Built For Sin

Chapter 17

"Is it really you?" I ask in disbelief.

All I have at this point is memories and photos of him, who knows if it is really him or it could be a clone? I don't know how this whole assassin thing works.

He nods.
"It is me, sit down Brooke".

I hesitate but I take a deep breath. I nod and I sit down across from him. He looks at me and I look at him.

His hair was all gray now, his facial hair was cut and clean on his face. He had eye wrinkles and in a way by looking at him I saw the resemblance between us. But yet in front of me I couldn't even recognize my father. He's a stranger now, even with him looking right at me right now.

He had hesitation in his eyes as well as I did with mine. I should be relieved and happy to see my father after all these years but part of me is scared to see him, considering what he does and how he left me when I turned 13 to do it. He left me to kill people, what does that say about him as a father?

He looks down at his hands and he takes a deep breath.
"So... it's time to explain everything. Well, I will start from the beginning. My father comes from a long line of assassins. You may look at it and think it's stupid and ridiculous. I felt the same exact way when I was younger. I thought it was stupid and insane until I realized, it's our nature.

My mother married him, and she became committed to the world. She was hesitant at first but once she realized that once she had kids, we would have to take that torch as well. At one point she wanted to take us from it, my brothers and I, but my father made an oath that he wouldn't back away from it. So, my father trained my brothers and I to be prepared and to fight. Once we turned 18, we were thrown into all of it. I first killed someone when I was 19. When I started, I had guilt and shame which caused me to lose clients and to back away from it. But my father lectured me and said I would lose the Dragomir name if I didn't do it.

So, I did it. I tried to stay away from love because I didn't want to have children, I didn't want to give them the same burden that I had but I fell for your mother. I couldn't stay away from her but she wanted kids. I wanted nothing but to make your mother happy. It was the least I could do for her. So, we had you and I told her the truth. I should've told her before we got married but I was scared that she would leave, and never speak to me again. So, I told her everything and she wanted you to have no part in it, so I agreed. Milena was against it, but she understood, she became soft once she realized you were a girl. A girl with the Dragomir name is rare and you became the first. So, my mother decided the best thing would be to keep you a secret from the world.

So, we moved to America, gave you the Codona name to shield you. Raised you up as a normal girl so you could have normal in your life. If we stayed in Romania, your life would've been different. You would've only known how to kill and be cold Brooke. I didn't want that for you. Anyway, for a Dragomir, once they turn 13, they have to start training. They need to get the experience so once they are 18, they are skilled and professional killers. As a cover up for what we really did, Milena started these organizations to hide the truth. She does have a business that helps people, but the others are for clients to make their targets. But over the years, we have made enemies. Enemies that your mother didn't want to know about you, so I made the decision to leave. So, once you became 13, you wouldn't need to train, and my enemies wouldn't get in closer on finding out about you.
It was hard for me to leave you and your mother, but we decided it was best".

I shake my head.
"I just wish that my father found value in me other than killing people. I mean how could I possibly be okay with all of this? How could I accept this as a new normal? What are you... some kind of mafia?" I sound frustrated.

He chuckles.
"Those guys are a joke but no sweetheart, I'm not".

Oh great! The mafia is real too.