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“I had, but there’s a little problem. I suspect the Pachecos, but I’m not sure. It could be other rivals.” I sit opposite him at his desk.
“What’s the problem?” Kervyn asks, leaning back in his chair.
“A family is heating the small businesses in the Angel Park area. Apparently, they want to take up all the businesses to build up against us,” I explain. “They jumped a friend of mine today to persuade him to sell his butchery to them.”
Kervyn looks thoughtful. “We can arrange protection for the area for a fee.”
“I told him there’d be a fee,” I say quickly.
“We can arrange something, I’m sure. Don’t worry, Arseny. I won’t let your friends at the markets lose their businesses.”
“Hopefully, it isn’t too late,” I say.
“If it’s the Pachecos, I will deliver a blow to them unlike they have ever seen. I’m tired of that family’s bullshit.” Kervyn rubs a hand over the beard he’s growing out again for Penny.
“Well, hopefully, they’ll enjoy my message.” I grin evilly.
Kervyn shakes his head. “You should have been an artist.”
“I know, I am an artist, technically. It’s just my choice of canvas that is somewhat questionable.” I inspect my nails and the scars on my hands from the times the knives slipped and sliced me open. Learning curves is what my father would have called it.
“With Penny being pregnant, I don’t need the stress of more attacks on the family. I trust you to look into this and sort it out before it becomes a larger problem.” Kervyn leans forward on his desk. “And don’t let your temper get the better of you.”
“My temper never gets the better of me,” I say.
“You say that because you act calm, but that’s on the outside. I know what temper brews under your skin, and I know what fuels your need for revenge.” Kervyn looks older than his years.
I stand up. “I’ll speak to Danil about it. Maybe he has some intel.”
“Good idea,” Kervyn says. “Don’t kill anyone getting it.”
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.
