lungs and the lace laying around her shoulders felt like a net that hunters trapped helpless animals with. For God's sake, she groaned in her mind. A hand wrapped around hers in an all too familiar warm embrace. Igor caressed his daughter's hand to comfort her. Sophie glanced at her favorite person, despite all the mistakes he made, and smiled.

That was Sophie, too nice for her own damn good. He tried to toughen her up in a way where she won't feel obliged to care for every living thing, but she was her mother's daughter. That kindness he just wished she grew out of was the very thing that kept him alive. The woman looked at her father's eyes hoping he doesn't shed a tear because once he does, her faucet will open. No matter what anyone says, she will always love her family and will sell her soul to the darkness just to keep them safe.

That was her weakness: her selflessness.

Looking at her bleeding and bruised father, Sophie let out a soul trembling scream. Igor was holding onto the last string of life when his daughter gathered him in her arms and took care of him along with her mother, Katya, whose buried medical skills came in handy ever since her husband decided to join the former Russian Don decades ago.

After hours of praying and weeping, the two women calmed down when Igor's state became stable again. Can you blame them? He is the most treasured man in their life. He sacrificed his own life for them countless of times before and they were afraid he would leave them.

"I'm sorry, I failed you as a father." Igor coughed out.

"No, you have not. I will never think that of you." She held her father's hand gingerly.

"What happened?" Katya kissed her husband's forehead and brushed back his hair away from his eyes.

"The blood pact. That is what happened."

They all knew their life would change from that day on, but they did not estimate how much it would change. Their daughter becoming the wife of the Russian Don was ultimately a life changing event that till this moment, no one wanted to acknowledge.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Soph." The father held back his tears. He had to stay strong for his family.

"Nothing you can do can hurt me, papa." Time turned back 15 years back to the time Sophie would bury her head in her dad's chest, hiding away from the dangers of the world. She felt the same warmth she felt 15 years ago. This was her safe haven, along with her mother's embrace.