Chapter One

Sophia's POV

“Sophia, sit.” My father muttered. I could smell the alcohol on his breath. A bad habit that became worse after mum died. 

“Dad…what’s wrong?” 

He didn’t say a word. He just carried on circling the living room like there was a fire somewhere. His bloodshot eyes darted out the windows every few seconds like he was searching for something no one else could see.

“Dad, you’re scaring me.”

“Sit. Now.” I flinched as I sat on the edge of the worn-out couch. He slammed his clenched fist into his open palm. Again, and again, and again.

“He’s coming for me.” His voice cracked. “I know he is.” 

My stomach dropped. “Who’s coming for you?”

“I’ve done things, Sophia. Things I can’t take back.”

I got up slowly, careful not to startle him. “Dad, it’s okay. No one’s coming. Just breathe…” 

“You need to leave. Right now. Take the car and go.” For a nanosecond, his eyes seemed clear, and I caught a glimpse of the man I once knew. 

“I’m not leaving you.” 

His face fell. “I can’t lose you, too.” 

I wrapped my arms around his frail stature, “I’m right here, Dad. You’re not going to lose me.”

He trembled against me, a sob escaping his throat as tears rolled down my face.

I held him until the sound of tires screeching violently against our driveway tore us apart. 

My father's eyes widened in utter terror. He lunged to the window, shutting the blinds with trembling hands.

“Hide now.” 

“Dad,” I said slowly. “What’s going on?”

“He’s here.” His words barely sounded coherent. “God damn it, Sophia. Hide.” 

The front door exploded louder than my father had. With one last desperate look at my father, I did as he asked.

I ran up the stairs as fast as my feet could carry me. I burst into my bedroom, shutting the door behind me as the adrenaline coursed through my veins.

I heard my father’s voice echo through “Please, I’m sorry, I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t…” 

I heard a heavy thud and then a grunt. 

I couldn’t just hide up here. Whoever those men were, they could hurt him, or worse.

My mind screamed at me to hide, but I was frozen in place. That was until I heard footsteps coming up the stairs.

In a panic, I threw myself to the ground, crawling beneath my bed. I tried to make myself as small as possible as the footsteps got closer and closer.

Until it stopped right at my bedroom door. The doorknob rattled till it was kicked open.

I flinched, I was terrified, but I willed myself to stay as still as possible.

My eyes followed the footsteps till I was face to face with the invader’s black boots. I closed my eyes, hoping he would go away. 

Hoping this whole day would go away.

But he didn’t.

I felt a tight grip on my ankles, and suddenly I was dragged violently, my entire body sliding against the hard floor. 

I screamed as loud as I could, and I kicked.

“Let me go," I yelled furiously, but he forced me to my feet and slammed me against the wall. 

He held me in place with his strong grip, no matter how hard I fought to get away. 

“You must be Sophia?” He asked comically with a sinister smirk on his face. 

His dark eyes never left mine, and his voice was as deep as it was terrifyingly calm. 

“Yeah,” I spat at him, “And who the hell are you?”

He let out a low chuckle, "Feisty, I like that.”

This had to be the man my father feared. 

“Let go of me.” 

He finally let go, only to corner me against the wall with his broad shoulders blocking my path. 

His presence towered over me. There was something about the energy coming off him that set off my nerves, or maybe that was just the smell of his expensive cologne. His gaze softened for a second, his eyes tracing my face like he was taking a mental picture. 

“Sophia Rossi…” My name rolled off his tongue as it belonged to him. “You look nothing like your father.”

“What do you want with us?” I demanded, “Whatever he owes you, he can’t pay it. He’s sick. He has nothing.”

There was a flicker of anger in his eyes, but the smirk on his face stayed. “Do you know who I am?” 

I shook my head.

“Let’s fix that, shall we?” He stepped back and gestured toward the doorway with a mocking courtesy, “After you.”

I couldn’t run. Not with him right behind me as we walked down the stairs.

I finally made it to the bottom of the stairs, my eyes scanning the living room for my father. 

Till my eyes landed on him. He was on his knees. His face covered in blood, with two men in black with guns on each side of him.

I ran to his side, my heart racing.

“Dad!” I rushed to him, grabbing his swollen face in my hand. “What is wrong with you?” I yelled at the man from my bedroom. He was clearly their leader.m. “He’s just an old man! Whatever he did, he doesn’t deserve this!” 

His dark eyes stayed on me, his jaw clenched with every word.

“Are you sure about that?” His voice was dangerously low. “Stefan, why don’t you tell your daughter what you did to me?”

My father could barely look at me. He crouched over, sobbing hysterically.

“Dad?” I whispered.

The man paced around slowly. Then stopped. “Your father put two bullets in my father’s head, and dumped him in the river like he was nothing.” 

I couldn’t breathe. “That’s…that’s not true.”

“That’s not possible,” I whispered, staring into the distance. “Dad?” I looked to my father in a panic, but he was a blubbering mess.

“Silly me,” He continued, “Where are my manners? My name is Nikolai Lev, and tonight,  I’m going to kill your father.” 

“No!” I threw my arms around my father. “Please don’t do this.”

One of the guards grabbed me, while the other took my father. Placing him on his feet, while I kicked and screamed beside him.

“Please don’t do this,” I begged.

Nikolai pulled out his gun, pointing it right at my father. His eyes burned into mine.

“The least you could do is look at me, Stefan Rossi,” Nikolai said coldly.

Between his sobs, my father whispered: “I’m sorry.” Over and over.

“Look at me,” Nikolai yelled. 

My father was shaken as he lifted his eyes slowly to Nikolai. 

“Please don’t.” I cried. 

I finally escaped from the guard’s grasp, throwing myself in front of my father and right into the line of fire.

“Please.” My voice trembled. “Take me instead.”