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 doesn't 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 number 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.