"Or should I say, Soralina Russo?"
The words rang in my head the firing bullets, while my own breath hitched in my throat.
How does he know that name?
The more I remain silent, the more his smirk grows as he stands up to his full height, stalking towards me.
He knows. He knows who I am. He knows I'm Soralina Russo.
"Go to your room. Lock the door. Don't open unless it's me. Go." I whisper to Theo in Italian, our native language, which we never use unless we need to be secretive and the things that only needs to be shared between the two of us.
Theo knows that this is used only in the most important occasions, because no sooner have I said it, she begins walking backwards while I shield her with my body to keep her from the prying eyes of the men. Once she is nearest to the staircase, Theo breaks into a run, rushing upstairs before I hear the clicking of a door, knowing she is safe inside.
Although she is small, I know she will have a lot of questions, some of which I really don't want to answer.
If these men know my past, it's no good news. But the main question is, who sent them?
"Who are you?" I demand with a glare, my hands in tight fists as I feel my car keys digging into my palms. The man only continuous to smirk, giving me a strong urge to knock it off his ugly head. "Take a guess."
What the fuck?
I sigh in frustration, rolling my eyes until something catches my eye. Something that, like everything else in the room, I haven't seen in five years. And the mere sight of it has chills running down my spine.
The tattoo in one, no- all the men's wrists or neck. The tattoo of a bleeding Dragon.
The Dragon Blood mafia.
Oh no...
"Louise..." I whisper out of reflex, while the man before me grins, like he just won the lottery. "Bingo!"
What does Louise want now? Or more importantly, how did he find me? After five years, when I have finally stopped running, when I finally thought he had forgotten about all this, only for him to come back.
Why? Why now? Is it...for Her? For his...daugh-
Snap out of it Lina! She is not his child!
"I have a clear idea of what you are thinking." The man said, stalking towards me once again. "How did he find me? Where did my plan go wrong? Why did he find me? Do you want me to tell you?"
"Don't bother, you will be lying anyway. That's what you all do. You lie." I deadpan, suddenly getting a surge of adrenaline shooting through my veins as the thought of someone being after my daughter flashes in my head.
No. Never. Over my dead body.
Pretending that none if this effects as me as much as it actually does, I casually walk to the kitchen, dropping my bag and rummaging through the shelves, pretending to look for food while in reality, my main target is the drawer full of knives.
"Let me introduce myself to you. My name is Suho, I'm the consigliere of Louise Choi, the boss."
So he did take over at last. That cunning bastard.
"And I should care why?" I ask, turning around after I finally reach my destination, glaring at Suho who I don't know why thought he should be a gentleman all of a sudden when his fingernails are black with dry blood of his victims.
But it seems like my question has the least effect of him, for he is doing nothing but smiling as he folds his hands behind him, his buff body pushing forward. "Because you, Miss Soralina Russo, are coming with us. And the child."
Suho didn't see it coming. He didn't see the knife I threw at him in light speed before it stabbed him straight on the shoulder, but like the big oaf he is, he doesn't wince, not even once. Instead, fifteen pairs of gun point at me, the safety going off, but I can't care any less.
How dare he say that about my daughter? Come with them? Who me? My child? For what? To die?
They must think I'm mad.
"You are mad." Suho seethes, pulling out the knife effortlessly.
Yup. I was right.
"Theo will go nowhere. If there's anyone who is going somewhere, it's you bastards. Go back to where you came from, and tell your boss, that he can chew his own toe for all I care. Understood?"
Suho burst out laughing at my threat, which isn't a surprise because he and I both knew how things are looking right now. The consigliere of the deadly Korean mafia with his fifteen armed men and I’m what? Just a random unarmed girl with a five year old in my hands.
Oh, I have knives.
He laughs on and on, like I just said the funniest thing in the world, going so far as to even rub tears from his eyes.
Let me roll my eyes here.
"Oh dear Miss Russo, you sure are funny!"
"Glad to play the clown. Now get out."
"I don't think so."
Suho's voice takes an octave, turning deadly serious from sarcasm as he glares at me, blood dripping from his shoulder wound.
Before I know it, strong arms circle around my armpits, pulling my hands behind my back before a strong punch hits me square in the stomach, knocking the breath out of me.
Black dots appear in my vision, making it unable to see who the puncher is but I know that whoever it is, sure knows how to punch, because now I feel like to cry. I feel like my insides have turned into porridge.
The only sound I make is a grunt though, and when the black dots finally disappear, I see who the puncher is.
It's Suho of course.
I chuckle to myself, feeling my chest burn for air. "You punch like a girl."
Another burst of pain to my gut, this time knocking me down to my knees as the men holding me drop me down.
Before I can even regain myself, someone grabs a fist full of my hairs, making me look up at him.
Suho glares at me, and yet that sinister smirk is back. "You wouldn't be saying that if I did it to your daughter huh?"
"You little fucktard-"
"Boss will have the girl, whether you like it or not, whether you give her willingly or not. But just for politeness sake, he sent me to ask you. He is going to kill you anyway."
I gulp, which of course doesn't go unnoticed by the giant.
"Now, if you don't want to see your daughter motherless, you might as well make up your mind, and it better be in Bosses favour. Think otherwise, and he will take her after bathing her in your blood. Oh, and I will let everyone in the world know, that Soralina Russo is still alive."
I hate his choice of words. I hate every single thing he is saying. But mostly, I hate how true everything is.
Louise Choi is the biggest sinner after my father that I have met in my life. He has committed every sin humanly capable. Bathing his own daughter in her mother's blood would be like baby shower party to him.
"You have three days." Suho hisses before dropping my head and standing to his full height.
He mutters something to his men in Korean, and soon they are all exiting the house. I try to stand, but the pain is just too much in my stomach.
"Oh and by the way," Suho suddenly says, stopping in the doorway with a sly smile. "We are not the only ones after her. Remember that."
And then, he is gone.
What the fuck was that?
Wincing to myself, I slowly stand up, holding onto the kitchen island for support while I stare at the mess. The bloody knife on the floor with drops of blood trailing all the way to the front door.
Great. Now I have to clean it up.
And then explain to Theo.
But I actually don't have the time for any if that.
Pushing myself towards the staircase, I knock on Theo's door, panting heavily.
"Theodora luv? It's me. It's mommy. Open the door."
Slowly, the door creeks open, and a small little almond eyes peeks at me while I force a smile. When she is sure it is me, she pulls open the door completely, jumping into my arms and making me hiss out in pain.
"Are you okay mommy? I was worried."
"I'm fine luv. It's nothing."
Bile rises in my throat at the thought of losing my precious angel to that monster. No. I can't let her go there. I can't lose her.
I promised.
Pulling her away, I brush her hairs away from her face, cupping her delicate cheeks in my palms as I stare straight into her eyes.
"You trust me, don't you?"
"Yes mommy."
"Good. Now get your coat. We are leaving."
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
The airport is busy and crowded with tons of people, making it easier for me and Theo to blend in. Theo has my index and middle finger tightly clutched in her tiny grasp, her red padded jacket covering most of her, including her head that is covered with the hood.I have mine pulled back, just in case people get suspicious, but I really don’t want people to see me. I don’t know how far I’m safe as long as I’m still inside the US.After the sweet and pleasant visit from Suho, Theo and I spent a good Twenty minutes packing all our important stuff, and also doing something about getting us out of the country.It had been years since I used my skills, but I still managed to make us fake documents, including enough cash to get us a passageway to Poland.The last time I used my hacking skills, I was five years ago, to get Theo and me out of Italy with new identities, and then for years ago, when I finally needed a better paying job other
They are here...to Kill me?Am I surprised? No. Just...unable to wrap my head around everything.They want to kill me, but I can't let them do that. I can't let them kill me.Theo needs me. She has no one but me. I can't let her go to that monster. I have to protect her.But more importantly, I can't let them kill me, because I want to live.I don't want to die yet. I want to live and grow old, looking after Theo until she grows up, marries, gives me grandchildren. I want to spend the life a normal mother should.Am I being selfish? Are we considered selfish, just because we want to live?I once believed so. I had blamed my other half for wishing to live, For valuing her life over other's. I had blamed her, but now I'm wanting the same.I don't think we are selfish, I think we are just being humanly by displaying these desires. It's just...normal.I guess.Suho is saying something, but I no longer hear a thing. He
The cold wind howls ferociously, biting on my exposed skin while I huddle Theo closer to me, shielding her from the harshness of winter.Soon it will begin snowing, and when that happens, I don’t know what to do.We left the airport a long time ago, taking back our belongings as well as my glass dagger, which I was leaving behind in no way, we begin walking away, away from the scene of massacre, away from our one final chance at freedom now gone to waste.We couldn’t board the plane, for not only it was too late and we were in no shape, but because there was no use. Where ever we went, Louise would fine us, and that alone makes me feel hopeless.So here we are, walking the empty streets with no real plan, no real destination, just trying to find a place to avoid the incoming storm.Theo hasn’t said a word ever since we left the airport, but I know I can’t keep her in the dark anymore. She has seen too much. She needs to know
Italy, 2014Summer Holidays were finally over, and it was time to get back to school, much to the youngsters displeasure.While the more studious couldn't wait to get their lessons started, the careless ones groaned out in annoyance, not ready for boredom life to start again.And one of that careless one, was Agatha Russo.Agatha groaned as she remained passed out on her Queen sized bed, her hairs all over the place and her bed a tangled mess around her.Above her hovered her maid, who was debating what would be the best way to wake up the young Miss."Miss Agatha? Miss Agatha wake up. Wake up. You have school today. Wake up!""Get lost." Agatha groaned while the maid sighed in frustration. She pulled the blanket away, which was a really bold move for a maid, and especially for the maid of Agatha Russo.When the blanket was pulled away, and the coldness begin to seep into her skin, her eyes shot open, and insta
Agatha stepped out of her car, pulling out her bag and shutting the door behind her. Smiling to herself like a Cheshire cat, Agatha strode towards the entrance of the school, holding herself with elegance and gaiety."There's my bitch! Finally!" Called out Sam, the coolest girl after Agatha in the school, also known as Agatha's lead minion, and...her so called best friend.Sam had been gossiping with her other minions about the hottest rumours circulating, and how they could help to put fuel to it when Agatha showed up, breaking it all up and turning all attention to her.Agatha smirked at her friends, whose daily morning routine when they saw her was to squeal out loud, so that the whole school would know Agatha Russo had arrived.Agatha flipped her shiny black hairs, smirking at all the hot boys who had come to take a look at her, like they always did."Oh my God Agatha is that what I think it is? The latest Gucci bag! Bitch why didn't you tell m
"So did you find a partner?" Sam asked with fake enthusiasm again, while they walked to their next class together. Halloween party was three days away, and Sam and the others were still to find partners."No." Was Agatha's reply, making Sam stop moving as her anger begun to boil in the surface. "What the fuck Agatha do you have no intention to attend the party?""Don't you?""What?""I said," Agatha turned around, glaring at her friends. "Don't you have any intention to attend the party?"Sam and the other's looked confused. "Well of course we-""Then why haven't you found anyone yet? Why is me finding a partner your concern when you haven't even found one yourself?"Because bitch, if you don't find one and we do, there's a high chance you will steal one of ours. But you don't know that you dumb bitch.Agatha knew, she just wanted them to admit it.But of course they wouldn't. So she did it herself.Stalk
Soralina cried her heart out, running her nose in a handkerchief offered by Lucian while he rubbed her back, saying it was alright, that everything was going to be fine. And that she should stop crying now.But nothing could console the broken Soralina, who cried with all the anguish in her heart, feeling it break into several pieces."Soralina you have to control-"Heavy footsteps reached them, making the duo look up only to find Agatha coming to a halt, her eyes wide as she stared at Lucian. "Is it true?""What is?""That Morris is dead?"Lucian gulped, glancing towards the girl in his arms who broke out in another fit of tears. Lucian didn't need to reply, for that was an answer enough for Agatha, who scoffed, releasing a frustrated sigh and running her fingers through her hairs, messing it up."That good for nothing prick."Soralina's sobs came to a halt, and she looked up at her sister in confusion. "What did you say?"
Agatha’s eyes closed and reopened again, her mind in a daze while all she saw was occasional lights blinking at her. Little did she know that it was she herself blinking at them. Her body felt on fire. Every single fibre in her body felt like lava had been coursing through them, and that her bones where melting. What will I look like if my bones melted? Would I look gross? Maybe if my flesh would melt, I wouldn’t look that bad… Agatha had no idea what she was thinking, all she knew was there was immense pain coursing through her body, and that she was lying down on something, getting wheeled away. Maybe…in a bed? Can a bed move on its own? Her eyes tried to stay open for more than thirty second, trying to take a look at her surroundings. When she noticed Romeo, Lucian and Soralina beside her, their faces filled with worry and horror, with Soralina still crying, she closed her eyes again, feeling the pain increase as black dotes begin to appear in her vision. Ahh. The bed isn’