"How can I trust you? How do I know that it isn't you trying to kill me?" I whisper, Alexander leans back onto the sofa with his legs spread out as he watches me. He watches my every move.

"You can't. You can't trust me, you can't trust no one around you Nova." A shiver rushes up my spine, Alexander did not hesitate to answer my question. I look back out the window, wiping the tears from under my eyes as I try my best to hold them in.

Now I understood everything, when the landlord told me that every neighbour moves out within a week- it was because of Alexander Solonik. He was keeping the apartment for when I move in, I was more upset with Jane. I thought I could trust her. But listening to Alexander:

I can't trust anyone.

And to be honest, I don't even trust Alexander.

So, i have to keep my guard up around him. "So, what do we do?" I question.

"We need to make a good plan. A plan that my father won't catch us on."

"Wouldn't he have your every move?"

"No, he thinks I'm dead. He doesn't know that I'm alive." The same as everyone else.

Alexander gets to his feet and starts into the kitchen. He opens a closet and pulls out a rolled-up A2 piece of paper. He returns to me and takes a seat on the floor in front of the coffee table. He rolls the paper down and pins it to each table corner.

A blueprint.

He looks back up at me as I lean in closer to see it, "my father is a dangerous man. He works for the mafia." My eyes widen, it all makes sense.

"That's why he killed me mother-"

"Because she figured out his real name and published it." Alexander finishes my sentence.

His father killed my mother because of a mistake-or did my mother know? Did she know who the Solonik family are? Did she know Alexanders father was part of the mafia? She was a journalist after all, this is her job. To know the unknown.

"On the fourth of January, which in four weeks from now, my father is hosting a ball filled with every Mafia Don in the world. It is something he does yearly. This year it is a masked masquerade."

"Where are you going with this?" I whisper.

"We are going to go; it is in Russia. Security will be everywhere. This is my father's mansion where the ball will be held, there are cameras in every corner. Here, here, here, and here are the main ones." He points to the cameras. "But that doesn't really matter because Jane will be helping us switch them off."

"Janes coming with us?"

"Yes. She will."

"So, what is the actual plan?"

"This is the plan; first we take a plane to Russia," he throws two plane tickets onto the blueprint. "then we go shopping, to buy suitable ball clothes-every don in the mafia is richer than one another, so we cannot outshine the richest, but we cannot de-shine otherwise we'll be caught. We'll be going as Sophia and Lucas Ivanov,"

"Are they a real couple?" I ask, Alexander leans his back onto the sofa legs.

"They were a real couple, they're dead now."

"So wouldn't anyone know they're dead?"

"No, I killed them. Everyone thinks they're fucking one another in a late honeymoon and won't be attending. But we will go in their place and shock them. However, there is something about them that everyone in the Mafia knows."

"And what's that?"

"They're a very intimate couple, they make out everywhere."

"Are you lying to get me to kiss you, Alexander?" I question him, Alexander smirks and folds his arms.

"Maybe, or maybe I'm trying to save you from getting killed." Touché.

"Carry on."

"My father would be talking to everyone; we have to introduce ourselves as a sign of respect-"

"Who is you father?"

"Vladimir Solonik. He owns the Russian Mafia." He said it so easily, as if it was not something illegal. I always knew there was something going on with our silent Neighbour, and this made sense. Why they never left their home? Why his father hated it when my mother would disrupt them? Why his father killed my mother for outing him? Why Alexander got hurt for helping me?

"So that would make you the-"

"The heir of the Russian Mafia, yes it would." My eyes widen, I have been having sex with the Russian-heir.

"But you're not because they think you're dead?"

"Exactly."

"Why is Jane not the next heiress?"

"Because she's a woman, women are not classified as the next. Hence why my father used to beat me for stepping outside, in case anyone tries to kill me. I am his only heir to carry on the Russian Mafia."

"Why can't it be passed on to anyone else?"

"Because to join the Russian Mafia, you must be-how can i explain?" He rubs onto his face, "you have to bleed the blood of a Solonik." I raise a brow; this is like some action movie.

"Bleed the blood of a Solonik?" I repeat his words.

"Exactly, it's a phrase."

"So, Leo can't be the next heir?"

"He can, if i die, which everyone believes I had." Alexander sits up, "back to the plan-once we're in we have to mix in with the rest, no looking scared nor frightened. I will be next to you; I am here with you, and I will protect you with everything I have Nova."

My cheeks blush red, and I could not look away, his eyes always had something on me.

"We will go in and look for my father, once we go up to him you will seduce him-"

"Seduce him!"

"Yes, he's an easy flirt. You will seduce him and take him to this room." He points to the office; Alexander wants me to seduce his own father? Is this man being serious?

"I am not seducing your father, Alexander."

"It's okay, I don't get jealous-maybe pissed off to the point where I might want to kill him, but I won't do anything."

"No! I am not flirting with your fucking dad!" I yell out for him to hear.

"Do you want to live Nova? Or do you want to end up like your mother?" That was a low blow, but it seemed to shut me up, "I will be there hearing everything, once you have him in a position where he could not do anything. I will come in and finish the job."

"I need to go to the bathroom." I whisper, sliding the covers away from me as I walk towards the bathroom.

I push the door open and slam it closed behind me, I grab onto the edge of the sink and feel tears fall down my eyes. I look up and see my reflection.

Is this really what -my mother left for me?

I broke down in silence, slowly falling to the ground.

How am I supposed to take this all in?

I remember my mother's dead body; I remember the police telling me she was stabbed thirteen times in the heart. Imagine if I wasn't at the sleep over? Then I would be dead next to her, my mother was a good woman. She loved everyone and she meant no harm.

She may have written horrible things, but she was a good mother to me.

To me.

She did not deserve to be killed.

This was my only way, for my protection and to avenge my mother's death.

I stand up and open the door to see Alexander looking up at me, "okay, fine. I'll do it but on one condition." I agree.

"And what is that?" He asks.

"After we do this, I never want to see your face again. We are done. Whatever this is-is over. And you'll agree to never speak, see or come near me again."

It took him more than ten minutes, but he stands up and walks towards me, he towers over me and our noses brush against one another. For a minute, I regret that condition. But I know it is the best for me, his lips hover over mine and the sexual chemistry spikes up between us.

"Deal."