Loved the update. Hope pops don't let Darla manipulate him. Sergei needs to be careful when dealing with Sunny or he'll get into trouble. Nikki is quite protective of Sunny but I hope he keeps his cool.

Hmmm... This chapter was a nail-biter. It added some new dimension to the story.

Jacob is a gambler with horrible luck, but he isn't smart enough to know when to quit, which would be the best thing for him. His luck is so horrid, he's met Darla, bad news and another loser, of all people, and instead of going to GA as Herschell suggested, he's going to cook up another losing scheme that will get him in deeper. He thinks he needs to rescue Sunshine, but his fleeting patethic guilt falls so short only trouble will ensue, especially when he hooks up with Darla and they realize what they have in common. I rue the day.

I guess it's difficult to imagine (or write) someone so lost and self-destructive that their lack of control endangers the ones that they are responsible for protecting.

All in all, Nikolai treats Sunshine very well. She isn't being held captive barefoot and locked in the bedroom as a sex-slave. He hasn't forced himself on her or been physically or verbally abusive. (Yes, I said that.) It's far from perfect or even usual, but somehow I gather that Sunny will continue to teach both Nikolai and Sergei to be better people while she's "serving" out her five years. Yes, five years. I'm pretty certain her father is far from ready to put his money where is mouth is. Hmmm... sorry, bad metaphor. LOL

Love this story!!! Keep the updates coming!!!!

I don't really know what I feel the most from this chapter.   Jacob is clearly going to do something stupid with Darla, but I feel for him having lost his wife and knowing why he gave Ben his name.  I like that Sunshine and Nikolai are talking and getting to know each other.  Being around her is giving him a crisis of conscience.  I'm starting to get the feeling that Sergei's feelings are getting stronger and he may not be able to control them.  He may even take Sunny's interest in him the wrong way.  She said herself that she has liked people since birth. However, it does seem like his opinion of her matters.  She does not want him to see her as weak.  It was  a very good chapter and it hit on so many things that I will still be thinking about this one long after I leave the site.  Thanks.

I absolutely love this story!  It's awesome how Sunshine is so strong and her character is staying true to that.  It's cool that Nikolai is trying to keep her as far away from the dark side of his life as possible.  I'm still trying to tell if his motivation is more from love or possession -- or maybe stemming from possession but turning towards love???  Poor Sergei though, I don't see how this can turn out okay for him because regardless of Nikolai's motivation he doesn't share well.  So he needs to keep his infatuation under wraps because the only way I see him leaving at least partially in tack -- is from Sunshine appealing to Nikolai's softer side for her, but then she'd probably end up paying for that too.  Great writing! 

Awesome update. It seems Sushines Dad always trys to find the easy way out instead of facing his issues and I have a bad feeling he is going  to get mixed up with Darla.Cant figure out if Sunshine is falling for Nikoli or if she is just making the best of her situation. Great story.

Paw

This story is up and down for me emotionally. This chapter again makes me very sad for Sunshine. All she is sacrificing for her family, being with a man she admittedly only likes sometimes and is afraid of probably most of the time. How is it fair that this child should have to pay for her father's sins. I keep expecting any minute for Nikki to be the monster he really is and what will happen to our Sunshine then....she has such a beautiful spirit, her mother did a wonderful job with raising her in the time she had...but every good heart is fragile and her desire to take care of everyone else sometimes can lead her to be more vulnerable to hurt herself. I just want Sunshin to have a chance at a real life for herself and Benji...she deserves some happiness and freedom away from this mobster and her self destructive father.

I am SICK of her father..he will not so the simplist thing because he is too busy trying to find the easy quick way out of trouble..he makes me sick!!

Poor little Sergei..I hope his affection for Sunshine does not sign his death warrant..he is being careless with his obvious feelings and desires to please her..if he decides to take classes leaving her unattended and something happens to her...Nikki will not hestitate to kill him.

I love this story sweetie..the emotional conflict I feel means you are on exceptional writer...You are doing your thing with this one..please don't run that muse away! Great job!

Yes Nikolai and Sunny are getting to know and care for each other but her situation remains very dangerous, particularly with a loose cannon for a father. With no strong positive person (like Sunshine's mother) to guide his actions and with his many addictions he can easy become petfood for the likes of Darla. Yet again he wants to embark on another crazy scheme which could set in motion an even more disastrous chain of events than the one he got his daughter in. But he is a slave to his disease and cannot see beyond his guilt and shame. Sad foolish foolish man... I fear since Nik will protect Sunny by any means necessary, he and Darla would get themselves killed which would destroy Sunny and put yet another black mark against Nik's soul.

The verdict is out on whether Nikolai and Sunny should be lasting couple. Nik does have some strong principles but they are what makes him successful at what he does. Sunshine brings something to his world that he isnt accustomed to which may well be his downfall in his need to protect her. Their sharing of personal stories I think shows the depth at which they are both making an emotional investment in each other. I wonder though if he would be able to let her go.

Sunny is making a powerful ally of Sergei but I still dont understand though how Nikalai is allowing and not seeing how close they are, particularly since he is an astute gangster who operates in a world where trust is earned and not freely given. Sergei doesnt seem good at hiding his feelings and so I cant understand how his brother is not picking up and warning him on the risk he is taking.

Hey Onimosity, a good chapter. Well done...

Aww I could cry I hope her father gets help someday

I really liked the storying telling. Hmm, but that ending smells trouble. I hope that Sunny's feelings for Nikolai are genuine, because if he falls for her and she's playing the consequences could be deadly.

Thanks for updating

I really like the friendship Sergei and Sunshine has going on. Sergie and Sunshine.... that even sounds nice. lol jk. In general, I really like this story. It's well written and I like how the characters are intertwined. However, I hope nothing bad happens to Jacob b/c of Darla. I have a bad feeling she's going to use him to get Nikolai if he tells her about his problems. I also like the fast updates. Keep em' coming. lol

ok are you trying to have me cry lol the laying in bed  holding each othe the stories was just pure sweet and just works for them. i like the fact he didn't bring her to his bed he had so many women there  in the past i have respect for ninkio for that.  they so cute together love this couple. now on to serige i hope he watch how he feels for her because it might cost him his life . her father sponser is right  stop gambling and he can win his daughter back  if he doens't he lose her forever. thanks for the updated.

Sunshine is in so far over her head. But it makes sense in a way, because she is just a kid and she hasn't lived enough to understand who Nikolai really is deep down. Her father...I really want to shake him until I feel better.