Devil’s Daughter

F A L S E H O P E

Lorraine Lebedev

Instead of taking a road trip like planned we took a Private flight so that it could be quicker to reach there.

Immediately after hearing the news at 23:48 pm we did not waste any time. 4 hours later we find ourselves stalking a specific house in the middle of the night in the dark.

They are dead bodies scattered across the yard and gates have been crashed wide open with glass windows shattered and bullet holes on the wall.

"Shit." Abree said as she handed the binoculars to Rhett. Rhett analyzed the scene and nodded as he turned to face Raphaël.

"Yep, they are definitely dead."

"Cazzo." Raphaël mumbled under his breath.

My shoulders tensed when I felt sick to my stomach but not for puking.

I have a really bad feeling about this.

"Okay, let us not waste any time."

Dante and Marcello were in a different SUV, along with other soldiers just for backup.

Perspiration shone on Rhett's brow as he was the first one to step out of the car. Followed by Abree. Before I could walk out Raphaël stops me by grabbing my arm. His eyes bored into mine. "No matter what the f**k happens you stick to my side. Understood?" His nose flared as he stated. I nod my head before he leans in and places a kiss onto my forehead.

"Okay, let's go." he alleged before stepping out of the vehicle and like I promised I was beside him following his every movement like a lost puppy.

While we walked over the dead bodies of the guards that were guarding the house I just stared at them as flashbacks from my birthday replayed in my head.

I grabbed the rifle from the ground and ran towards the ongoing conflict.

I picked up another rifle without a second thought and opened fire. Rain of bullets impacted dozens of bodies.

I did not care who I killed, the only thing that invaded my mind was revenge.

I wanted them to pay.

I drew in a long breath as I pushed back the dark memory.

Raphaël noticed my unease and he locked our fingers, placing a kiss on my head.

"You're safe red, don't worry." he whispered. My tense shoulders relaxed when we reached the door.

The soldiers slowly opened the door, as it made a creaking sound as it allowed us to view the inside of the house. The soldiers walked in then checked if the coast was clear.

"Tutto chiaro signore." One of the soldiers announced and we all entered the house with our weapons out and high alert. {translate: All clear sir.}

The minute I walked in, it was dark and all the beautiful furniture had been blasted into shreds to the point it looked unrecognizable.

We walked further into the house, stepping on blood and broken glass.

The soldiers checked every door downstairs and found nothing, we all climbed the stairs that lead us to the second floor. All the soldiers checked the rooms and found it empty until one closed the door.

The lead soldier gathered us around, as our focus was on the closed door.

He counted to three and kicked the door open, as expected we found something.

An injured man crouching down beside a dead corpse.

His head shots up, surprise and anger clouded his expression. My jaw almost dropped when I recognized the face.

Nathaniel.

My gaze shifted to the dead body and my heart squeezed when I noticed that the dead body was Christopher.

The Knight brothers, I was still in shock by the news that two were involved in the American mafia and are brothers, well not by blood but still are family.

Nathaniel's face was covered in blood and all bruised up, his charming features were almost unrecognizable. Nathaniel was about to reach for his weapon but we beat him to it. All loaded guns were pointed towards his direction.

"You're out numbered Nathaniel." Abree seethed bitterly beside me.

Nathaniel's gaze searched the crowd and when we locked eyes, unwelcome shivers ran down my spine.

"Lorraine." he says, a bitter smile stretching across his face.

My mouth instantly went dry, heart pounding but I managed to keep my poker face.

Nathaniel tilts his head, his eyes taking in my appearance and he nods before saying. "He would be proud."

What?

Who would be proud.

Marcello and Rhett appeared beside Nathaniel's side and forced him up.

Why is he not fighting?

Something isn't sitting right with me.

"Who did this to you?" Raphaël questions, as his expression hardened. Nathaniel glowered.

His gaze shifts to Raphaël and his face twisted with disgust. "But he's not proud about this," he proclaimed, gesturing his head back and forth between Raphaël and I.

I held my breath as my mind immediately knew who he was talking about.

Father.

Why did he do this and why is he also involved with the Knight brothers?

Unless...

The puzzle pieces in my brain clicked into place, and a strange cocktail of betrayal, fury and sadness knotted in my gut. My blood is colder than the chill creeping along the floorboards and bare walls.

Flashbacks of the past invaded my mind like a tsunami ready to destroy a city once it hit's impact.

"Lorraine. I am your father and as your father I need to keep you safe but sometimes the business I run. I have to make some small sacrifices including my own daughter." His voice sent shivers down my spine. His voice sounded dead and gravelly.

He took a sip of his brandy. "Nothing passes me Lorraine. I have eyes and ears. Everywhere my dear child."

The time I told him about Raphaël in his office he did not react the way I suspected him to, which was suspicious but at the time I was so naïve to see it.

"She is dead, mother is dead." I blurted out.

I did not get a reaction from him, instead he took slow steps towards me, forced me to lower the weapons and pulled me into a hug.

He gently stroked my hair as I stood there, frozen.

I closed my eyes and repeated myself. "She is dead."

My birthday, he received a call and disappeared minutes after the attack.

Another flashback invaded my memory.

When is her funeral?" I asked, cutting straight to the case.

He took his glass of brandy, gulped it down and set it back on the table with his thick cigar resting at the corner of his lips.

His cold eyes met mine, slightly squinting his eyes, father pulled out the cigar from his lips. "There will be no funeral for your mother," he said.

We did not have a funeral for her, he did not shed a single tear for mother. The way he acted like-like she was just a stranger. Nothing but a dead corpse.

"You shouldn't be surprised, I mean you are the daughter of the head Bratva. Nowhere is safe, no one you can trust and most importantly the people you love will always get hurt because of you."

Honestly, I was surprised when I was collecting data from your background. No training skills whatsoever, doesn't know how to fight one on one and what surprised me was you had no f*****g clue on how to shoot a gun." she laughed bitterly, heat rushed to my cheeks from embarrassment. "I mean, what was going on in your fathers head?" she questioned.

Now that I think about it, what was going on in my fathers head.

He always told me that keeping me away from all the danger and blood shed would keep me safe but it only made me more of an easy target and dangerous for me. He rules one of the cruelest mafias but doesn't know how to raise a child and teach them basics to defend themselves.

And that got me questioning even more.

Why didn't he raise me to defend myself?

Was it actually to actually keep me safe or something else?

All the clues were right in front of my face.

Everything.

Wild, all consuming rage and pain erupted in my stomach until it filled every inch of my being.

He was the master controlling everything behind closed doors.

I was screaming from the inside. My own father...He killed my mother.

Semion Lebedev, is my mothers killer.

My chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, I went white, tears filled my eyes.

"Who f*****g did this to you!?" Raphaël asked again, his tone cold and threatening.

Nathaniel smiled, knowing that I've put the pieces together. That I finally solved the problem.

"Why don't you ask the princess herself." Nathaniel chuckled as he was being held by Marcello and Rhett.

Everyone's eyes were on me. Raphaël's features twisted into worry. "Lorraine?" he questioned as tears poured out my eyes.

I couldn't find my voice to speak. I was still in shock.

I did no want to believe it but all made sense, but why

Why would he commit such a sickening act?

"I-" my voice cracked, my chest crushing my heart, my stomach twisted from the disgusting truth.

Before I could process what happened next, a hand wrapped around my neck as a gun was pressed to my temple.

"Nobody moves, or she dies." The deep voice rumbles against me, I recognize the voice. I slowly lifted my gaze and noticed who it was.

Dante.