Russian Roulette (Russkaya Mafiya)

Table of Contents

Title Page

SECRETS

CORRUPTED

CORRUPTED COUNTERPARTS

UNWANTED SACRIFICES

AUTHOR’S NOTE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

STAY UP TO DATE WITH SAPPHIRE

WARNING

This content contains material that may be offensive to some readers, including graphic language, dangerous and adult situations.

Some situations may be hotspots for some readers.

Any reproductions of this work not deemed by the author, Sapphire Knight, is Copyright Infringement and against the law.

SECRETS

SECRETS

Copyright © 2015 by Sapphire Knight

Editing by Mitzi Carroll

Formatting by Max Effect

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the author.

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Dedicated to

my sons

Jr-
For thinking I’m some famous Author. When in reality,

I’m just another little fish, swimming in a great big ocean.

Jay-
For always getting Momma her laptop and another soda.

You have no idea just how important your job really is.

Russian words

utilized throughout Secrets

Красивая
(kraaseevee) - Beautiful

Kpacota
(Krasaaveetsa) - Beauty

Большой босс
(Balshoy Shef)
- Big Boss

Босс
(Shef)
- Boss

Брат
(Braat)
- Brother

Пончик
(Пончик)
- Donut

Отец
(Atyets)
- Father

Ебать
(Poshyol )
– Fuck

Маленькая
(mallenkee) - Little

Бог, я хотел ебать Вы так плохо красоты
(Bawg,ya khatyets poshyol Vee так plawkha
Krasaaveetsa
)
- God, I want to fuck you so bad beauty

Я утверждаю, вы как шахта красоты навсегда
(YA praava vee как maya
Krasaaveetsa,
nafsegDA) -
I claim you as mine beauty forever

Шахта
(Maya)
- Mine

Мой брат
(Moy braat)
- My Brother

Жаркое
(zazhaareets)
- Roast

Russkaya Mafiya
- Russian Mafia

Торт
- Type of Russian dessert

Сестра
(Saystraa)
- Sister

Она является шахта
(Anaa maya)
- She is mine

Сын
(sin)
- Son

Корзина
(moosar)
- Trash

Да
(Da)
– Yes

Three sources were checked for the Russian Language. If it’s not to your liking, I apologize. It’s meant to help with the setting, to draw you in and help you connect with the characters.

ONE

EMILY

Deep breaths, deep breaths, mmmm ahhhhhh
,
mmm
ahhhh.

Geez, I gotta relax before I give myself a panic attack. I can’t believe I’m stuck starting at a new school and had to skip a semester of my sophomore year. Definitely is not what I had imagined looking into the future for myself.

University of Tennessee; I look around and can’t help but feel some excitement. The scent of the freshly-cut campus lawns, bees buzzing happily, and big bushes of Knock Out roses adorn some of the corners along the sidewalks. The buildings are huge, making the many groups of people appear small. All this orange reminds me of home and makes me love it more.

No one knows who I am or anything about me and that gives me a sense of safety, finally. Not that I’ll be out when it’s dark, walk by any shadows or leave my windows open. I’m not completely stupid or oblivious to my own safety, even if I am far away. I have been known to be slightly naive, but do my best not to be.

I glance at the pink carbon copy of my schedule again. Ugh. I’m taking all my classes early in the morning. This way I don’t have to be out in the evenings and it sucks, royally. I’m so not a morning person and to say I’m a little paranoid is extremely accurate.

First on the agenda is Government II. This should be interesting, or not. I’m definitely going to have to take major notes. I’ve always been pretty smart, but come on, History and Government? No way. Too boring for even the intelligent people.

I can seriously see this lecture going in one ear and out the other. Thank God for my Route 44 soda. One thing I love about the south is our many options for huge beverages.

Naturally, I make my way to sit in the back of the lecture hall. I really hope I can blend in unnoticed, and perhaps get an occasional nap in if needed. The room is huge with rows of plain, brown tables and standard chairs. There’s a solid, black podium at the front of the room for the professor and an oversized whiteboard placed behind it, for easy use.

I’m sure my massive Styrofoam cup is like a white beacon in front of me, amongst these Starbucks drinkers. All this coffee-smelling air is making me miss my best friend, London. Missing London makes me miss home.

God, I wish I could be in Texas.

Hopefully one day I can go back to my granddaddy’s land. I better call London’s brother, Elliot, to make sure everything’s going okay with him taking care of the house and land. I keep forgetting with everything going on. I never expected moving a few states would be so draining and stressful.

I’m brought out of my thoughts by a bright smile and chipper voice, “Hi! Boy, I hope this class doesn’t suck, you know? It’s so hard having a class this early that requires me to think. I’m Avery, nice to meet you,” she babbles as she slides into the chair next to me.

I guess I’m no longer alone back here in my hermit-like world. I should have known potential nap time was too good to be true. I don’t enjoy early conversation, but this pretty girl looks like she may talk my ear off regardless.

“Hi, I’m Emily.” I shoot her a small smile. “Nice to meet you too, Avery.” I normally love meeting new people, I’m just sleepy and it kind of makes me a grouch.

“Have you had Mr. Pottsmooth before?” She slides into the chair next to me, dumping her bag on top of the desk. “I haven’t but I heard he can be tough if you don’t study hard. But I sooo need this class, so what can you do, right?” Avery pulls out a hot pink notebook and a bright blue pen to go with it. “Oooh! I know—we can be study partners, maybe it’ll make this class a little fun?” She gazes at me with a hopeful look and I attempt to return it with a friendly expression.

I really don’t know what to respond to at this moment. She just asked me like ten questions and I’m not even halfway through my soda yet. She seems really sweet though, maybe just nervous. Unless, perhaps Avery talks this much all of the time?

“No, I haven’t had him before, either,” I mumble and chew on my lip.

Saved! In walks Professor Humpty Dumpty by the looks of it. I can’t help but snort a little to myself. He and his big belly are stuffed in a terry cloth track suit. I didn’t even know they made those for men. Are they even allowed to wear that to work? I know this is college, but there has to be some type of dress code for instructors, surely.

Once that disaster of a lecture is over with, I’m cornered once again by Avery.

A cheeky smile graces her face as she talks way quicker than your average southerner, “Wow, definitely didn’t see that one coming!” She gestures, talking with her hands, “Did you see what that man was wearing? And he totally talked monotone the whole class. I mean, who does that? Not raise your voice a decibel and talk through your nose the whole time.” She starts giggling, thoroughly amused, and I have to chuckle along with her. Avery just has such a cheery bubble around her that pulls you in and she’s kind of a silly mess.

“So Emily, I work at this great little coffee shop a few blocks away. It’s called ‘A Sip of Heaven,’ cheesy, I know. Anyhow, wanna go have a cup and talk about all these stupid requirements for this class?”

“Sorry Avery, but I have to get to my other class. Maybe some other time we can meet for some ice cream or something?”

That’s if she’s even really serious about us being friends. A few people to hang out with here might make it more bearable with the amount of homework it seems I’m going to have. I need to surround myself with at least a few female friends.

“OH MY GAWD! I love ice cream! Okay, that sounds great!” She grabs my phone quickly and my eyes go wide. Geez, I thought I was going to drop it and that’s the last thing I need.

Avery calls her phone before I even realize what she’s up to and hands it back when hers rings with some rock song. “Okay, friend, program my number since you have it now and I’ll text you later so we can meet up.”

Just as quickly as she swooped in, she’s off, bouncing down the hallway. I think I might really end up liking this girl a lot. If only we met after ten in the morning, I would have had much better conversation skills. Avery grins, waving happily as she makes her way down the large beige hallway and I wave back.

Thankfully, the rest of my day breezes through swiftly and with no drama. The lectures dragged a little, but that’s pretty standard for the first classes. So far, Avery’s the only person I’ve said more than a few words to. I didn’t realize how lonely this would be, moving out here all alone, with no one knowing where I am. Well, minus London and her family.

I had to do it though. I had very little choice left if I wanted to be safe in the future. I’m going to keep on trekking through and just try to be grateful I have a chance to start fresh. I have to remind myself that I almost wasn’t this lucky. I nearly wasn’t able to get out. I thank my lucky stars daily for my momma watching over me and good people that helped me.

I wasn’t expecting Avery to text me right away, but she did. She invited me out to eat and I have to say I’m pretty excited to meet her for dinner. I can handle being on my own the majority of the time but there is nothing worse than eating by yourself.

I hadn’t even made it in the door of my apartment after classes without having three new text messages from her. Maybe I won’t end up being too lonely after all, at least I hope not. Her cheery persona seems to just rub off and makes you want to surround yourself with that type of person. On top of that I didn’t have much to remember from my first set of classes either. I’d say it was a good morning.

I don’t have very much money to splurge on going out, but because of Granddaddy’s life insurance he set up before he was taken from me, I’m able to eat out and not completely penny-pinch. Once I turned eighteen, I was able to access my momma’s life insurance policy. My granddad never spent a cent, always saying it should be for when I was starting my own life without him. Thank God for his stubbornness and future planning or I wouldn’t be here in Tennessee right now.