The morning seemed like an ordinary one, like an everyday morning, nothing special about it as James opened his eyes, and even though he only slept for 5 hours, it was like he was reborn, not a single pain in his body and for a minute it seemed like all of the problems just disappeared… yeah, it was a calm morning until he felt it.
The warmth on his side, and as he turned his head, it was her, Sophia… again.
It wasn't even surprising for him, he actually expected her to come over and get into his bed… but not butt naked… well, she is Sophia, and even though she said he would kill her, she was a key player now in his game, a card that he could use, so killing her because she snuck in butt naked and lay down in the bed was not an option, but it will surely become an annoying problem if she keeps doing it, but other than that, nothing.
The house was still intact, no bomb, no shooting, no attack on it and as he got out of bed, stepping on some of Charlotte's toys, he went to the window and looked out, again, nothing out of the ordinary.
Just dozens of guards, the SUVs blocking the entrance, yeah an ordinary morning was it, with the little bit of spice that in any second something could go wrong, and well, it did go wrong because as he took those few steps, his leg started hurting again.
Fuck me… he thought as he turned around and went for the door but stopped for a second because, well… Sophia's sight was something glorious, so even though he said he would not do anything, he glanced a bit at her enjoying the view and then just opened the door and went straight to his bedroom to get some clothes.
"Should I get combat-ready or nah…" He wiped his face as he looked at his selection, and well, only two black suits and one beige-colored polo shirt were there and that's it. He bought so much stuff for Charlotte but for himself literally nothing. He stared at it a little longer, but he picked up the polo shirt and a white chino with a belt and went toward the bathroom where he left his accessories, and as he looked at it, it was just a different feeling.
The two signet rings, one resembling the family and one resembling the slaying of Marco had an invisible weight to them. The actions that took to get that ring, the actions he will need to take to get more, to build his family stronger… yeah… those rings were heavy, but on the contrary, the butterfly one was so light, and as he looked at it, every time the same picture played in his mind, Charlotte.
Her smile and attitude, the whole expression of her, was something warm and sweet. That child had her own battle, battles that she doesn't deserve to fight with, still she smiled like nothing happened.
"Hm, where the fuck do I put the gun…" He whispered once again, as now the ring was on his finger but the gun and the holster of it with the magazines, he couldn't put it away because the polo shirt was tucked in, and well, going with it was not an option. "But tucked in I look like a businessman…" He said as he stared down at himself in the mirror, and it was true, he looked like someone in the oil business, but still, his life meant more than a good look, and he just realized one more thing that Hans said to him in the beginning: Always wear a bulletproof vest.
James hated it, especially because if it was hot outside, it just made his life miserable, all the sweat and heat, but that vest could save his life and now dying would be the worst option, so he turned back, went to the wardrobe, and opened it again, and there was the vest on the lower side. He picked one up, and it was the light and slim one, enough to stop a low-caliber bullet, but anything higher than that will go through it like butter.
Still, it at least was good against pistols, so he put it under the polo shirt, and then the gun and even though the polo shirt isn't tucked in, he still looked like a businessman.
He wiped his face as he looked once more in the mirror, and after brushing his teeth, he went downstairs where there was a strange scene because he didn't expect his cooks to be up and already making breakfast for him. Like he thought the war would change everything, but looking at it, they were really bothered by it, that their life's on the line working for him.
Even though they are just private chefs, they put themselves into the crosshairs of the cartel and everyone. But they weren't worried about it, and they actually gently smiled at James as they noticed him.
"Mister Bellini, good morning." The older man said.
"Albert… what are you doing?" He asked because he thought they dipped the moment the shooting happened, and seeing them here was just surprising. "You too, Amelia and Chris."
"I don't understand your question." Albert said as he looked at the others then back to him. "We are of course making breakfast for you and the others."
"Ohh, Mister Bellini, good morning." Another voice came from the side, and as he looked at her, he got more confused because it was Alda, the housekeeper who his mom hired to help her out because just for her, the house is too big to clean out.
"Yes, mister." She said as she smiled at him while the mop was in her hand, cleaning the house, yeah, her work… to clean… what the fuck.
They noticed James's expression and lostness, and they knew he was wondering what they were doing here when they were a target too, especially now.
Yeah, they aren't dumb, they know exactly who James is now, exactly what is happening, they speak with each other, with the guards.
But still, they stayed.