A STOLEN NAME

CHAPTER 9

*FIVE YEARS AGO, A BUNGEE TOWER IN THE USA*

“I can't do this!!!” Sophia shouted after the cord was harnessed to her knees and the straps tied to her legs.

Alina had suggested they come to try out bungee jumping on that Christmas Eve, and she couldn't say no because she had been wanting to come too.

Bungee jumping is number two on her bucket list, and it's enticing.

"You wanted to come, remember? Giving up right now means you're a coward!" Alina replied behind her, and the other people present laughed at her tone.

Sophia peeped down from the edge, then she stepped back immediately as her eyes dwindled.

"I really can't do this! Feels like I'm jumping to my death!! I give up!!" She shouted, and the laughter erupted again, but their laughter was cut short when a guy came out from the far back.

His eyes are the first thing Sophia got enchanted by . . . They're grey and so f*****g beautiful.

He looks the coolest of all the guys there, and he's wearing a beanie cap just like her, though his own is green while hers is white.

"Hey," she waved, smiling sheepishly as she felt a loud thud in her heart.

Love at first sight is for real because she's experiencing that s**t right now.

Who wouldn't?

"Hey, I can go down with you if you don't mind," he said, and she bit her lip before nodding.

"Sure"

He stayed behind her, and he was strapped with the cords and straps too, together with her.

Alina winked at Sophia, whose face is a complete shade of red right now, and Sophia smiled back nervously as the guy wrapped his arms around her middle.

"Ready?" The controller of the bungee asked.

"Yeah," the guy answered.

"Yeah," Sophia replied, and then they were pushed.

Sophia let out a maddening scream when she felt the wind carrying her down to the end of the space, and the guy's arms tightened around her despite the straps till they got to the end of the rope and were left hanging at the base.

"Oh, my gawd!" Sophia shouted, feeling brave all of a sudden as she took in all the amazing views surrounding her.

"You feel good?" The guy asked behind her, and she smiled.

Though her back is on him, and she's not seeing his face right now, she could imagine him smiling his sweetest smile.

"Yeah, thanks to you," she replied.

"My name is Adrian . . . Adrian Feldman" he said.

"Sophia Hayes," she replied, and she was shocked when he kissed her neck from behind.

She literally froze, and he leaned into her ear.

"Merry Christmas," he muttered, and that only made her fall deeper.

They were pulled back to the top after a while, and immediately the straps were removed from them, they went to a secluded part of the bridge . . .

"I've never really had a boyfriend or gone intimate with a guy," she said naively.

"Is your sister overprotective?" He asked, his smile still intact.

"Nope, she's single too, and I'm just twenty," she replied.

"I'm twenty-three, and I've never dated before, too," he said.

She should have seen through his fake words.

She shouldn't have believed his kindness or sweet smiles.

She shouldn't have believed his warmness, but she did, and at the next minute, they were already kissing.

*PRESENT TIME*

Sophia woke up from her sleep with fast, harsh breaths, and she was sweating because of the heater in the room.

She sat up in bed and dabbed her face with her palm, looking around.

It was a dream, also a remembrance of the past . . .how she met her bastard ex-boyfriend who murdered her parents.

It's all her fault . . .she shouldn't have believed Adrian, but she did anyway, and it cost her parents lives.

But she's here because of him anyway.

Getting stronger and killing him is her main goal, and she's reaching it no matter what, but how did she get here on the bed???

Didn't she pass out at the training ground?

Her eyes widened, and she quickly started checking herself out.

Thankfully, her chest bandage is still intact.

"Master Dimitri brought you here himself," Mikhail's voice said from the opposite bed, and she looked up to see him sitting up too, staring at her.

Lev is already fast asleep on the third bed.

"Wait . . .in his arms?" Sophia's eyes widened.

"Yeah, and he ordered us to leave you to rest before leaving. I think it's really more than we think. Death took you in for a reason, and it's obviously not a good one," Mikhail replied, and Sophia immediately got down from the bed.

The aching in her arms means nothing right now, she needs to meet Dimitri and question him about why he brought her here in his arms.

Isn't she supposed to be a man to him and everyone else? Why would he carry a fellow man in his arms?

She started rushing out of the room.

"You can talk to The Pakhan or his wife at the house of Volkovs. They might agree to change your trainer, or they might not. He's their favorite anyway," Mikhail spoke again.

"Thank you," she replied, rushing out of the room finally.

She bolted out of the wing literally, and she started running towards the forest, but she was suddenly pulled back by strong arms.

She was ready to punch the person to death when she saw it was Alina, and her punch went down.

"Alina!" She gasped, and Alina covered her mouth before pulling her into a dark corner, covered by a thick brick.

"What the f**k was that? You in Death's arms? Aren't you supposed to be a man to him? Did he find out?" Alina asked in a whisper.

"No Alina, I swear I was cautious like you told me to be. I only dress up or take off my clothes in the bathroom since you told me that's the only place without cameras. There's no way he found out, I'm sure of it," Sophia quickly shook her head.

"Then what's with the carrying you in his arms act? Darn, that guy is driving me crazy," Alina dipped her fingers into her hair, frustratingly.

"I'm going to his manor to ask him," Sophia replied.

"What! Sophia, you can't . . .

"I'll be fine, I promise. He's my master anyway," Sophia cut her off, and Alina finally let go of her.

Sophia ran out of the corner, and five minutes later, Alina came out too, and she immediately sighted Roman.

He's not with Paval this time, and it's strange because Paval is like his second skin who follows him everywhere.

She couldn't stop staring, and when Roman finally looked her way, she quickly bowed.

Roman went out of sight, and Alina folded her fists, her legs throbbing with sensation as she walked away from the spot.

*ROMAN'S SUITE*

Roman arrived shortly and met Maksim waiting in front of the suite, and Maksim smiled broadly . . .

"I was overjoyed when I got the report that you needed me," he said.

"You fought Leo on your first day here, didn't you?" Roman asked, eyeing him.

"Yes, and I nearly beat him to death. He's totally weak," Maksim replied quickly.

"Then continue tormenting him. Make his life hell here and find ways to frame him for whatever he didn't do. I mean, heavy framing. Make him wish for death, and you'll be my second man after Paval," Roman said.

"What about Death? He'd kill me for touching his favorite man," Maksim quickly replied.

"Favorite?" Roman frowned.

"Yes. Earlier, he was seen carrying Leo in his arms into the residential wing," Maksim explained.

"Dimitri is a self-centered bastard, in case you dunno. Everyone in this clan knows my brother cares about no one but himself. He does only what's profitable to himself and, trust me, whatever reason he has for bringing him in, it's only beneficial to him alone. Leo will be the sacrificial lamb, and I'll be handling the knife . . .you only have to add the rope and bring him to me," Roman explained.

"Will happily do that," Maksim replied.

"Good," Roman nodded, and Maksim ran off.

Roman waited till he was out of sight before opening the door and stepping in, but before he could shut the door, Sin appeared, stepping in with him.

"Hey big bro!" He winked.

Again, he's not wearing a shirt, just sports shorts and nothing more.

"What are you here for?" Roman questioned, shutting the door and proceeding to the cellar to get himself some alcohol.

"You sent Paval away from the night shift only because you wanted to plot against Leo?" Sin replied, and Roman immediately came back.

"You've been following me around?" His eyes almost strangled Sin, who only smiled.

"I don't need to follow you around when I'm the alpha and Omega of this clan. I control the systems and I know every damn thing going on in the compound. You might wanna stop your plots and focus on being liked by everyone instead," Sin said, and Roman punched him in the jaw immediately.

Sin staggered, falling on the wall, hitting his head in the process.

"I don't give a f**k what people think, Semyon. You like me, you hate me, it's none of my business. Y'all never treated me like one of you since I was young anyway, and now I have outgrown it," Roman said, and Sin stood straight, rubbing his head with a hand.

"You were once the most loved among us, but yunno, what ruined you? f*****g jealousy! And it's still ruining you. Wait till the end and see who gets the last laugh, Ignorant Roman, Sin said and walked to the cellar.

He took two bottles of vodka and winked at Roman before strolling out of the suite.

Roman shut the door violently immediately he exited, and the poor door almost tore away from its hinges.

"That little s**t" Roman muttered.