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Maxim
“My father was a cruel son of a bitch. He wanted New York from the Italians, and it’s something I craved too, but my father went about it the wrong way. Andrei and I tried our best to talk him out of the crazy plan to ambush Lorenzo, the Italian mob boss. My father had this in his head that if he could take him down, everyone would bow down.” I try to stifle a laugh at my father's crazy antics. All the good he did in his time as the Pakhan, and the only thing people remember, was how he almost killed Lorenzo.
“My father didn’t know Lorenzo was paying one of our men to feed him information. So, when he went to kill Lorenzo in New York, Lorenzo was on his way to Miami. I found out later that Lorenzo was going to wait and ambush my father at our house, but…” I take a pause. The next part is something I try not to think about. My mother wasn't a bad person. She was sold off to my father when she wasn’t even of age. My father beat and raped her whenever he felt like it. She was his wife, her body was his, and he could do with it as he pleased. I remember waking up in the middle of the night and hearing her crying from her room. Sometimes when Dad came home angry, he would take it out on her. Besides everything she went through, Mom did her best for Andrei and me.
“He found someone he wasn't expecting to find.”
“Who?” she asks, hanging on my every word.
“My mother.” She gasps, and her face turns to pure horror.
Caressing her cheeks, trying to console her, I tell her, “I’ll tell you the rest another day.”
“No, I’m fine. I want to hear the rest.” I look at her, trying to understand why she wants to know this.
“Please. Keep going.”
“My mother wasn’t supposed to be there. Call it bad luck or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lorenzo thought that my father would care if he were to take her, and then father would finally meet his demands. He couldn't be more wrong. My father didn’t give a shit about her. When he found out Lorenzo kidnapped her, he was mad. Not because she was kidnapped, but because Lorenzo dared to break into his home and take his property.” I look at Sophia, trying to gauge her reaction. Her face is a little pale, but my strong girl seems to be handling it better than I thought.
“When our father broke the news to Andrei and me, we made a plan to get her. We were building ties with one of Lorenzo’s men, and he would be our way in. Father said no. He forbade it as the Pakhan. He wasn’t going to lose the next Pahkan for a whore.”
“Did you get her back?” I shake my head.
“Lorenzo would make demands, and when my father would say no, a piece of my mother would come wrapped in a red box with a black bow on top.” Tears begin to run down Sophia’s face. With my thumb, I wipe them away.
“That went on for a year. Until the last part that was sent was her heart.” Sophia is sobbing now.
She gets closer to me, and I hug her tightly. After a few minutes, she says, “I know there's more. Keep going.” She sits up and clears her face. She makes a keep-going gesture.
“When I saw the heart in Andrei's hand, I lost it. I didn’t care if I would die in the process, but I was going to kill Lorenzo. He was going to pay for what he did to my mother. Revenge kept me going. I planned it all out. Through my contact, I found out that Lorenzo and his underbosses would be having a meeting. That was the day I struck. I hid behind a door in the room that my contact snuck me into and waited for the right moment. When they were busy with the sluts they hired, I slaughtered all of them and their bodyguards. Of course, I left Lorenzo for last; I made his death long and painful. And savored seeing the light dim in his eyes.” Sophia looks at me with sadness mixed with something else I can’t name.
“Since that day, I’ve been known as Maxim—the lion—Volkov.”
“How did your father die?”
“He died from a stroke. He was fucking one of his whores, and his heart gave out.”
She laughs. “That's a very shitty way to die.” How is she not running for the hills right now? I’ve never believed in soulmates but staring at this beautiful, strong, amazing woman in front of me, I can see why people believe in it. She’s still here and all mine.
“How are you still here, Sophia?”
She shrugs. “Because the darkness doesn’t scare me.” I’ve killed thousands of men and done crazy things, but why can't I tell her how she makes me feel?
“Promise me something, Maxim.”
“Depends.” I raise my eyebrows
“Take care of yourself.”
“I always do.” She rolls her eyes. Even Sophia, who doesn’t understand my life, won’t believe me. I’ve made many enemies throughout the years, and my life is in constant danger.
“Right, I’m sure about that,” she says sarcastically.
“You care about my safety?” I caress her cheek, and she leans into my touch.
“Well, yeah, I’ve reached my quota of surprises from you and your brother for a lifetime. I don't need you guys showing up on my doorstep covered in blood anymore.”
“I will try my best to keep that to a minimum.” She smacks my arm playfully.
