♡ BIG BAD WOLF ♡
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♡ DAMIEN ♡
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"You need to sign the opening of the grand library," Martini said seriously.
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I understood the urgency. I’d been stalling on the signatures for weeks, purely because the deal would benefit a company I was currently trying to bleed dry.
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"And," Martini continued, a hint of amusement in his eyes, "I think we need to do something about Marian."
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"She's trying to escape again?" I asked. Martini laughed, and I merely shrugged.
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"You have to admire the effort," I muttered.
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"I do, but she keeps taking guns. One of these days, she’s going to shoot herself by mistake."
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"It would leave a memorable scar, at least," I countered dryly. Martini grunted in disagreement, shaking his head as he peered out the window.
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"Yup. There she is," Martini chuckled.
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"She has some talent," I admitted. "And she’s a good runner." That part was undeniable. I had to drive all the way to the station yesterday just to get her crazy ass.
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Martini watched her through the glass as she argued with the guards like a woman with a death wish. He had the air of a connoisseur appreciating his favorite tragicomedy.
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Eventually, she’d get tired, lock herself in her room, and scroll through TikTok for two hours before passing out.
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"Paolo called," Martini added. I waved him off. Officer Paolo was only going to milk the fact that he’d called me yesterday, even though I’d had eyes on her the entire time.
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After Martini left, satisfied that Marian had entered the house without sustaining a wound, I finished the paperwork for the Manhattan bookstore. It was the perfect front, no one ever suspects a bookstore of money laundering.
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I retired for the evening, headed downstairs to the gym for a session before grabbing a bottle of wine and calling it a night.
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She was right there, sitting on a dining stool, focused intently on her phone. She looked up briefly, her eyes widening in a flash of panic, before she turned her head back to the screen like a malfunctioning robot. She was pretending she hadn't noticed me.
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I ignored her. Knowing how poorly she handled silence, I walked toward the gym, waiting for the inevitable. Sure enough, I heard the soft patter of feet following me.
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My lips curled into a knowing smile before I forced my expression back.
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"Mr. Angelini," she called out. Then, louder than she probably intended "Ugh, that is such a mouthful."
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She peeked up to see if I’d heard her. I remained stoic.
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"I'm so sorry," she pleaded, her voice dropping into a sincere tone. "I know I shouldn't have run to the station yesterday. I know it was stupid."
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She looked anything but sorry. If I didn't know better, I’d say she was proud of herself.
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"My emotions got the better of me and I just acted like..." She trailed off as I began unbuttoning my shirt. "Why are you getting naked?"
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I didn't bother replying. I just looked around the room. She did the same, her eyes trailing over the weights and the equipment. I could see the flicker of realization as she finally processed her surroundings.
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"The question is," I said coolly, "are you going to keep standing there?"
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She took a step backward, chuckling awkwardly. "Well, I’ll just see myself out then."
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She wrapped her hand around the door handle, pressing the electronic lock button furiously. Nothing happened.
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She was amusing in the most devastating way possible.
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"I hope you find it in the deepest part of your heart to forgive my... misstepping," she rushed out, still stabbing at the door controls. She moved toward me, tripping over air and nearly planting her face on the floor. She composed herself, flattened her wrinkled shirt, and went back to the button with even more desperation.
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I shook my head and stepped toward her. She jerked her hand away. I reached out and lifted the control panel, she’d pressed it so hard she’d jammed it. I clicked the manual override, and the lock snapped open. Her mouth dropped as she mouthed a 'thank you.'
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I let go of the panel, and the door shut, locking automatically.
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She was odd. I hadn't settled on a punishment for her little stunt yet. I knew a million ways to break a person, but she was Verdict's sister, the one person I couldn't destroy. I just needed to rattle her enough to keep her still until this mess was solved.
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"Looks like you're locked in here with me," I said slowly.
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She shook her head as I drew closer, dropping to her knees faster than I thought possible.
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"I’m so sorry for snapping the other day,." she began. I just stared, curious to see her next move. "I shouldn’t have acted that way. I promise I’ll be a better person. I'm sorry for attempting to run away... more than once. I'm sorry for following you in here."
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She looked around the room, frantically searching for more things to apologize for. I offered no response, simply walking past her to grab the weight plates.
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"Just wait until the lock timer resets," I said. "You jammed the button."
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Relief washed over her face. she scrambled back to her feet. "Okay. I'll just sit here then."
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........
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Later that night, I groaned as I fastened my tie, my phone pressed to my ear.
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"How could you have lost him?" I nearly slammed the phone against the wall. Boris rarely made mistakes, but this was catastrophic. "I told you to bring him to the house. You insisted on the warehouse, and now look."
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"I'll investigate after I deal with Zero."
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The business trip I’d taken two weeks ago had left a mountain of work, and my patience was at bottom level. I arrived at the docks to find Martini smiling down at Oleg, who was dangling upside down with bloodshot eyes.
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*"Ha confessato?"* (Has he confessed?) I asked.
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Martini shook his head in frustration. "Still blabbering nonsense."
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If it were up to Martini, the man would be dead. Martini preferred quick, clean ends. I preferred the torture, watching them realize there was no escape
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"Hey, dumbass," I called out. Zero thrashed wildly. "If you stay like that for ten more minutes, the blood pressure in your brain will kill you."
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He was terrified. It was a beautiful sight. I’d caught him once before and let him go with a warning.
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"It wasn't me, I swear, It was Snake," he shrieked.
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The underdog? Things were getting interesting. "I have no idea where the goods are, Once we hijacked the container, I was cut out of the loop."
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He was telling the truth.
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"Tagliate le corde." (Cut the ropes.)
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He started pleading as he was lowered into the water. I just smiled as his head slowly sank. A sight to behold.
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"Quindi, dobbiamo trovare Snake," (So, we have to find Snake,) Martini concluded. I nodded.
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.....
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When I returned to the house, Marian was sitting on the couch, staring at the ceiling and dangling a keychain. She looked at me like I was an alien invader.
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She shifted on the sofa, and I felt a flash of irritation. The way she sat there so comfortably in those short shorts with so many men around. I needed her out of this house. She brought a strange energy to the place, and while I might end up burning her smart mouth shut sooner than planned, she was an eyesore.
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It felt as if her sister had dropped off the face of the earth. No leads, no rumors. She as just gone.
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Marian’s eyes slowly trailed over my body.
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That was another reason she needed to leave. Those eyes. She looked at me like she wanted to peel the clothes off my back. It made me... uncomfortable. She looked at me as if she wanted me naked.
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Her gaze softened as she took in my unbuttoned shirt, my disheveled hair, and the dark blood staining my shoulder. She stood up instantly, approaching me with a fearlessness that was far too fragile for this world.
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"Are you hurt?" she asked, her fingers grazing the fabric of my shirt. "Or did you hurt someone?"
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I didn't correct her. I let her believe the blood was from the torture.
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"I don't get hurt, Marian. I hurt people."
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She frowned. "So you're like a Big Bad Wolf?"
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There was genuinely no saving this woman. Big Bad Wolf, indeed.
and then Add to home screen.