Sophia

I was pacing around in the gym biting my nails. "Sophia!" I heard Caprice and she came towards me. "Caprice, Thank God you are here. Please help me. Please stop Don. You, you can talk to him, right?" I pleaded her. "Soph love, you know I can't. How can I ?" She said looking disturbed at my request. "But you can, you talk to him about everything. You are the only one who I never saw scared of him, please Caprice". I begged her. "I-I can't Soph. No one can and you know it's Don's decision, we do not come in between." She said trying to be rational. "He is my brother, how can I not come in between?" I retorted, how can she expect me to let it be. "Caprice, to our room now". We heard Ricardo's booming voice from the gym entrance. "Master please let me be with her." Caprice tried to plead Ric to let her stay. "Now" But he didn't, instead his voice became more stern. "Yes Master" she looked at me sympathetically and left "No". I didn't want her to leave. Maybe her just being here was enough. She is my friend and I needed her. Just then I saw Enzo coming down the stairs in the gym.

"Charles" he called for him. Chuck came out of the changing room in a black gym vest and shorts. "Have you lost your mind? What have you done to provoke Don this much? You just met him today." Enzo asked Chuck getting all tensed. I guess he is the only one apart from me who can see how stupid this is. "Tried to save my sister". Chuck replied and Enzo's gaze turned to me. "Enzo please, please you can talk to Don. Please stop this nonsense." I tried to get his help. He is Don's best friend maybe he can convince him. "Sophia I will try." He assured me. "Thank you Enzo". "But you know I can't promise." He said "I know."

"Sophie why are you worried?" Chuck asked me and I looked at him dumbfounded, can't he see how idiot he is being. "Why, why did you do this stupidity? I was talking to him. Why you stepped in between?" I asked him loosing my temper in irritation. "You were not talking you were apologizing and begging him" he said rolling his eyes. "I was because it was a misunderstanding but you kept on disrespecting him. I was telling you to keep quiet now see where you have brought yourself". I said to him trying to bark some sense into him "Us Sophie, I brought us one step closer to our freedom." he said in his delusion. I know Don, there is no freedom from him. On top of everything I do not want to leave him, I love him. I sighed and sat down on a nearby weighing bench I said in a low voice "You don't understand Chuck". God help me. I don't want to loose my brother I got after such a long time and I do not want to loose Damon. He is the man I love. Please I can't see them beating each other to death.

I was sobbing on my dilemma when Don entered the gym. I stood up as he reached us. He was all ready in his white gym vest and blue torn jeans. He was wrapping a crape bandage in both of his palms unlike the gloves Chuck wore

"Don what are you doing? He is just a kid. Plus he is our kid, we will put him to work. He is a good kid, trust me. You don't have to do this." Enzo tried to convince Don, but he didn't replied so he continued "Don, he is not ready". Enzo said to Don and I was hoping if he could convince him. "Why you trained him, didn't you?" Don retorted. "I did but-" Don cut Enzo in between "But what? If you trained him in combat why are you saying he is not ready? If you think he is not ready how have you send him to me to put him to work? You want our men to be not ready and in the market." Don said, his tone meant all business. "Yeah I did train him and he is ready to work the market. Even to fight the market but Don he is not ready to fight you. I mean you know what I mean. He can't win you." Enzo said stating the obvious. "Of course he can fight me. I fought my first fight when I was younger than him and I won that. He can win too. He said shuffling Chuck's hair. After all he has a lot at stake." He said looking at me.

"Sister in law, you should stand here. This is the correct angle for you to witness the fight. All the sections of ring are visible from here." Ric taunted me. Don motioned me to move to the point Ric said. "Shall we get in the ring then". Don said ignoring my pleading eyes. "So how it feels sister in law? Two men all geared up fighting for you. Who are rooting to win your brother or your husband?" Ric asked me in a malicious tone. "I don't know who will win. All I know I am the one who will loose because two arrogant men are going to fight for me without caring about me." I responded to Ric but my gaze was on my brother and husband. I looked at them as anger and disappointment filled my eyes. What I said hurt because it was true. "I do care about you Sophie that's why I am fighting him because I don't want you to be close to someone who literally burned a whole cartel alive to become the king." My eyes widen at what Chuck said. In a split second Chuck was on ground as Don punched him. I gasped as he pulled chuck with his collar I could see blood dripping from side of his lips. He was bleeding in one punch. "You crossed the line kid. You shouldn't have said that?" Don said with gritted teeth. "Why truth is always bitter huh." Chuck responded. Why has he gone mad totally? Don raised his fist again to punch him "Chuck!" I screamed reaching to them."No! please Don" I started to beg Don, when he looked at me his eyes were burning with rage he pushed Chuck and he fell. He gripped my throat pushed me behind until my back was touching the pillar in the middle. My hands instinctively reached his in a vague attempt to loosen his grip.

"Enough" he growled. "Not a word from you. If you want your brother to step out of that ring alive make sure you do not let out a sound. I hear as much as a whimper from you and I will kill him." I looked at him wide eyes. Will he kill my brother? Can he go to that extent? "Am I clear Doll?" He asked. His eyes were illuminating the fire of his rage."Doll?" I nodded not wanting to test his patience. He left my throat and I put my hand to my mouth to control my crying. I did it. I bite my whimpers and sobs and he was looking at my attempt to silence my cries. "That's my girl" he said with a smirk as I wiped my continuously flowing tears.

He nodded at Enzo as a sign to send Chuck in the ring. Enzo looked at me with apologetic eyes.

There they were inside a ring. It wasn't a boxing ring. It do not have mat but concrete flooring. It was just a circular area at a height separated by three ropes surrounding the circle. He was right there wasn't any rules.

"So kid c'mon hit me. Let's see what you got there." Don said taking the stance. Chuck please don't hit him. I was mentally hoping Chuck to act smartly. He can't win him I know that. I know about Don's fighting. Caprice told me he was a street fighter since his high school. They used to bet on his fights before he became Don. Even Enzo has mentioned how Don never lost a fight. But what I am really worried of is Don's anger. He couldn't control it. How far will his rage take him?

"What are you waiting for c'mon hit me. Aren't you going to save your sister?" Don spun Chuck around and locked his throat with his elbow. Making him look at me. "Look there she is standing silently just like I told her. You call her my puppet huh? Well she is. She is whatever I want her to be. If I want, I can make her crawl to me right now and suck my cock and she will. She will say that she is my puppet if I want her to or she will never utter a word if I want her to. So tell me." He spin him around again why is he provoking him so much "How are you going to save her? Fight me little boy or forget your sister like you did and left her behind to rot in hell." And chuck punched Don. It didn't affect Don much "Yeah that's all you got. You have to put a lot more in to beat me out. C'mon hit me." he said and Chuck punched him again.

He kept hitting Don and Don fell to the ground and I slid across the pillar.I sat on the floor with my knees closer to my chest trying to control my cries to not make a sound. Don was looking straight at me and I was at him. Chuck was kicking him.

"Why is he not fighting back?" Ric said to Enzo. "I have no idea what your brother is up to".

"Is it all kid? This is how you are going to protect your sister. People like Marc with crush you in a second and your sister will be standing in another auction is that you want?" Don said coughing blood and he hit Don harder. My hand flew to my mouth I could see blood dripping from Don's forehead and his mouth, his ribs seems broken too. Stop it Chuck I wanted to scream but I remember Don's warning. He will kill Chuck if I make a sound but I can't see him getting hurt too.

"No I won't let anything happen to Sophie. I will protect her. I will kill every fucker who will try to hurt her." Chuck said to Don in midst of his punches."I will take her from you." Chuck spitted out and for the first time Don's gaze shifted from me to Chuck. He was still lying on the floor No Chuck why you have to say this. Chuck brought his fist again to hit Don and Don stopped it with his hand "See kid that is something I can't let happen." Don said sitting up on his knees, Chuck was not able to free his fist from his Don's hold as he continued "She is mine and no one will take her from me ever." Don said as he punched Chuck with another hand and Chuck fell to the ground on his stomach.

My hand few to my mouth as I realized Chuck is not getting up. My eyes met Don's. Has he killed him? "Enzo take Charles to infirmary. He will regain consciousness in about an hour. Call Zack if you need." Don said to Enzo removing his crepe bandage from his hands. Unconscious. Chuck lost his consciousness in just one punch how hard did he hit him. Don kept his gaze on me as he stepped towards me, I stood up slowly but he walked past me and left the gym. Is he angry at me? But Why? He is hurt I want to be with him but why he didn't come to me. I felt dejected.

I turned towards my brother. Enzo was helping him up with Ric. I went towards him. "Is he fine?" I asked them concerned. "Yeah don't worry I will ask Zack to check once, but he is fine." Enzo told me. "Thank You" I said to him. "Enzo if you got him I will check on my brother" Ric said to Enzo leaving Chuck."Sir if you don't mind, can I see him first?" I asked Ric, he looked a bit surprised and exchanged glances with Enzo. "Um Sophia honey why don't we let Ric meet him first, I mean he seems to be bit on edge, you know he is quite angry, maybe he will lash out on you" Enzo tried to reason me "N-no I really want to be with him. And I can take his temper, don't worry. I can handle him. Please" I tried to reason, I know he needs me right now and I need him too. "Sister-in-law he is your husband, you don't need to ask anyone to meet him. You take care of my brother I'll take care of yours, huh" Ric said with a smile as he put his hand on my head. After what seems like forever I saw softness in his eyes for me. "Thank You" I replied him with a smile.

I heard Ric asking Enzo as I was leaving "You told him about Russo's cartel he burned?" "Everybody knows about it Ric" Enzo said. "He shouldn't have mentioned it like that, you know mention of Russo never ends well with brother." Ric said a bit concerned.

Who is this Russo? Is he the reason of the coldness I see in his eyes? I thought to myself and left the gym