Chapter 2

Sofia's POV

I stepped out of the jacuzzi feeling relaxed and walked into the closet. I picked out a long-sleeved turtleneck dress to hide any bite marks on my skin. A shiver sent a chill down my spine while thinking about the previous night that I had.

I took a moment to pull myself together. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and applied some minimal makeup as I joined my family for breakfast.

“Good morning,” I greeted them as I sat down at the dining room table.

Padre never looked away from his dish. Carlito gave me a strange look but chose to remain silent. And my mother’s gaze could pierce through me as she held a stare of disgust. She always had something negative to say to me.

“Why are you dressed up like that?” She sounded indifferent because she didn’t care; she just wanted to say something.

I shrugged as I loaded my plate with toast and an omelet.

“Where were you last night?” Finally, Padre recognized my presence.

“It was my birthday,” I said calmly.

They were aware of my partying habits on my birthdays, so I did not feel the need to elaborate on them, but it wasn’t always like that. My father used to host big parties for my birthday when I was much younger.

Later, I discovered that they were just excuses for him to socialize with his criminal partners. On my sixteenth birthday, a bunch of my friends and I got wasted and caused a scene. He said that I mocked his name and reputation by doing so.

After a year of apologizing, he finally allowed me to enjoy my birthday to myself. I didn’t need to answer to anyone and was free to act however I wanted, but he still sent his dispatches watchdogs to watch over me as if I wouldn’t notice.

However, they did not intervene, so I ignored them.

My padre stared at me weirdly. “No. Your birthday is next month.”

“Okay. If I get to go out on my birthday, then so be it. My birthday is next month.” I shook my head and bit into my toast.

“It was yesterday, Padre,” Carlito clarified.

My relationship with Carlito was neutral. We didn’t necessarily get along, but we never hated each other. I was three years older than him. I taught him a lot when it came to fighting because I was the best.

“Why wasn’t I informed?” My padre’s voice reverberated throughout the room.

“Why?” I questioned.

I admit it was weird to see my father’s reaction to this. Years had passed, and my father never showed much interest in the details of my life.

“Happy birthday, my love,” Padre said while smiling like a Cheshire cat. And at that moment, I immediately understood that he was planning something.

“Thanks,” I mumbled, returning my focus to the food on my plate.

“We are going to throw you a birthday party next week,” he quickly stated.

I ignored his weird behavior because I was already used to it at this point. Whenever he needed something done, I had to go out of my way to comply, but other than that, he forgot that he had another child except for Carlito.

When I looked up, I saw Carlito and Mother staring at Padre, but it didn’t surprise me. My mother always took her husband’s side in everything, and as for Carlito, he was afraid of our father.

I quietly excused myself from the table and headed to my bedroom.

“Are you prepared for your mission tonight?” Carlito poked his head through my bedroom door.

“Yeah.”

I spent years training to be an assassin. Now, I was one of the greatest, and only Carlito knew my true identity. The rest of the mafia world knew me by the name Shadow.

I joined Carlito in his office as he described my target tonight. I looked over his file, and it seemed like an easy job.

That night, I prepared for my next kill. I tracked his location and went up to the building next to the one he was in. That moron was seated right in front of the open window, giving me an easier way of shooting him. I smiled to myself. I was about to pull the trigger when my phone started to ring.

“What?”

Carlito rarely called me during my mission. He knew that I hated distractions.

“Is he dead?” he asked.

“Well, he’s about to be.”

“Don’t! We need him alive.”

“Fine,” I sighed. “He looks dressed up like he’s about to head out somewhere. I’ll follow him,” I said.

Carlito ended the call, and I returned to my car. I had extra clothes in the backseat, so I put on a revealing dress, knowing it would make things easier for me. I added some makeup and put a couple of tranquilizers into my clutch.

I followed him for a while, and he went into a casino. A few minutes later, I went in and blended with the crowds. I remained in his sight and noticed him checking me out.

Bingo!

After a while, he approached. I flirted with him for some time and suggested that he book us a room upstairs. He agreed and went to make the booking.

I noticed a couple of my brother’s men circling the casino. So, I only needed to d**g him, and they would cover the rest of the job.

The elevator ride was obnoxious. My mind immediately remembered the elevator ride I had taken the night before. I shook those thoughts off and acted tipsy.

Once in the room, he tried to kiss me, but I rejected him. The tranquilizer did its work quickly.

I exited the hotel room quickly and returned to the casino as if nothing had happened. I handed the room key to one of our men, and three of them went up to handle the rest of the assignment.

Since I was already here, I might as well enjoy it for a little. A couple of drinks later, I went to the roulette table and placed some bets.

“Wow, two nights in a row. This must be my lucky week.” I heard a voice immediately next to my ear.

I recognized that seductive voice without even looking. I felt his hand wrapped around my waist as his scent slightly intoxicated me. It was the perfect blend of cologne, beer, and cigar.

“You look great. Like you were recently fucked good,” he said cockily.

“I wish I could have witnessed it in person this morning. So what do you say, handsome? Would you like another round?”

I felt myself giving in for a moment, but then I quickly regained myself.

“Anyway, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I don’t give a fuck, Miss Sofia Deleyza Delgado.”

I stiffened in his arms.

“You thought I wouldn’t find out.” He chuckled.

“It was nice to see you, Mr. Alvanov, but I have to go now. Have a wonderful night.” Although I tried to speak calmly, my voice came out seductive.

I stood on my toes and placed a ghost kiss on the corner of his lips. He was significantly taller than me, even with my heels on. I quickly removed my clutch and walked away.

I missed feeling his body heat around me, but I knew I should keep my distance. I was almost outside the building when his hand grabbed my wrist and dragged me towards the elevator.

“What do you think you’re doing, Sterling?” I spat furiously.

He pressed some random floor buttons, and it stopped the elevator for some time.