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25 : Stuck in a Moment
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In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 26 : Super Sleuth
•"Where were you?"Théo stepped out of the rental car after he saw Anastasia's death glare as she approached the driver's side. He slammed the door shut and locked the car. A thin coat of dust had overlain the black roof and hood."Where have you been?""Go back inside; it's gonna rain," he muttered in response. The sky just got darker. Like his mood."Do I look like I give a shit?"He placed his fist over his mouth to try to obscure the sight of him gritting his teeth. He expected this reaction from her, but did she really have to swear at him?He looked in the direction of the hotel's main entrance.It was another pricey five-star hotel near Sunset Boulevard, and he knew she would be paying for a week-long stay using her credit card—paid for by her parents, of course—just so she could join
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 27 : Confirmation
•"Tomorrow night?" "Yeah. Why? Are you supposed to..." Anastasia frowned slightly. "You have another meeting tomorrow?"Théo held back a sigh of frustration and pocketed his phone. Gillaume just texted him coordinates again. He was expecting another dropped call, but the coordinates meant Gillaume was ready to meet up any minute now.Meaning, she was already in the States. In New York, maybe? The agency also had headquarters in the East Coast."I can call the...we can do the morning after. Or the day after that," Ana said when he kept hesitating. "You're gonna be busy all day tomorrow?""Yeah. I need to be back in New York tomorrow afternoon." "What?" Ana pulled a face. "You just arrived.""Gotta meet up with someone from the agency. I have to clear up my schedule before we go to Rome. Let them know I'll be unavailable." "Okay," she replied with a faint nod that indicated some uncertainty. "Booked a flight yet?""No. I just got the text. Meeting with them tomorrow evening." He had
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 27 Pt 2 : Stopover Date
• Columbia •"Are you sleeping there? At the hospital?""No. I'm heading back to the hotel in a bit.""Alright," he said, pausing to heave another sigh. "You okay, babe?""Yeah." Veronica couldn't help smiling again, appreciating the genuine concern in his voice. They hadn't been texting or talking on the phone lately. She had been avoiding him for more than a week now, actually.But of course she missed him a lot...and she couldn't just say no to his invitation. No matter how busy her schedule was, she would make time for him. They had a lot to talk over. She didn't even know how to begin."Had dinner yet?" Théo asked next."Sandwich. What about you? Why're you leaving so soon? Tomorrow night?""I gotta...flight to catch. To Italy. Gotta stay there a while for a job.""Oh. Okay." She pulled a face. "Like a week?""Possibly longer. Want me to pick you up?""No. I'll drive," she insisted. "Text me which hotel.""Okay. Thanks. You feelin' okay?" "Why?""You sound sick.""Just allergies.
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 28 : Reality Check
•Veronica shut the bathroom door and let go of the cold doorknob. The drawn curtains dimmed the room to an extent, but not enough to hide her face from his scrutinizing gaze.Her legs felt like they'd regained full mobility after a moment of her just sitting motionless on the bathroom floor, so she took quiet steps towards the hotel bed. It would be dawn in a couple of hours, and neither of them seemed eager to call it a night. She forced her feet to keep moving as her eyes centered on the guy hunched over on the bed.His dark clothing emphasized the yellowish covers. Théo's left arm was bent because he was nail biting—a habit she thought he had grown out of. Crumpled in his other hand was the small paper bag from the drugstore.She stood still by the foot of the bed and watched, feigning calmness and apathy to obscure the fact that she was having trouble getting a word
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 29 : It's Complicated
•"Is she upset?" Théo frowned the second she stepped out of the bathroom in a robe, hair damp and fresh out of the shower."Who? Mom?""You told her?"The room looked tidier than she remembered. Veronica stared at the guy standing near the bed. He cleaned up again, most probably. "Told her what?""What we were up to last night?" he replied. His dimpled smirk was every bit teasing as it was laughably arousing."Not really." She looked away and tightened the belt of the bathrobe. Of course she didn't tell her mother he had to buy the test kits himself just so she would stop procrastinating. She wouldn't hear the end of it if her mom knew."Crap. She hates me even more now," her ex muttered with a fake half-grin when she got quiet. "Can't blame her, though.""She doe
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 30 : Ready, Set
•"Did Tomek text you again?""Yeah. We'll meet up sometime soon, when he's not too busy." Veronica sat closer to the table than to her date for tonight.It wasn't exactly a date. Well, okay. They were alone, having a meal together, exactly like the other couples in the small dining area. To outsiders, they definitely looked like they were on a date. He didn't seem to care, though.Beside her, Théo reclined and pushed his empty plate away from the edge of the table. "So Dan's gonna be in the studio with you and your backup guitarist?" He drank what was left of her apple juice, having already devoured the last spoonfuls of his goopy carbonara."We're pretty much done with Kyle's parts." Veronica nodded her head slightly. "Dan and Ed, they've got a show tonight in Brooklyn. Mini-concert of some sort," she said."Ah... You want to go?" A
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 31 : Action
• Rome, Italy •18 days left"Sì. Stiamo arrivando, Mamma. Sì. Già. Ciao.""Is she home?" Théo glanced at his companion, his seatmate for the entire flight. He could tell she was tired and ready to sleep, but he also knew she had a lot on her mind at the moment."Yeah. Waiting for us. I told her you had to work late," Anastasia muttered without looking at him. She had been acting distant for the past hour. Almost too quiet, reserved.He wasn't used to her being this quiet. "What's up?"She shook her head weakly."You feelin' okay?""Just another headache." "Did you get enough sleep?" he asked next. He wasn't pretending to care; if she didn't feel well, they might not get to attend the event. Crucial day tomorrow for him and her family. They both had to be in good shape for an eventful weekend. "Barely." Anastasia sighed and looked out the window. The midnight sky appeared pitch-black. Some clouds blurred their view from time to time. In a few minutes, they'd be in her family's e
In Wounded Rhymes [Mafia Games X] 32 : Prep
• Piazza Di Valtieri • Grand. Spacious. Bricks and stone. Freshly trimmed grass. Well-maintained. For aristocrats.As part of his preparations, he had to study the blueprint of the entire lot and villa for days—which he had already done a week ago. Théo already knew what to expect, but of course he would pretend as if this was his first time ever seeing the property. The estate's security setup was also quite impressive. Familiar with the basic rigs, he glanced at the security cameras obscured by lampposts towering above the tall, shiny white gates welcoming their vehicle and their escorts. Well, Anastasia's security escorts, to be specific.The thick iron gates ostentatiously showed who owned the entire place. "Piazza Di Valtieri"—which basically meant "The Valtieri Estate"—was etched in eye-catching golden letters in the middle. It immediately reminded him of the last time he'd been in a private property as secure and extravagant as this prime real estate. That time, he had been
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