Misha,

I took a deep breath, standing in front of the VIP room. I felt nervous; I was never a coward, but this was something entirely new for me.

This isn't me sparing with a man twice my size for the first time, or me holding a gun and feeling its weight.

I'm a daring, flirty, and brave girl, but my limit was my body. I like to show skin and expose my body because I worked to have it this toned and perfect, but at the same time, I don't like to be touched or have some men drool over me.

If I wear something, I wear it for myself. If I do my nails or my hair, it's for me to feel better and beautiful, not to get some man's approval.

I took a couple of deep breaths, then I knocked on the door and didn't move until the door was opened and some guy glared at me.

I frowned at the man who was blocking my way, then tried to look behind him, but he moved closer, blocking my view entirely.

"We didn't ask for any entertainment, leave."

The man said, and I cocked a brow at him, because who the hell does he think he is, and how dare he treat me like that.

"Let her in. I was the one who asked for her. I was getting bored waiting for your boss, and she came after you, so don't let us spoil the night. Let her in, Dino. 

Someone from the inside shouted at the one blocking my way, Dino, and he gritted his teeth before stepping aside, allowing me to see the people in the room.

I gave Dino a side look before I walked inside the room, and he shut the door behind me the moment I was in.

I took a quick look, and for a second, my mind didn't process what was happening because this wasn't what I thought I would see.

Two groups of men sit inside, and they don't look happy, if I might add. The air was tense, and from what I'm seeing, this wasn't a friendly, happy meeting.

I thought about turning around to leave, but then someone gripped my hand and pulled me to the other side. My other hand formed a fist, but then I relaxed. I need to tread carefully to get out of here. I can smell blood in the air.

This is a mafia meeting, I know, because I have seen them so many times to count. And if I use violence now, I might not be able to leave.

Artem must be watching, and I'm sure he will come up with something and get me out of here.

"You must be new, this is the first time I've seen you here. I'm a regular, and I know all the girls."

The man who was talking from behind that Dino said, and I blasted a fake smile on my face and turned around to give him one of my sweetest looks.

"Yes, this is my first time here. My name is Sonya. What is your name, handsome?"

I answered him, giving my bitch friend's name because she is the one who threw me into this. Of all the people she could choose, she chose some mafia man.

"Ahhh, I'm a lucky man then, you must be beautiful, or else you won't be hiding your face like this, Sonya."

He said as his hand rose, trying to take off the flimsy piece of cloth that was hiding half of my face, and I held his hand in mine, stopping him.

"Franco, we came here to talk business, not to play with whores. That shipment is mine, you know, I have commitments. It wasn't yours to take."

The man on the other side said in a rough voice, startling me, and I held my breath as our eyes met, and I suppressed a shudder.

The light in the room was dim, and he was sitting in a corner with barely any light, which wasn't helping.

But everything about him was dark: his aura, his hair, and his eyes. The place was warm, but frost was coming off of him. The only place that melted that frost was his burning eyes.

"Renzo, you need to chill, man. You are almost forty and without an heir or a woman. Life isn't just about work. You need to relax and have some fun, right, Sonya?"

Franco said, making me blink, then I turned around and smiled at him without saying anything. I was lost for words.

Franco, Renzo, and Dino. I think I have heard these names before, but when and why?!

I was lost deep in thought and didn't hear any of the words that were said, but then something broke, and I flinched when I found that man called Renzo standing right in front of me. Then he gripped my shoulder, pulled, making me stand up.

I looked right into his eyes and found out that they weren't black but dark green with some specs of gold.

"LEAVE IF YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR YOU."

The man snarled in my face, and this time I couldn't suppress the shudder that took over my body when his hot breath touched my cheeks and ruffled my hair.

"Ahhh, you need to chill, my friend, and let the girl go; you are scaring her."

Franco said as he stood up and chuckled, but Renzo's eyes didn't leave mine, as if he was waiting for my answer that never came.

"Dino, show her the way out!"

"e assicurati che lei esca da qui e venga rimandata a casa. La sua guardia del corpo deve essere da qualche parte qui vicino."

("and make sure that she is out of here and sent home. Her bodyguard must be somewhere close.")

The intimidating man said, shaking me to the core again, even though I didn't understand half of what he said in Italian.

But then the man called Franco, his men stood and blocked Dino's way, and his voice tone changed entirely, it wasn't friendly anymore.

"No, she won't leave, but you will. I will contact you sometime, and we will discuss this again. You seem to be in a shitty mood." 

Franco said, making Renzo grit his teeth, and finally let me go, and weirdly enough, I wanted to follow him.

I don't know anything about this man, but I have a feeling that I will be safe as long as I am with him.

This Franco dude held on to me tightly. "What were we saying just now? Ahhh, I'm really dying to see your beautiful face, Sonya."

And again he tried to take off the flimsy facemask, but I slapped his hand away, swaying my hips as I took a few steps backward. 

"Let me think about it as I dance for you."

I said seductively, then I looked up, trying to face the camera Sonya told me about, and made that sign, hoping that they were there watching me.

But then I shook my head, trying to clear it and think of something new because if they were there, they would have interfered and gotten me the hell out of there.

But something happened and prevented Artem from coming to get me. If he saw these two men, he must have identified them and saved my ass by now.

And now I should be worried because I have blown my only chance to get out of here. Think, think, Misha.

"I changed my mind, I don't want to watch you dance. I want to have a taste, woman."

Franco said, pulling my hair suddenly, making me scream as he then threw me on one of the leather couches and jumped on top of me.

I began to fight him, and even though the man looked smaller and thinner than the other men, he was so strong.

So I took a deep breath and kicked him in his middle, making him double over, and I pushed him away, standing on my feet and taking a defensive stance.

"Come at me, motherfuckers, let me show you what I got."

I snarled at the other two men, who became alert and their hands went to their guns, but I didn't give them the chance to do it.

I kicked the first one, then punched the other right in his face and grinned when I heard his nose break.

Then I ran to the door while the three men were on the floor, but the moment I opened the door, and I was about to run to freedom, something blocked my way, and I was thrown back.

Misha,

I gasped for breath, and my head got dizzy; that push and fall felt like a bunch to my chest, and for a few seconds, I couldn't breathe.

I turned around and almost screamed when that little movement hurt so badly, and something almost pierced my chest. I think I broke a few ribs.

But there is no time to cry or crawl like a coward here. I needed to get out now while everyone was busy. When this thought hit me, I began to hear, smell, and feel everything around me.

I heard the screams, I felt the warm blood splash on my face and my almost nude body.

I saw the massacre that was happening right in front of my eyes in this tiny room, so I crawled and hid under the table instead and watched the scene in horror.

What pushed me back inside wasn't a wall, but a group of men wearing all black and holding heavy guns.

They were shooting at Franco and his men, and there were some other men in the room. All of that happened in the few seconds I was on my ass trying to breathe.

"Misha! Where the fuck are you?"

"otvet'te mne"

("answer me.")

A man shouted, and I wanted to weep. This was the first time in my life that I would consider kissing Artem.

"I'm here."

I said in a high voice, but then I lowered it because I saw a few men turn around to face me.

"YA tebya uvidel, ne dvigaysya, blyad'. YA idu za toboy."

("Don't fucking move. I'm coming for you.")

My bodyguard said, and I nodded my head in answer, even though he couldn't see me.

I dragged my ass to another table because my spot is exposed now, but then someone dragged me away, and he put his hand over my mouth to prevent me from screaming.

"Shut the fuck up, if you want to live."

The person said, and I relaxed when I recognized the voice; it was Renzo. He came back....for me?!

"What should we do? We need to get out of here. It isn't safe for her."

Dino said as he blocked my view, and I was sandwiched between him and Renzo, and the corner of the wall.

The two men made sure no one could see me and no stray bullets could come my way.

"Let me think, did you tell her bodyguard that we are friends? He is coming our way, aiming the gun."

Renzo said, and I tried to move and push them away to tell Artem that I was ok, but the two men pushed me back, making me wince from the pain of my broken ribs.

"Just raise your hand and make this sign, and he will know."

I said, and Renzo blinked at me, then my hand, but he nodded, and I guess he did because he relaxed.

"Anyway, my bodyguard told me, a friend said there is a hidden door here that leads to the back alley, and we need to find it." I looked behind me, trying to figure out where that door was, and I almost shouted in triumph when I found it.

"Two clicks to your northeast, Artem."

My bodyguard nodded, then he walked slowly to where I told him, as the two men covered me.

We reached the door, but then Artem was tackled, and the shooters focused on us because they were done with Franco and his army that had entered the room when the shooting started.

We kept going, and I pushed the hidden secret door open and screamed when I fell on my ass again because I didn't see the two steps there.

Strong hands helped me to stand up, but I pushed them away and turned around to throw up.

The hands held my back to their front, collected my hair, and pulled it away from my face.

"I don't think I will be able to move. I have broken some ribs, and I think I have a concussion."

He didn't say anything, but I felt something drop over my shoulder, and I was hoisted up, and I relaxed in what I thought was Artem's arms.

I began to go in and out of consciousness. I heard some whispers and sounds, a car's engine, but those strong arms never let me go.

"Now what? What should we do?"

"We will take her home."

"You know this isn't what I meant. I mean, Franco, and what happened tonight?"

"We will do nothing. The person who did it will show his face soon, and we will know who we are dealing with."

The two men kept talking back and forth while I fought the dizziness and sleep.

I remember I saw a doctor in a show that says that when you have a concussion, you must stay up and never fall asleep....

*****

"Did you call doctor Luka?"

"Yes, and he is on his way to Yakov's house."

The voices said, and this made me open my eyes and try to sit up, but I couldn't, so I whined and moaned.

"Dad will kill me for this, so please don't call the doctor."

I said in a barely there whisper, and the man who was still holding me touched my forehead, removing some hair that was sticking there from all the sweat.

"Too late, the doctor is waiting there, and he already knows about what you have done."

The gruff voice said I wanted to raise my hand to slap him, but I couldn't do it; all I could do was just snuggle closer, and that was it.

"Renzo, I don't know how to thank you for saving her life."

"Please, it is nothing, and honestly, I didn't go out of my way to do it. It happens that I was there at the right moment."

"Still, you saved my only child, and for that, I'm very thankful."

I opened my eyes slowly as I listened to the chitchat that was happening beside me, and all the talk stopped.

"How do you feel?"

A man said while he stared at my face, and I stared back without saying a word. I don't know him. Who is this?

But then the asshole put pressure on my ribs, and I screamed bloody murder.

"Yep, she has two broken ribs."

He said, chuckling, and I swore at him as I tried to sit up to fucking punch him in the face.

"So you are still alive, good, because you will be punished for what you have done tonight."

My father said coldly, and I wanted to cry because Dad's punishment is worse than death.

I wanted to defend myself, to say anything, but when I saw Renzo narrow his eyes at me, I bit my tongue and said nothing.

My father cocked a brow at him, then me, before he turned around to talk to him.

"Can we have a little chat, Mr. Valentino?"

Renzo,

I entered the office room following the older Russian man, and my mind was screaming at me to leave because what I was about to hear wouldn't be good.

Thanks to that kid, my night has been going from bad to worse to a full-on mess, and all because she chose to play stripper today.

I had a meeting with Franco, and it was starting to get annoying, then she showed up all naked and waiting to be raped or something.

And even though she was wearing something hiding her face, I would never forget those eyes. Those eyes that shook me to the core when I first saw them.

She was eighteen back then, when I had a meeting with her father as he helped me with something that saved my business. She just rushed into the office without knocking or even asking for permission. She rushed inside with a big smile on her face, he hair was flowing behind her, and her dress was sticking to her body in all the right places.

I think for a moment I forgot how to breathe, and I just watched her, feeling like she was a siren that got out of the water to seduce me. The girl didn't spare me a look; she didn't care that someone was with her father or that he might get angry. She just grinned at him and hugged the older man, giggling.

I watched the scene as they talked in Russian about something with ease; they both were lost in their own world, and I felt embarrassed to be here to watch this intimate moment.

But then Akim looked at me and smiled warmly and patted his daughter's back, asking her to say hi, and she did, our eyes met. Hers are full of pride and daring, while mine are full of questions and wonder. I was lost for words; no woman, not to mention a girl, has had this effect on me, ever. After the introduction was done, she said something in a faint voice, making her father chuckle loudly. My wonderment hit higher levels because this scary Russian mafia boss was laughing lovingly with this little girl.

If anyone saw this scene, they wouldn't believe it, even though they saw it with their own eyes. Hell, even I still don't believe it.

But then her bodyguard rushed inside, he apologized, gave me a dirty look, and then he dragged the girl outside while she spat hateful words at him. It didn't feel right, but after watching Akim's reaction, I didn't mention it. It seems like a normal thing around here.

"I apologize again for all of this. I know that my malen'kaya printsessa has caused trouble for you, but again I'm grateful that you were there to help her." Oh, Little princess.

The man said, bringing me back to reality, and I accepted the glass of vodka he was offering me, thanking him with a nod of my head.

"It is nothing, sir, our families go way back, and I'm glad that I could repay even half of the things you have done for me," I said politely, sipping my drink and thinking about going back home and calling one of the girls to blow some of the steam.

All that happened today was overstimulating. I still feel that I have a lot of energy that needs to be released, or else I won't be able to sleep.

"As you said, we go way back. Honestly, I have always thought of you as a son of mine. So, what are your thoughts about what happened tonight and why?"

I sat, taking a moment to think about the entire ordeal, and again I didn't get an answer. It was so sudden and unplanned. "I still don't know, but all I know is that it was me, the target, not Franco. Franco has always played it safe; he never took any risks, and he just stayed away from trouble. Whoever killed him today did it to frame me. Why? I have no idea." I said thoughtfully, and the man hummed, nodding his head. I think he had already gathered that before I spoke the words.

"What I want to know is if your daughter was part of it or if it was just bad luck?!" I focused on the man who was pacing the room, and my question made him stop and look at me with dark eyes. Eyes that aren't like his daughter's.

"From what I heard, it was her friend's suggestion. She was the one who dared her to do that and the one who also chose that room for her. But they were friends for years. I know her family, and we are on good terms." The older man said, and I narrowed my eyes, loyalty can be changed and bought. People's priorities change all the time, but I said nothing. I will deal with this on my own. I must know.

"Ok then, I asked Doctor Luka to check on your daughter during the day. I left his contacts with her bodyguard. He is one of my men; you can trust him and call him anytime. And about what had happened in the club, I took care of it, my men deleted all the photos and video from the CCTV cameras, all fingerprints, blood stains anything related to your daughter was wiped away, no one inside or outside that place will say or know anything about her visit tonight."

I said before heading to the door, and the man stopped me by holding my shoulder tightly, giving it a few pats before nodding his head, and I left.

I know he has a lot to say and a lot to talk about, but he couldn't voice it out. In our line of work, we don't show weakness, but we carry favors and repay them when the time comes, which I'm sure he will do.

"Where now?" Dino asked me when we left the villa and entered the car, and he started the engine, but I'm sure he knew our destination because he took us back to the strip club.

"Rocco and Dario are already there." He said, and I closed my eyes, thinking again, why did I stay?

Why did I want to make sure that she was back home when I felt things were off, or was it because the moment I saw Franco eating her up with his eyes, I wanted to strangle the fucker and burn the damn club?

"We are here, sir."