I slide into the passenger seat with full intentions to be silent and pretend this never happened the whole time. But of course, with Cas, this isn't possible. As soon as I get in the car he turns to me with a furious expression written all over his face. “What. The. Fuck. Elena” he growls sounding all the more angry than he looks. “Out of all the clubs in the city you choose Roman Fucking Russo, just begging for attention now are you?”. I return the same tone because who does he think he's talking to like that, “first of all I didn't know it was his club and secondly I don't have to beg for anything, not attention and sure as hell not from him.” I say sounding just as offended as I feel. “You think i wanted to run into him, see him or even talk to him,” i say sounding as defeated as I feel, “that man shattered me whole and left the pieces for me to clean up,” I say now shaking with anger and hurt “if you think I want anything to do with that son of bitch you are crazy he can go die in a ditch and I'll celebrate,” i say finally let the tear that's been threatening to fall slip. My brother looks at me with a look I know all too well, the same expression he wore when he came into my room 3 years ago to tell me cancer took our mother.
He's always been good at being calm and collected which helped me, the days when it became too much I cried hard and long he was there with a shoulder for me to cry on. Stone-faced my brother is the definition of strong, he never complained, yelled, or punished me. After my mother died I became insufferable skipping school and knocking doors off hinges. I was unhinged but instead of punishing me for my actions my brother simply asked me to talk to him. From there I broke down, confessing every weight on my shoulders and heart and the aching empty feeling stuck on my soul. I've never felt emotional pain so strong before, it hit me so deep and hard I could feel it physically like a permanent piece of me was carved out of me. And slowly with the help of Syd and Cas, they restored a part of me I didn't think was possible. So seeing him look at me now with such despair and pity I can't take it. “Just take me home okay” I say with my head down. Deciding not to pick this fight he simply nods and puts the car in drive.
Later that night I lay in bed, I sent Syd a text explaining the situation like always she understood. Being one of the Capos' daughters, most people run, especially the guys. Papa pretty much has a big fat sign on my back that says “Don't touch, saving for marriage”. He keeps tabs on me at all times even in his absence, he knows who I'm with, when I'm with them. Sometimes I'll catch one of his security guys spying on me and give them a piece of my mind which they report as well but there is nothing I can do about it.
My brother doesnt get the same treatment as me, he is training to be a capo of New York so that comes with a lot of freedom and prostitutes. Okay, just freedom but my brother does partake quite frequently in the other as well, trust me I know as I live with him and have gotten my shampoo stolen a countless amount of times. He doesn't exactly agree with Papa’s ways but he knows his role and mine as well. I'm to be married off to the most fitted suitor meaning who will be the best business partner to my brother and Papa. “No man wants another's leftovers,” Papa tells me over our “monthly” phone calls. There are not many things I can keep from him but one I have gotten away with has been medical school. Typically in our world, a woman is an accessory, something you take to an event and use to bring heirs into the world but a working woman in the mafia is unheard of, it would be taken as blatant disrespect.
After my mother died I obsessed over what could have been, if we had gotten the help she needed in time. My Dream has always been to open a free healthcare clinic because I couldn't imagine someone else having the same fate as my mother. I've secretly enrolled in medical school for the last 3 years and would love to pursue a career in the medical industry but this is virtually impossible. With my luck, I'm going to be married off to the highest bidder within the next 2 years.
I roll onto my side still in my dress and bring my knees up to my chest and sob.Roman
I toss the paperweight in between my hands, the overwhelming urge to stab it through the man sitting across from me neck. “ I’ll double-check with my men but this is all probably a mistake” Stumbling over his words Danill stares back at me waiting for a reaction, I give none. Removing my gun from its holster I lay it across my lap picking up a towel from my desk and cleaning it off.
Danill stares at me then the gun gets what I'm implying and quickly recovers, “ I will get the traitors to you immediately”. I sit up and pin him with a stare, “the don would have skinned you and put your head on a stick already” I say in all seriousness. He stares back at me getting what I'm referencing, “so consider this a favor” I say leaning back. “Mr. Russo with all due respect–”
“Unless of course, you would prefer for your wife and children to see you that way”. He swallows glances at the door and back at me, “yes a favor” he says extending his hand towards me, i take and grip firm, “don't make me regret it Volkov” I hiss.
I walk down the stairwell gripping the banister, I can hear the commotion coming from my brother's office but I know better than to eavesdrop. Nothing good comes from that in this life. I continue my descent down to the kitchen, Gretchen is here with a sweet grin plastered on her face and she sways to the song streaming from the radio. If graceful was a word it would be her, she in her sage green apron with black pants and slippers on. When she sees me entering she says, “Good Morning Sweetheart” dusting her hands on her apron and reaching for my hand. I grab hers as she leads me to the breakfast nook, “What will it be today, oatmeal or pancakes”. She says releasing me to go towards the stove, “With the week I had both, please”. She makes her way back towards me placing a bowl of apple cinnamon oatmeal and blueberry pancakes on a plate, “I thought you'd say that” she says with a smirk while setting them down before me and grabbing a cup of apple juice and setting that down as well. O
My father blows out a puff of smoke as he continues to chuckle with Nicolis Ricci, one of his–our men. “He played that boy like a violin,” my father says, coughing out a hard laugh, and hitting his chest. Nicolis laughs too, hard and says, “You would think he'd seen it coming, Malcolm never liked that family” he chuckles leaning back in the chair–my chair.They're sitting across from me in my home office, my father came over under the pretense of wanting to talk but just instead shoved a bunch of folders of suitable women for me. He says, “I'm getting older and my good looks are running out” and that I need to find a wife, and random hookups aren't going to cut it anymore as if he stopped having random hookups when he married my mother. I ignored him as usual because none, including my father, tells me when to get stuff done. When he finally gave up he invited Nicolis and has been sitting here laughing at Caspers's situation. Being in the mafia word gets around quickly, being Casper'
“27” Sydney groans from behind me where she’s resting her arms on her legs and her head dropped between them. “27 times you opened that damn website since I was here," she says, slamming the computer I had opened with dozens of Roman Russo articles. I cringe rolling onto my back where I'm perched atop the bed. “What can I say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer”. She rolls her eyes at me before getting up and throwing my closet open, “I could work with this” she mumbles. I narrow my eyes at her “And what do you think you're doing ?”I ask genuinely confused.“Finding you an outfit,” she says, sparing a glance over her shoulder. “Why?” I ask, sounding as appalled as I feel. “because. '' She responds as if that answers my question while continuing to rummage through my closet occasionally throwing a sweater or two over her shoulder. “And why is that exactly” I ask. “Look,” she says, finally turning around clutching a red dress. “You've been locking yourself up in t
“So loud,” I say to none in particular because they couldn't hear anyway and continue to be guided further into the club by a Sydney who seems way too comfortable with these surroundings. When she finally finds a spot she is satisfied with she pulls me into her and wraps an arm around my waist swaying us to the music. I keep a steady pace with her studying her pretty long wavy brown hair she has pulled into a messy bun atop her head, and the silver dress she is wearing with a sequence with a red lip to tie it all together my friend is beautiful and achingly so. We continue bobbing and swaying to the music when I feel a prickling sensation run down my spine and makes my blood run cold. I discreetly take a look over Sydney's shoulder and when my eyes clash with his very eerily bright blue ones, my steps falter and I almost collapse to the ground.Roman Russo is here.RomanElena De Santo in my fucking club I thought I told her brother to keep her the hell away from me after the shit sh
Casually making my way back to the balcony but opposite where I was so Elena doesn't have my exact location, I watch her. She is now by the bar downing a drink like her life depends on it. I smirk knowing how rattled I got her. Elena is soft, too soft and she likes to fit in and play tough but if I ever got my hands on her I would crush her immediately. Watching her finish that drink and then immediately order another one is when I notice the douchebag making his way toward her. Wearing a black button down shirt that looks incredibly wrinkled suggesting something he spent his night doing. He makes his way to Elena plastering his ever-so-charming smile on and starts sweet-talking to her. I can tell it's working based on the subtle grin that is on her face and she gives a quick goodbye to her friend before she lets him lead her through the crowd. Glancing down at my watch I realize if I don't leave now I will be running late to a meeting but something inside me won't allow me to
Loosening the hold I have on the guy's neck I let his body drop to the ground and I stare down at Elena. She looks almost as upset and hurt as the last time I saw her and damn for some reason that stings. I offer her my hand which she slaps to the side and stumbles trying to get up, when she finally finds her footing she looks up at me teary-eyed, “you just have amazing fucking time Russo” she scoffs. “A thank you would suffice, "I tell her while eyeing the bruise blossoming on the nape of her neck and then the guy, I should've taken my time.Following where my eyes went “Overkill much?” she asks “Pun fucking intended” she mumbles. “I suggest you say goodbye to your friend, your brother is on the way to pick you up,” I say, turning around. “You did not call him you fucking idiot,” she says running up behind me. I turn around arching a brow and ask, “Would you rather I did nothing, your brother would never forgive me if I let his baby sister wander off with a guy she barely knows”. I