Chapter 2 - Elena

This is absolute bullshit.

I pace my room angrily and think back to the previous two hours. I arrived at my father's offices intending to weigh in on the family business because it was time they took me seriously.

Not only did my father not listen to me, he wouldn't even let me sit in on the meeting to learn anything.

I am so pissed.

Everyone in my family is in that damn meeting as though they are more important than me. I'm nothing but a pretty face to them. Not one of those cowards suggested I should stay in that meeting.

I change into a long skirt and a button-up blouse and run my hand through my curly caramel curls to even them out. I look in my compact mirror and touch up my red lipstick before I put it in my handbag.

There's a knock at the door, and I look up. Did my father reconsider his position?

"Miss Sokolov? There is a delivery for you."

I hurry to the door and open it. It's our maid, Leora, holding a box. I take it. "Thank you."

I shut the door and hurry to sit at the dressing table. I rip open the wrapping and tug the bow off. I open the card, and as I read it, I just get angrier.

My little Pumpkin.

Don't worry about the family business. Take a relaxing vacation across Europe, and let me worry about us.

Love you.

Pa xxx

I opened the box. Inside is a beautiful jeweled necklace that could rival the British Royals" jewelry. There's also a credit card, which is undoubtedly for my trip to Europe.

I have other plans. I don't plan to leave here until my father takes me seriously, but I will never say no to a shopping trip.

I spruce myself up and put on perfume. I look at the necklace before I shut the box and tuck it away with the other ‘apologies' my father has sent over the years. It's always been like this: because I'm a woman, I'm not taken seriously.

I'm so tired of people treating me like a delicate, fragile little mafia princess. I am a Sokolov. I am a killer by nature.

I pick up my purse, give myself one last look in the mirror, and leave. I walk down to the garage where my car is parked and hop into my Mercedes-Benz.

The weather is getting cooler, so I turn on the seat warmer before I back out of the drive and join the traffic, intent on going shopping uptown.

I drop by the shopping mall and start looking for a parking spot. I finally find one, and as I'm about to pull in, a guy with a Porsche pulls into it as I'm about to back up into it.

I put my car into neutral and get out as he gets out. "Hey, asshole. That was my parking."

"You snooze, you lose." He laughs.

I smirk. "Really. How long are you planning to be here? Because I'm going to be here hours."

I get back in my car, and he watches me in confusion. I continue to reverse and block him in.

He comes and bangs on my window. "You can't do that."

I get out of my car and shut the door, locking it.

"I think I want to stop at every single store," I smirk.

"I'll have you towed."

"Good luck. My father owns this place," I say as I walk away.

"You made your point," he calls after me.

"Not yet, I haven't. But I will," I call back.

I hear him kick my door and see two security guards approaching him. He's in for it now. My plates are custom; everyone knows them. The security guards will make minced meat from this chump.

I walk into the mall and look around. Where to go first? I see a Victoria's Secret shop nearby, and I bounce my way over there. I may be a virgin, but my lingerie is always on point. It makes me feel sexy and good about myself.

I buy a few sets at the store before going to one of the boutiques and getting more business dress options—pencil skirts and blazers, with more button-up blouses. I'm going to look amazing.

I want to show professionalism. That will be my first step in the door. If I can just get to a point where I can share my suggestions, I know they'll listen to me.

Obviously, I will need some shoes to match my new outfits. I go into the shoe store, and the saleswoman greets me enthusiastically. We go through what's new, and I pick out three pairs to try on. The black pair is so gorgeous. I decided to wear them now while I'm shopping.

I go to the food court, order some cheesy chili fries, and sit down at a table.

"Elena?" I hear my name being called.

I turn slightly and see my cousin Darius nearby. "Darius, how are you?"

He comes over and kisses my head before he sits down. "Enjoying your shopping?"

"Just picking out some new business clothes," I say. "Fries?"

He takes two and smiles. "You got a job?"

"My father has to listen to me eventually," I say.

He shakes his head. "It's not your responsibility, Elena. I don't know why you keep getting involved. Your father knows what he's doing. He's been doing it his entire life."

"I grew up in this family and want to take my rightful place in helping the family business." I finish my fries and wipe my fingers and mouth on a napkin.

Darius shakes his head. "You always were hot-headed and stubborn."

"It's a good trait to have as a Sokolov." I grin and look around. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you with the others at the meeting?"

"I was overseeing the purchase of some businesses for the family."

"What businesses?" I ask curiously.

Darius points a finger at me. "No, I'm not feeding you information so you can make grand plans."

"Come on, Darius. What's the harm in telling me what businesses the family is going to own?" I bat my eyelids. "I'm your favorite cousin, am I not?"

"You are." He rubs his chin and then shrugs. "I guess there's no harm. We're purchasing butchers in the area."

"Why butchers?" I ask quietly.

"I don't know, but I have to go. Uncle Emery is expecting me back at the house in half an hour. Don't get into trouble, and enjoy shopping." He gets up and kisses the top of my head.

I get up and go to another boutique, but I can't get my mind to slow down.

Why would my father buy butchers? What would that serve the family? I can't think of one good reason. They're certainly not good at laundering money. I wonder what he's planning.

I absently buy two more outfits before I decide to dig a little more. I head to the internet cafe in the center of the mall and pay to use one of their computers because I know better than to have this on my own search history. I log into the computer and bring up the address reverse search. I open a separate tab and search for butchers in the area.

I found five that have been sold pending the new owner's information, and I know that can't be a coincidence. I check which one is closest, and I search its history. It is a family-owned business that has been running since the sixties. There's nothing remarkable about it.

I need to see it for myself. I need to understand why my father would be interested in such a building. I need to familiarize myself with it so that the next time I speak to my father, I can give suggestions. He needs to see that I know what I'm talking about and keep up-to-date with the family business dealings.

I log out and gather my purchases before swiftly exiting the internet cafe. I don't notice anyone near me as I walk, so I hurry out of the mall and toward my car.

The guy with the Porsche isn't there, and it doesn't look like he did anything to my car.

I put my stuff in the trunk. As I'm about to open the door to climb in, someone grabs me from behind and throws me against the door. "You want to fuck with me bitch?"

"I wouldn't do that," I say calmly. Slowly, I reach into my pocket.

"Oh, and why's that?" the guy says.

"Cause not only am I going to hurt you, I'm going to slash your tires as well." I turn around and spray him in the face with mace.

He yells, and I summon a security guard by shouting for them.

The one detains the guy, throwing him on the floor and sitting on him. I look at the other. "Slash three of his tires. I don't care which ones. And key the fuckers paint job."

"Ah. You can't do this."

I walk over to him and kneel on his chest so he struggles to breathe. "Learn quickly. I am Elena Sokolov. If you get anyone involved, any cops, I will hunt you down and kill your family. Do you understand? Be thankful I'm only damaging your car." I lean firmly on his chest. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," he gasps out. "I understand."

I get up and nod to the security guard. "Take this asshole to wash his eyes out so he can call his insurance and report this unfortunate anonymous attack on his vehicle."

The security guard forces the guy to his feet while I get inside my car. I start it up and drive out of the parking lot without a backward glance.

You must show people you mean business, or they'll walk all over you. I wish Darius had been there to see it. Or my brother Ethan, who reports directly to my father.

Someone who could tell my father that Elna Sokolov has balls bigger than the boys in the family, and she's not afraid to use them. Would they be embarrassed? Probably. My brother Ethan does not like direct confrontations, but it is my father"s way. Deal with everything upfront and in person, and never do things underhandedly.

I stop at the traffic light, and as I wait, I punch the address of the butchery into my GPS.

It tells me to turn at the next traffic light. Driving through the neighborhood, it's clearly a small, close-knit family community. It's not something flashy that my father can hide his business behind, which makes no sense. Why buy here?

I park across the road from the butchery and sit in my car, watching it for a few minutes. I don't just want to go in there. I need to think this through clearly.

I need to see the profit files, the business information, and anything that can tell me more about this butchery and why it would be useful to our family. I am going to have to walk in there as though I already own the store and demand the files without hesitation.

If I come across too weak, they won't give me the time of day, and I refuse to mess this up.

I fix my clothes and take out my red lipstick. I fix my lips and smack them a few times to make sure it's even. I fluff up my curls and sling my handbag over my shoulder as I step out of my car.

I walk confidently across the road and toward the butchery. I don't want to go straight in and look desperate, so I look through the window as though taking mental notes. I step back and examine the signs above the shop, nodding to myself.

I look at my watch and then walk inside the butchery and wait. The owner, well, the old man that I presume is the owner, is busy with a customer, so I peruse the meats they have to offer while he serves his customer.

A woman comes to the counter and stops near me. "Can I help you, ma'am?"

"I need to speak to the current owner of this establishment," I say.

"He's this gentleman over here. He'll be done soon." She moves away, and I continue to browse the meat. I move closer and closer to the man as he winds up the transaction with the customer.

Once she leaves, he turns to me. "How can I be of assistance?"

I look at him. He's covered in bruises. Someone gave him a beatdown. I nod. "My name is Elena Sokolov. I come on behalf of Emery Sokolov, the new owner of this butchery."

"We haven't finished transferring the deed yet, and until that's done, it's still my butchery." The man crosses his arms. "Now, do you want some meat, or is there something I can help you with?"

"Roger," a woman calls from the back.