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Chapter XXIII: Initiative
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2024-10-29 19:42:56The air was heavy with snow that muffled the sound of the pedestrians and vehicles driving outside the window. Everything chilled and calm, except for the interior of the store where staff members were bustling around showing off fabrics and clothing articles to the couple seated on the leather couch before them. Men in black suits lining the perimeter and watching the people with stern features and focused eyes.
“How about this, sir?” One of the staff members brought the man out of his reverie, smiling as he showed off a slate grey pinstriped suit to him. “Cut in Milan and bought in from Paris, hand-tailored for you, sir,”
“Yes, fine, it will do,” He waved away dismissively, eyes passing over the rich fabric but smiled at the man nonetheless.
After stepping out of the shop, the couple was settled in a luxurious Rolls Royce and driven to their next destina
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“I’m his son,” He spoke the words through gritted teeth, the woman nodding and gave him the room number as he went up in the elevator. He was surprised to see that there were other people staying on the floor, and that there were no guards stationed out the door or around the hallway for that matter. Romanov’s security precaution being close to nonexistent. Knocking on the door, he stood waiting a minute, telling himself that if the door isn’t answered in the next thirty seconds, he would walk away, silently counting under his breath. “Fuck,” He hissed to himself when the door unlocked at twenty-eight, a disheveled Nikolai squinted up at him through the brightness of the lobby. S
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Stuffing his hands in his coat pocket, he walked up the path to his homely cottage, instant relief flooding him to be back home, but he faltered in his step when he found two men standing beneath the shade of the pine trees, and from where Marco stood, he could recognize his brother’s guards. Swallowing thickly, he exhaled into the air above him, clenching his fingers when they trembled and stepped into the cottage. “Sofia?” Marco called out softly and stepped further into the cottage, finding his wife sitting at the dining table before their French windows leading out to the back yard, nursing a cup of coffee, and rubbing her temples. “Hey,” “He came here,” Sofia murmured softly
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Marco couldn’t help but close his eyes shut when he heard the front door open, tightening his hold on Sofia’s hands as he felt her trembling against him, his throat running dry and his heart dropping to hear the footfall against the wooden flooring. Holding his breath as he waited for the inevitable cock of the gun. “Are we disturbing something?” Rosalie’s voice asked curiously as the young couple sprang apart, their eyes flying open to see Marco’s parents standing before them. His father holding his infamous lemon cake while his mom having her arm looped through her husband’s, looking at the two with soft eyes. “Everything alright?” She asked in concern to see the tears streak down Sofia’s cheek, the girl hastily wiping them away as the wide eyed-look n
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