A Lifetime With You by Athrhteera

Matteo

"That's it, I've had enough of this!"

I slammed my hands on the desk as I stood up, causing Luca and Angelo to look at me. Luca was enjoying his first bite of donut while Angelo stood still near the window-they had been watching my weird outbursts for the past few days. "What are you up to this time?" Luca asked, raising an eyebrow.

My shirt had a few buttons undone and the sleeves were rolled up to my elbows, yet I didn't look like an utter mess. Ever since I last saw Alena, I was doing better than before. We had promised each other to take care of ourselves because we knew this was all temporary.

I missed my wife terribly and as I lived my days without her, it was slowly draining me.

One of the reasons why I decided it was time to go to Mikhail's mansion and seek diplomacy. I tried to come up with a plan for the past few days but nothing seemed to fit the situation. Luca had only suggested violence because he said he didn't have the patience and as for Angelo, he just wanted to make sure we were safe.

I had to keep my promise to Alena; she had wanted the issue between Mikhail and I to be solved nicely. Since she was my top priority, my life, it was the one thing I needed to do.

"We're going to see Mikhail. That's the plan," I replied.

Luca continued to eat his donut as he watched me pace back and forth. We had other things to worry about but everything else was put on hold because of this-we hadn't found the man behind Alena's kidnapping yet, we knew he was running wild and free. That was a really big issue to worry about.

Regardless of how much power I had, I wanted Mikhail and Alexei's help. It was better to gain their help because it had involved Alena's safety as well, they could find the culprit if Luca and I were unable to. However, they weren't able to find him either. "What do you want to say to him? Have you thought about that?"

"I'll just say facts. He has to listen,"

He scoffed, "What makes you think he'll listen to you?"

"Because this time... I won't be alone."

"Right, you're going in with backup?"

"I'm going to see him and the two of you are coming with me."

Angelo and Luca looked at each other before they shook their heads, as if not agreeing.

"We're not getting dragged into the whole family drama," Luca said before he put both of his hands up, leaning back on his seat. "You married the Russian, you deal with the Russians."

I sighed, "Come on, Luc."

Both of his eyes were pierced into mine as he took a few seconds to think. Luca had been with me through heaven and hell, we were almost inseparable when it came to work. I never had a bond this strong with someone who wasn't even related-1 trusted him with my own life and I knew he trusted me with his too.

"When do you plan on going?"

"Tonight. We're going tonight,"

"Thanks for the heads up." He replied, sarcastically.

0

I turned to look at Angelo who hadn't said a single word except for nodding his head. He didn't have much to say even if he wanted to, he was always like that. Sometimes I wondered if he was somehow programmed to obey but maybe, his years of training had caused him to be the way he was.

"Angelo will be driving us there. We'll go inside and talk it out," I said.

"I have a feeling you want to go inside unarmed."

"It's best to be unarmed,"

"It's best to be unarmed? Are you insane? Have you lost your mind? Your plan is to go to the Russian territory unarmed. What if they shoot our brains out?" Luca asked, clenching his jaw before he started to pace the room; he never liked to feel vulnerable. If we brought in our weapons with us, we had the advantage. However, it could ruin Mikhail and Alexei's trust because honestly, I just wanted us to talk it out and solve things like an adult instead of using violence as our last resort.

Guns and knives were fun to use if it didn't involve family or the woman I loved. It was worth risking our lives a little bit just for the sake of my wife. Besides, Mikhail wouldn't shoot me even if he had the chance, even though he already had his gun pointed at my head. "Trust me on this one, Luca. Please."

He sighed deeply before he nodded, "You owe me."

"I always do. I owe you a million times"

We had spent the next couple of hours getting ourselves ready to enter the Russian territory. I had sent a message to Alexe and he had responded with an 'OK' which was probably more than enough because he didn't have to respond if he didn't want to.

As long as the three of us could enter the mansion without being shot first, we were fine with an 'OK.

We were now in the car, stopping in front of the gate which was going to lead us straight to Mikhail's massive mansion. Angelo was the one driving while I sat at the passenger seat and Luca at the back. We had kept our guards up the moment we were given the access to enter because we didn't want any of this to be a trap.

"Slow and steady," I muttered to Angelo.

Angelo nodded, driving down the pavement.

in their

guns The great white mansion came into view and I could see a few men guarding up the entrances. They had hands, somehow acting as if we were the enemy. Technically, we weren't exactly friends to begin with me but we came with good intentions and I didn't decide to bring the other men with me.

Luca and I stepped out of the car once Angelo had parked it up front.

"Quite the in-laws you got here," Luca said with full sarcasm which I had chosen to ignore.

Alexei came out from the front door, a cigarette in his hand before he threw it onto the ground. He looked as if he had just returned from the office, his sleeves were rolled up and he had a few buttons undone. His hair was slightly messy but at least his knuckles were clean.

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I had picked up from Alena about the knuckles. She could tell if we were in a violent act by our knuckles, if they were bruised or red.

"Come on in," Alexei said before gesturing for us to

come inside.

Luca and Angelo followed behind me as we walked inside. As soon as we entered, my eyes immediately searched the house for Alena, incase she was downstairs. I didn't have high expectation on that part because I knew they could hide about our meeting from her. Alexei brought us to the living room and assured us to take a seat while he stood near the fireplace, taking a better look at us.

One of the maids in the house stepped in with a tray of glasses and a bottle of whiskey.

Once it was just the four of us, I decided to speak up.

"Where's Mikhail?" I asked, looking at my brother-in-law.

"He'll be here soon. Why? Are you in a rush?"

Both of his eyes were staring straight into my own, as if he could pierce my soul. Any other men would be terrified and scatter away but I knew men like Alexei, they held power. One of the reasons why they thought other people were scared of them. How did I know?

Because we were the same. We had our egos.

"No. Just a simple question." I replied, smirking.

"Good because you're just in time for dinner."

My eyebrows furrowed at his statement but when I saw Alena entered the room, I immediately stood up and rushed towards her. My arms were wrapped around her body, pulling her into a hug before I kissed her face a few times-I had missed her deeply and I had only realised this whole time, I hadn't been breathing.

"Alena..." I breathed, inhaling her scent.

When we pulled away, I took a better look at her.

She had gotten her cast off.

She also looked as if she was gaining back her healthy weight. Her skin was glowing as they always did before but the dark circles under her eyes were still visible, as if she had been crying. I caressed both sides of her face, missing the feeling of her skin. "Are you okay, baby?" I whispered, looking into her eyes.

Alena nodded a few times as she smiled, "I'm fine. I just really miss you,"

I pulled her in for another hug, intoxicated by her scent. We hadn't seen each other in awhile and the only thing to keep me sane was the smell of her clothes at our home, it made me feel as if she was there with me.

I knew Alexei, Angelo and Luca were staring at us but I wasn't bothered by them. Angelo and Luca probably felt sympathetic but as for Alexei, I didn't know how he felt about this. At least Alena was here in my arms instead of being locked up in her room. At least I could hold her.

"Have you been crying?" I asked, looking at her face.

"Just because I miss you."