All Chapters of Everyday For The Thief: A Chaotic and Poetic Mafia Romance : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Hades instantly used his body to cover her, pushing her down. So he was right. It was a sniper.Who the hell dared to do this on his land? The gunshots were terrifying, too terrifying. But they didn’t last long. The bullets didn’t follow them inside. He was still holding Claudine tightly to him. She was panting hard, clutching onto him for dear life, still yelling, “What the hell?!”He tried to calm her, “Breathe, breathe. It’s over. It was just a scare.”Claudine yelled back, “That didn’t feel like a scare! That was definitely an attack on me!” Her mind started racing. What if the Italians had found out about what she did?She shouted another “Fuck!” and buried her face in her hands.She started whispering prayers in Russian again- a habit she’s fond off when caught in chaos, forgetting that Hades could hear her.He helped her up and led her away from the shattered glass. She went to sit on the bed, still trembling with fright. Then Hades received a call.He hoped it was an update

Later, Claudine found herself pacing Hades’s home office. The room was huge and fancy, connected directly to his bedroom, like a very big private apartment. She was tired of doing nothing, of having no way to talk to anyone she knew. No way to reach her handler. She missed her brother terribly. Her mind buzzed, wanting a plan, any way to connect to the outside world. The day was ending, and her brain, which was used to always being busy, even with bad things, felt restless.She had looked around the room earlier, admiring the tall bookshelf. She knew trying to use his computer to reach anyone outside would be a terrible idea; he’d find her instantly.But as she paced, her eyes landed on his large desk. She had noticed he no longer wore his cross chain, a small thing that had bothered her. Where did he keep it now? She felt a strong urge to search, to find any small piece of him that might tell her something.She walked towards the desk, her fingers itching. Just as she was about to op

~Marcello~He’d had been driving for over twenty minutes now. The traffic was crazy, even for New York. He felt a strange bump, a slight disturbance, from the back of the car, where the trunk was. He tried to ignore it, thinking it was just the road.But then he hit another bump, a bigger one, and he heard a muffled curse from the back. That was definitely not the road. He knew then. Someone was in the car with him.He carefully drove into a quiet, empty alley. He checked around him, making sure no one was watching. Then, he got out, pulling out his gun and cocking it. His training told him to shoot first, ask questions later.But he thought against it. With a forceful pull, he opened the trunk.And there she was. His boss’s wife. The gun slipped from his hands, clattering to the ground. How the hell does he explain this? It would look like he was kidnapping her!“Mrs. Vancouver! Ma’am!” Marcello exclaimed, completely shocked. By now, Claudine was almost passing out. She was coughing

He called and called, but she didn't pick up.Then he called Artemis, who picked up on the first ring. It was a video call. Hades was surprised to see them in the gym. Gym? At this time?That was awkward.He watched as Artemis pointed the phone at Claudine. Claudine was running on the treadmill, her body jumping and bouncing, her muscles perfectly toned. This woman would be the death of him. He cleared his throat.Artemis looked at Claudine. "Mr. Vancouver wants to speak to you."Claudine slowed the treadmill, sweat shining on her skin. She grabbed the phone from Artemis. "Oh, finally. Had a nice chat with Grandpa Lucky about your little brother, did we?" She didn't wait for his answer. "And before you start, I’m half-sorry about the trunk thing. I wasn't trying to 'escape.' Just trying to, you know, get some fresh air. This house is a little too 'secure' for my taste."Hades's mind went blank on whatever punishment he had planned. Seeing her face, hearing her voice… it was melting

Hours passed. The ballroom remained packed, loud with chatter. Artemis had not left Claudine's side once. "Artemis," Claudine whispered, feeling a sudden need for privacy. "I need a moment. To the ladies' room. Alone."Artemis frowned. "I'll wait outside the door.""Of course," Claudine agreed, rolling her eyes playfully. "Like I could even try to run away in this dress without tripping over the train."Inside the restroom, Claudine leaned against the cool marble sink. The music was muffled here. She took a deep breath, letting the tension ease from her shoulders. She just needed a minute.Just then, a woman stumbled out of one of the stalls, giggling to herself. She had bright red lipstick, a cascade of wild blonde curls, and a dress that was a little too sparkly. "Oh, hello there, darling!" she greeted, her words a little slurred. "Isn't this just the most fabulous event? Far better than watching my husband yell at the TV."Claudine smiled. "It's certainly… lively.""Lively!" the wo