“I do so!” Alfred burrowed closer, crawling under the covers to escape the cold. “I know lots about him. He's from Moscow, and he's got two sisters...” Alfred chattered on, delving into everything he knew about Ivan, until he was forcibly stopped by Matthew.
“All right!” Matthew laughed. “You know stuff about him, I get it. Now can we celebrate in the morning? I want to sleep. You should, too.”
“That does sound nice...” The excited adrenaline was wearing off, and Alfred was feeling a wee bit tired. He removed his glasses and set them aside.
“I meant in your own bed,” Matthew said. “At least get out of your work clothes and put some pajamas on. Oh, whatever...”
----
“Brother...”
Ivan froze. He had barely even made it in the front door when the familiar voice chilled his spine. “Nata. How are you feeling?”
“I'm fine, of course.” She glided closer, skirt swirling around her slender legs. “Deathly bored. Are you sure there has been no work for me?” Her eyes narrowed. “Or are you just treating me like a china doll, keeping work from me?”
Ivan swallowed. “Nothing of the sort. I will let you know the minute I have work for you.”
“Good.” Her eyes roamed down, expression chilling further. “Who are those for?”
“These?” Ivan glanced down at the bundle of small sunflowers, tied with ribbon. “For you, of course. A belated get well present.”
The icy look thawed, just a little, and Natalia reached out to accept the flowers. “Thank you, brother.”
Ivan nodded, and his younger sister turned to leave. He sagged in relief once he was alone. Now he'd have to stop at the flower shop again...
He had business to take care of first, though. Toris and Eduard emerged from a nearby hallway together, looking grim, nodding to Ivan when they approached. Ivan was already thoroughly armed—as he usually was—but Toris carried his pipe, which he handed over. Gripping it, Ivan smiled darkly.
The trio turned and walked out the front door, toward the waiting limo.
Bratva 5b/??
“All right!” Matthew laughed. “You know stuff about him, I get it. Now can we celebrate in the morning? I want to sleep. You should, too.”
“That does sound nice...” The excited adrenaline was wearing off, and Alfred was feeling a wee bit tired. He removed his glasses and set them aside.
“I meant in your own bed,” Matthew said. “At least get out of your work clothes and put some pajamas on. Oh, whatever...”
----
“Brother...”
Ivan froze. He had barely even made it in the front door when the familiar voice chilled his spine. “Nata. How are you feeling?”
“I'm fine, of course.” She glided closer, skirt swirling around her slender legs. “Deathly bored. Are you sure there has been no work for me?” Her eyes narrowed. “Or are you just treating me like a china doll, keeping work from me?”
Ivan swallowed. “Nothing of the sort. I will let you know the minute I have work for you.”
“Good.” Her eyes roamed down, expression chilling further. “Who are those for?”
“These?” Ivan glanced down at the bundle of small sunflowers, tied with ribbon. “For you, of course. A belated get well present.”
The icy look thawed, just a little, and Natalia reached out to accept the flowers. “Thank you, brother.”
Ivan nodded, and his younger sister turned to leave. He sagged in relief once he was alone. Now he'd have to stop at the flower shop again...
He had business to take care of first, though. Toris and Eduard emerged from a nearby hallway together, looking grim, nodding to Ivan when they approached. Ivan was already thoroughly armed—as he usually was—but Toris carried his pipe, which he handed over. Gripping it, Ivan smiled darkly.
The trio turned and walked out the front door, toward the waiting limo.