Hello there. Thank for the review, please keep them coming ;)
Takes longer to write than post so please be patient for the rest of the story but right now, here's chapetr 2

CHAPTER 2: Sold

An internal debate:

Stefan had pondered for hours if he should send a message to his brother, they hadn't talked for years, but he did and when he pressed the send button and his answer came he got furious. When would this end? He had fled Mystic Falls to live a normal life and though he had spent years looking over his shoulder he had done it, he had left the MC and his father behind, he also had left Damon's jealousy behind.

Yes, he had been daddy's favorite but never had he asked for it. It was all a matter of circumstances, Giuseppe's inability to get over… over «it» and kids shouldn't be treated differently for things they had no power over. But something bad was coming and Elena was now between them both without even knowing it. He could have told her but again she didn't have to know. He'd take care of it before it went too far. This could still be handled… couldn't it?

-«It IS about me, you'd do anything to get to me»
-«Maybe it is, maybe it isn't»

Elena went back to work on Monday morning in a serene state of mind. Not fighting with Stefan had been pretty nice and the brunch too. The rest… didn't matter. She had been about to open her office door when Nancy told her Martin wanted her in his office first thing so she turned on her heel and got to his door and knocked and when she got the go to open it she stepped inside.

And stopped in the middle of her «hello» because she hadn't expected to see Giuseppe Salvatore there or Damon. She blinked a few times to shake the surprise off of her face and looked at Martin.

-«Nancy told me you wanted to see me?»

-«Yes, actually, come in and close the door behind you please» Martin said, he was clearly tensed as he pointed to a chair «Sit please» Elena did as she was told, she didn't get it, what was happening, has there been a problem with the paperwork on Damon's case or something? «Your services have been requested by Mister Salvatore here. He's appreciated your work and would like you to represent someone for him» Martin was speaking for the man and she could see he wasn't happy about that but things had to be done by the rules, they were in a lawyer office not in a MC, the 'alpha' had to behave. But as a courtesy Elena looked at the man when she spoke.

-«Well, hello sir» she looked at the son «Damon» then back at his father «You're aware I'm don't have a lot of experience» and I don't want to work for you«and you could easily find someone who could make a better job than me» and I so don't want to work for you «don't get me wrong I'm flattered but I think you should reconsider and find someone more qualified» for I don't want to work for you.

And Giuseppe knew that, he didn't want her to work for him any more than she wanted to work for them but there were things that were bigger than she was and he didn't have much other choice than having her in the picture. So he put on a not too scary a face on and replied to the girl with the doe eyes.

-«As your boss said» Martin shifted on his seat a bit «you did a good job before, I'm sure we didn't just get lucky. I want you to work for us sort of full time. Many businesses to run, you know.»

And by that he didn't mean she'd have to make sure their bank accounts were straight or check legal papers on properties they could buy… and she wasn't that kind of lawyer anyway.

Elena's eyes moved from the MC president to Martin as if trying to find some sense in that but her boss and former uni professor avoided her eyes. There was something there, something she didn't know, something she couldn't ask about right now.

-«I'll consider your offer and get back to you then.» She cautiously said

-«Then get back to us before the end of the day, we have urgent matters in hand» Giuseppe said before getting on his feet and again he seemed filled with barely contained rage. He looked down at his son who got up as well and he walked out of the office. Damon's eyes lingered a bit on Elena before he followed closing the door behind him. Elena let a minute pass before looking at Martin.

-«What do they have on you for you to sell me to a MC?» She asked coldly. She wasn't stupid, he would never have considered such a crazy match if the man hadn't strings attached. Giuseppe was indeed a puppeteer.

The man sighed «Elena I'm sorry» he still didn't look at her «they have enough on me to make me lose my job at the university, my career and my wife.»
Elena clenched her teeth, there had been rumors about Martin, many, many of them. Female students, mostly blonds, improper behavior but never had she believed they were true. She felt nauseous now but most of all she felt betrayed.

-«And me working with a MC will solve all your problems? Why exactly should I do that? In what world am I supposed to put my head under the ax to save your ass?» She was so furious now she lost control of her vocabulary and really she didn't care.

-«I'm not asking that of you, they used the threat to get in my office and make that offer to you. I'm not asking you to sell yourself to anyone, for all I'm concerned I'm supposed to have done what I needed to, but they still have things on me.»

-«Oh come on they wouldn't have gone out of their way like that to just put me on a case for them, it's too big.»

-«I think it was just a demonstration of what they can do, they are showing off.»

-«It still makes no sense.»

-«No it doesn't, or to me it doesn't, if you have someone who can tell you more about MCs, you better go ask them… But if there's something I know it's that they won't let this go easily.»

When Elena opened her office door there was a bunch of lilies on her desk and this time there was a card with it: Say yes. D.

She felt the need to call Damon but he probably still was with his father and they were waiting for her answer, it wasn't a smart move so instead she called Stefan. If she needed more info about the MC he was the one who would know. She didn't ask if he was busy she just told him where to meet and then hanged off. Considering Stefan didn't call back to ask what the hell was happening she got that he'd be there, so she just stormed out of the office and the building, she needed some air.

Elena didn't beat around the bush. The second she saw Stefan she walked to him and explained what had happened less than a hour before and the younger Salvatore face turned cold and anger burned in his green and hazel eyes.

-« I know you're hiding things from me, always had, but it wasn't a problem before, now it is, so you're going to tell me everything I should know because I have until the end of the day to give your father an answer, clock is ticking,

-«It IS about me, you'd do anything to get to me»

-«Maybe it is, maybe it isn't»

The more Stefan had thought about this text conversation with his brother, the more he had wondered what Damon had meant by that. There were two options he could have come with, it really was about him or… it really was about her. He had no clue which option was the worst but both were bad.
Stefan swallowed his anger for now because he had something to say to Elena and was sure she wasn't going to be happy about it. «Let's sit down somewhere.»

They sat on the closest bench for she wanted to know everything. Now.

-«Shoot.»

Stefan sighed and looked down at his joined hands «Ok. I've told you about some things that happened in the past, I won't elaborate much for now you have a picture of who I've been raised by. When my mother passed, my father already was the President of the Ravens and he… I don't know, blew a fuze or something and became cold, crazy even, he dragged the club into serious business. Before that, I don't really know everything, but things weren't that bad. I was ten, Damon seventeen, I managed to take my distance because my brother got deeply into the MC shit… Anyways… At sixteen I ran away and went to live with my aunt, you know the rest.»

-«You're saying a lot and yet you're not saying much Stefan.»

-«I know, I'm coming to this but you won't like it» He sighed again but leaned his back on the bench and looked et Elena «I should have been more careful and said no when you offered to work on Damon's case but I know you, you're stubborn and eager to get on the top of the food chain - it's not a judgement here. I have absolutely no idea what got into my brother's head but… listen it's a MC thing ok, all of them have rules, code of… honor…» Elena was growing very impatient and he could tell «You remember I've been pissed when you talked about Damon's jacket?»

-«Are you changing subject right now? Sorry I'm confused.»

-«No in fact I've been avoiding the real subject until now but, what must have seemed like a very casual thing, it sealed a deal between you and the MC. Damon vouched for you. In court, when he put his jacket on your chair, he… claimed you.»

-«He what?» This made no sense for Elena and she frowned deeply.

-«Like I said it's a MC rule, by doing this he made sure you'd be protected even if he ended up in jail. No one was allowed to go after you but more than that, he… marked you as his. I know what you're going to say…»

-«That we're not in the middle age anymore, yeah I was going to say that! What the hell is this? I'm not a girl you can claim or buy, this is bullshit!» She had raised her voice and Stefan looked around before moving closer to her.

-«I know, I know…» He said in a calm voice as he raised his hands to gently cup her face and look in her eyes «This is from a complete different world and you should't even had been close to it. It's all my fault I'm sorry.»

-«But it's not. It's not your fault at all. Those rules, if you can call them that, you haven't made them, they're made up rules… I get it's how those men live but it's…» She groaned in frustration then rested her hands on Stefan's wrists taking long breaths to calm down. «Ok… ok, I need to think, I don't have much time, your father is waiting for an answer… just one more thing I need to know. What happens if I say no?»

-«Honestly? I don't know. The claim will still be there and, to be honest, my father always have a backup plan, leverage or something, as for Damon I have no idea what he has in mind. I thought it was all about me, now I don't know anymore.»

-«You think I've been caught in that because of you?»

-«Obviously you wouldn't have even heard about my family if you hadn't met me.»

Yes, it was completely obvious but what Elena wanted to know was if his family was using her to get to him, drag him back into the MC. It would be twisted for sure but it was what it seemed to be.

-«Stefan I have an idea but you're going to have to listen to me and let me finish before you say anything alright?» She let go of Stefan's wrists and moved away a bit «I'm going to say yes to your father» Stefan moved and Elena raised a hand to silence him «and I'm going to dig dirt on him, I'm going to dig so deep he'll have no choice but leaving us both alone. And Damon will shove his claim up his ass because he won't have to abide by the rules of a non existent MC.»

-«No. Elena, don't you think some have tried before? It's too dangerous I won't let you do that. You can't.»

-«Then good thing I don't belong to you or anyone and that my choices are my own.»

It had been hard to make Stefan shut up after that but she had made up her mind. She didn't have much connections it was true but she had Martin and Stefan, she'd find help on the way. She was starting a big game of chess and she'd learn the moves as she'd go.

She texted a picture of a lily to Damon with just these words: I'm in.

TBC