"I can't believe you got into another fight with this girl Aleksandra!"
I sat on the couch with my arms crossed, my face stone cold. No way was mom gonna make me feel guilty about beating Emily up. Bitch had it coming.
"Let's calm down Adalia, we don't even know what happened," my dad said.
My mother rolled her eyes, "Don't baby her Dmitri. She's knows damn well get into fights is off limits," she folded her arms across her chest, "What if you seriously hurt this girl?"
My blue eyes met her green ones, "Mama, I'd never really hurt anyone to bring too much attention to us," I shrugged my shoulders, "But the bitch had it coming."
A smile crept on my dad's face as he tried his best to contain his laughter while my mother looked as if she was gonna burst.
"Aleksandra Katya Svetlana Petrov!" she folded her arms across her chest and stared me down.
Her glare was stone cold and I suddenly began to feel guilty, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry-
Suddenly the sound of gunshots rang in my ears as I felt my mother and father push me to the ground. I looked up and they both already had guns out and shared similar looks.
After the gunshots subsided, my mother grabbed me by my wrist and ran me up the stairs as my father followed behind aiming his gun behind us.
My heart was racing and everything felt fuzzy as my mother hid me in her bedroom closet, "Everything is going to be okay, Aleks. Stay here, I'll come find you in a bit," she said giving me a reassuring smile. Then she shut and locked the door.
I could barely hear anything other than the gunshots ringing in my ears, fear began to erupt through my whole body. Was this it? Was this the moment Mama always warned me might happen if someone knew about us? I didn't know what to think, but I had an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach that the last words she said to me were a lie.
I looked around as best I could in the dark closet and found the shoebox where my mother kept a gun. I tightened my grip around it. Would I really need to use this?
The gunshots suddenly subsided and were replaced by the sound of the door being busted in. I was desperate to know what was going on, so I carefully began too look through the keyhole.
My parents were on their knees surrounded by men in black clothing holding massive automatic weapons. Then the man with the scar on his eye walked into the room with a smile that sent trembles throughout my body.
"How lovely it is to see you Adalia, Dmitri," he chuckled slightly, "When was the last time we saw each other?" his smile instantly faded, "When your father Mikhail shot me in the back."
"Guillermo I-
"No! You don't fucking speak to me Adalia! You lost that right when you spread your legs for the enemy," he spat.
"How are you still alive?" my father asked him through gritted teeth.
"Guess I'm tougher to kill than you think Dmitri," he put his head down, "Unlike my mother."
"Was it not enough to cheat on me Adalia? Was it not enough that I was almost murdered for you? My mother is dead, because of you!"
My mother opened her mouth but nothing came out, "That's what I thought," he turned towards the door, "Come here my son."
Both my parents shared a look as a boy not to older than me walked in, he looked exactly like the man with the scar on his eye. His hair was black and his eyes green.
"These two, mijo, are responsible for the death of your grandmother," he pulled out a gun and pointed towards my father.
"So Dmitri, where are your children?" he pointed the gun towards my mother, "Where are the lovely triplets? Nikolai, Aleksandra, and Aiya. But not to forget you youngest, Valeria. Beautiful children you have. Maybe I should pay them a visit."
"A hand laid on my children, is a hand lost," my father said.
The man's anger became visible but he was quickly interrupted.
"Father, we still need to make stops to his father and sisters house. Should we take them with us so you can begin your revenge?"
"No Juan Carlos, not with these two. Leaving Adalia and Dmitri alive is too dangerous," he began to hand the gun to his son, "would you like the honors, mijo?"
"No father, you have waited too long for this. You should do it. My time will come when we capture their children," he said with a terrifying smile.
My eyes widened but my muscles my numbed. My whole body was numb. I was frozen and unable to look away even though fear spread through my body like a disease.
It all happened in slow motion, as he shot both of them in the chest. Four shots rang in my ears, and made it hard to hear anything after that. All I saw was the bodies of my father and mother falling to the ground, with matching red stains on their clothes. The man began to speak, but I found it hard to pay attention to anything other then their bodies.
I stared at my parents, who were unconscious and bleeding from their chests, their hands intertwined and my heart stopped.
I didn't notice the man leaving the room with his men, I was still staring at the bodies of my parents. Lifeless...
I started to feel drops on water fall on my hand, which was still gripping the gun I was unable to use. I touched my face, they were my own tears. Suddenly the reality of the situation struck me. I scrambled to open the door and I dropped the gun, it fell to the floor as I ran towards them.
I tried to stop the bleeding with my hands pushing down on my fathers chest, alternating between him and my mother. I almost ripped his belt off, trying to tie it around him to stop the bleeding. The tears began to pour from my eyes uncontrollably and the blood made it difficult to get a grip, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I should've shot him. P-please...I'm sorry, Papa."
I tied the belt around my father and sprinted to their closet to grab towels as I applied pressure to my mothers chest.
My heart sank into the pit of my stomach as I screamed at them to wake up, "Mama, forgive me. P-please, please wake up!"
I screamed until my throat was raw and my hands were unrecognizable as any tone other than red.
I pleaded with them to wake up as my eyes ran out out of tears to cry, "Just wake up..." I whispered.
But they didn't...
_______
Aleks
I shot up from my bed as I felt the sweat on my skin begin to cool, "Hey, hey, easy. You just had a nightmare."
I blinked a few times as I realized Enzo had his arms wrapped around me.
"Printcessa...you're crying..."
My eyes widened and I quickly wiped my tears with my hands, "I'm fine," I said trying hard not to stutter.
"Aleks, you're shaking," he pulled me close to his bare chest and kissed the top of my head.
"You're safe now. You're safe with me," he said tightening his grip around me.
I took a deep breath and allowed myself to melt in his arms as the smell of gunpowder and cologne soothed my nerves.
"When did you get back?" I asked laying my head on his chest.
"A few hours ago, I went to fill your grandfather and brother in on the information I acquired in the motherland," he said.
I looked up at him, "What did you find out?"
"Aleks I don't think right now is the time-
"Trust me," I cut him off, "I'd do anything for a distraction."
He sighed, "Sebastian and I met up with Boris and he informed us that Juan Carlos' marriage to Alandra Rodriguez is a lie."
My eyes widened and my heart dropped in the pit of my stomach, "So then we have absolutely no leads?"
"Unfortunately the wedding part isn't a lie," he took a deep breath, "Guillermo wants to kidnap and marry you to his son to strengthen his sons claim on the Spanish mafia."
"I'd love to see him try," I said rolling my eyes, "Wait, he aligned himself with Ricardo Juan Poncé recently. I couldn't figure out why he'd need him if he had Rodriguez, but it all makes sense now. He's going to use Ricardo to get to me."
"Which is exactly why you need to lay low Printcessa," he said.
"Lay low? If they don't get me there's no way we're ever going to get a more perfect opportunity to kill him."
Enzo grabbed my hands and put a finger under my chin forcing me to look into his eyes, "I want you to promise me something Printcessa. Promise me that if Guillermo comes for you and I can't protect you, promise me that you won't let yourself willingly get taken."
"Enzo I-
He squeezed my hands and his eyes looked as if they were piercing my soul, "Promise me," he said sternly.
I thought for a moment and started to nod softly, "I promise."
Getting captured might not be the best place to get revenge, I thought, And marrying Juan Carlos sounded unbearable.
He paused and looked at me, then smiled and planted a soft kiss on my lips, "Good. I'd surely become a mad man if anything happened to you."
I smiled at him and placed my chest as he laid back onto the bed. We laid like that, his arms around me, my head on his chest listening to his heartbeat as we both drifted off to sleep.
______
Aiya
I woke up to the sound of yelling coming from Nikolai's office. I groaned, recognizing the second voice as Aleks. I dragged myself out of bed and trudged toward the office.
"I don't need a fucking protection detail!" Aleks yelled at him.
"Yes the fuck you do Aleksandra! Guillermo is coming for you and I won't let that fucking happen!," Nik yelled back.
"What's going on?" I asked shutting the door behind me.
"Guillermo wants to marry Juan Carlos to Aleksandra so he can strengthen his claim over the Spanish mafia," Nik said through gritted teeth.
"Nikolai put a fucking protection detail on me, as if I need protection," she crossed her arms and glared at him.
"Does it ever occur to you that I'm fucking worried Aleks!," he faced her, "What the fuck do you think will happen if he takes you, huh? Do you think I want to imagine all the disgusting shit he's gonna do if he gets his hands on you!?"
"Nikolai!" I started, "You're not telling her anything she doesn't already know, let it go."
They both faced me with surprised looks on their faces, "I thought you of all people would understand where I'm coming from, Aiya," Nikolai said.
"I do understand you, Nik," I sighed, "But what good is a protection detail gonna be for her? It's basically just gonna alert to any and everyone to her exact location. A blonde Russian woman with blue eyes traveling everywhere with twelve men in black suits? Whose not going to know who that is?" I said.
"See," Aleks said with a mischievous grin on her face, "She's on my side."
"Fine," he said rubbing his temples, "Just don't get fucking kidnapped."
"Wasn't on the agenda," Aleks said following me out of his office.
I shut the door and started to walk back to my room before Aleks stopped me, "Thank you."
I smiled, "Don't mention it."
"Well I'm supposed to lay low, so do you want to do something today?"
I shrugged my shoulders, "I'm supposed to plan that charity ball in four months while Nikolai goes away with Bran-fuck" I put my hand over my mouth, "She wants to be the one to tell you."
Aleks started to laugh, "At this point she might as well tell me when their second child is born."
I laughed, "While Brandi and Nik are together, I have to plan the charity crap, so you can help me with that."
She nodded, then paused, "What's Val doing today?"
"Sleeping I think-
She smirked at me and I instantly understood what she was thinking.
We hovered over Valeria's sleeping body which was spread out on her canopy bed. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail and she was wearing an oversized t-shirt.
"She looks so peaceful," I whispered.
"Shame," Aleks said pouting, then dumped the bucket of water onto Val.
"What the fuck!?" Val shot up drenched with water and shivering.
Aleks and I instantly burst into laughter, "Valeria Ekaterina Petrov, watch your language," Aleks said tauntingly.
Valeria got out of bed glaring after Aleks and I, who were still in a fit of laughter. She grabbed a towel and wrapped herself in it, "What do you two want?"
"We have to plan a ball for Nikolai, wanna come?" Aleks asked.
She nodded reluctantly, "Let me take a shower."
______
Enzo
"Where is Aleksandra right now?" he asked.
"She left early this morning to yell at Nikolai after finding a protection detail outside of her apartment," I said.
"This morning," Nonno raised an eyebrow at me, "So you two are together?"
I hesitated for a second then nodded, "Not officially-
He raised his hand, "Spare me the details Lorenzo," he laughed.
"As long as this doesn't cloud your judgement, you have my blessing," he said shrugging.
"With all due respect Nonno, I have to admit that even without your blessing, you couldn't keep me away from her," I said.
He paused for a moment then smirked at me, "There's just something about us Petrov's isn't there?"
I laughed, "Something indeed."
"Onto more pressing issues," he put a hand of his chin, "I've been gathering intel on Ricardo Juan Poncé. He wasn't a very relevant player until a decade ago where he established a very powerful cartel in San Bernadino."
"I have reasons to believe that Guillermo has already recruited him to his cause," I started, "I had Aleksi keeping tabs on him, but he went underground yesterday."
"Boris told you his plan was still a marriage in six months?"
"Da," I said, "With the strength of a union with a De León, he'll have what he needs to put Mario Rodriguez in his place and from the support of Ricardo he'll be sure to come for us."
Nonno nodded, "We have four months to prepare and ensure Aleksandra's protection, a protection detail is too obvious. This has to be subtle, yet effective," he paused, "Do you think she'll let herself get taken to get to Guillermo faster?"
I thought for a moment, "Aleksandra promised me that if the time came, she wouldn't willingly allow herself to be captured. I trust her."
He nodded, "Good. She's making smart decisions. Smarter ones than I made in my day."
"She learned from the best," I grinned.
"Da," he said, smirking at me.
- - End of Chapter - -