Sophia

SOPHIA

I couldn't let Makar die.

There was no world for me without him in it.

Every blow he took, every wound, was as if I felt them in my own body.

I wasn't even scared for my own life. I didn't give a shit about that anymore. I was only scared for Makar. His family needed him.

What was my life going to be like if I survived this without him? More lap dances and small amounts of credits for the heckling I got every night from various clients?

The aching hole in my chest, knowing that he was no longer with me?

I couldn't do it.

There had to be another way.

Goran stood behind me, his weapon shoved against my temple, my hands still bound.

"Anything you want to say to your lover before you die?" I tried not to retch as his free hand stroked up and down my cheek.

Makar's gaze pinned me, touching me deep in my soul. For a moment, it was just us. No bodies, no blood.

Only us.

"Sophia, I need you to know-"

My eyes burned with tears, but I couldn't wait anymore. The moment he finished, Goran would kill him.

Whipping my head towards Goran's repulsive hand, I bit hard.

"You bitch!"

I didn't hold back, my teeth sinking through the meat of his palm until I hit bone, clamping down, tearing, trying not to gag as his bitter blood rushed into my mouth.

"What the fuck?" Goran screamed as he shoved me away.

I landed hard on my side, the cold tile of his office floor cracking into my head as I instinctively spit out an object in my mouth.

Flesh.

For a moment, Goran loomed above me, his hands shaking as his ice blue eyes blinked in shock.

And then Makar leapt upon him, springing over the desk, tackling him to the ground, before crouching over him. His knees pinned Goran's shoulders to the tile as he smashed his fists into that pale face.

I pushed myself up slowly with my bound hands, spitting again, trying to clear my mouth, and in a flash, Makar's strong hands helped me up.

Carefully, he carried me to a chair at the other side of the room, then ripped the bindings from my hands.

"Sophia, are you okay?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," I said through the tears that finally fell. "But you're wounded! We need to get you medical attention."

Rustling came from behind the desk, and Makar kissed my forehead.

"I've got a job to finish. Just wait for me."

Scooping up Goran's discarded gun, Makar took a small cube out of his pocket and set it against the control panel of the comm unit.

"Can't forget this part," he muttered. "Havek would never let me live it down."

Right. The bug, or worm, or whatever.

After a moment, his eyes shifted back to me, his gaze hot against my skin.

"I'm sorry you have to be here for this, Sophia, but right now I can't stand to have you out of my sight. Please bear with it."

What is he talking about?

He turned back to Goran and put his foot on his throat. Goran choked as Makar leaned over him, pointing the gun at his forehead.

"You know I've learned over a thousand ways to kill swiftly and silently, right?" Makar chuckled. "Even painlessly sometimes, if they deserve the mercy." Makar leaned down and grabbed Goran by the shirt before throwing him against a wall and holding him a foot off the ground.

"But that won't do for you, will it, Goran?" Makar shook his head. "No, your death is going to be as slow and painful as I can make it."

"Please…" Goran managed to get out.

"Oh, now we have manners?" Makar threw him to the floor and walked over to him while cocking the gun. Then, he shot Goran's other hand.

I watched more of his fingers fly across the room and covered my mouth in shock. Makar passed behind fury into something cold, remote.

And I couldn't stop him.

Honestly, I didn't want to.

I couldn't blame Makar for what he was doing. I knew he had to make Goran's death slow. If for no other reason than to send Conii a message.

"Those are the hands you touched my mate with."

Mate? Wait, what? I'm his mate?

Makar took a knife out of his pocket and dragged it along Goran's leg, pressing in deeply and creating a gash that went all the way down to his feet. "And those are the legs you walked on when you conspired with Conii to steal our shipments when you double-crossed us."

"Weapons?" Goran asked through whispers.

"Now we're back to playing dumb?" Makar whispered, placing his knife on the side of Goran's head and cutting off his ear.

I should have felt queasy. Should have tried to say something.

But I stayed quiet.

Watched Makar.

Trusted him.

"Just kill me!" Goran screamed.

"No, no, I'm not done yet," Makar said while smacking Goran in the face with the gun. "Ah, that one felt good." Goran rolled on his side, screaming while his hands shook. Blood dripped all over the tiles, and I felt myself want to vomit again. "So, as I was saying, I was impressed you hired so many assassins to kill me, but it looks like you lost your bet."

Part of me felt bad for Goran. I shouldn't have. He tried to kill Makar and me, but watching someone be tortured that slowly was painful, even if I wasn't the one enduring it or even if they deserved it.

"So now…" Makar cocked the gun and pointed it at Goran's head. "I'm going to do one last thing to you as punishment for losing your bet on me." He leaned down and looked Goran in the eyes, pointing the gun at his forehead. "Say you're sorry."

"W-what?" Goran stammered.

"I want the last thing you say…" He pushed the gun into Goran's temple harder, making Goran wince. I swore I saw a tear slide down his face. "To beg my mate for forgiveness. You shouldn't have double crossed the Vinduthi. And you never should have touched Sophia."

Goran closed his eyes and let out a shaky breath before gulping. "Please, please..."

The gun fired, and I covered my ears. My eyes closed, and I kept them shut for a moment, trying to process what had just happened.

It was over.

He's gone. He's dead. We did what we came here to do.

With my eyes closed, I delved into my emotions.

Was I angry? Upset about the killing? The lengths to which Makar had gone?

Only Makar's breathing let me know I wasn't alone in the room.

And that was my answer.

Maybe I was rotten inside, a moral failure. Broken.

But I knew who Makar was and what he did for the syndicate when I fell in love with him.

If he wanted me to work with him on another job, I would.

If he needed me to get stronger, I'd do it.

If something threatened our family, I'd fight by his side until we were safe again.

While sitting on that chair in the corner of a dead man's office, a thought struck me. It was one I would carry with me for the rest of my life, the moment I realized there was no turning back. The insane part of the realization was that I didn't ever want to turn back.

I'd finally found a home. A family. A love.

I just needed to become part of the alien mafia.