Entertainment | Marquis De Gramont

Ego

An hour later she returns to the stables, taking her place next to her husband silently. He gazed at her for a moment, smiling at her work attire.

"I still feel..." He puts his arm around her waist, pulling her to him in a hug.

"I know, my love." They stay silent as he nods to Chidi to bring the Tracker to them. They stand side by side now gazing at one of the horses.

"And you are?" The Marquis questions.

"Nobody." Nova scoffs, but stays silent, beginning her approach to the man as Vincent berates him for his feigned mysteries.

"I will ask you this only once. How were you able to locate him?" Nova stops walking as Vincent gets into arms reach of the man, an unspoken rule that did not have to even be thought about until some sleazy hired assassin grabbed her ass, and lost his head in the same minute.

"Pay and I'll tell you." Of course, as usual. Vincent and Novalie share a look. So predictable.

"How much would such a service be worth?" Vincent asks. The man makes his demand and Novalie laughs.

"We found him once. We'll find him again." Vincent walks back to her and they turn to leave.

"Is that before or after he puts your wife in the ground?" They both freeze. Vincent in anger, Novalie in... disbelief of the balls on this guy. He's not walking away from this unharmed. They both turn back around. Before Vincent orders him to the guillotine, Novalie speaks.

"20 million." Mr. Nobody tries to approach her while speaking.

"I'd like me some more, 23." He's stopped by Vincent's hand.

"Ego, Mr. Nobody." Vincent smiles grimly.

"It's 23, you clearly can afford  it." He sneers at Vincent's clothes. Nova picked that outfit, thank you very much. Vincent goes to "shake" his hand, before grabbing it roughly, slamming it on a nearby barrel, and piercing it with his knife. The dog starts to growl. Chidi pulls out his gun and the man quickly shushes her. Nova takes Chidi's gun out of his hand and puts it in her own holster on her thigh, humming to herself about the possible amount of blood on the floor.

"What the fuck is this, man?" Vincent gives him a choice, speaking sharply as he holds the knife onto the makeshift table. Nova hears a whisper beside her.

"You've got some drool o-"

"Shh!" Chidi takes a step away. The man makes his choice, and Vincent shakes his hand in the end. He wipes the blood off of him before leading his wife into their house. They walk into their room.

"I'm sorry, Vince. I thou-" He shushes her by grabbing her shoulders and shaking his head.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, my love. He was just as you told me he would be. I had no surprises." He lets her go and starts to take off his jacket, leading her into their closet. She takes off her work attire and they put on comfier clothes, with no more engagements that day, they had decided to spend the day inside.

"You certainly surprised him, though." She teases. Vincent turns to her with a smirk and no shirt.

"I knew it." His epiphany brings a smile to his face.

"What?" She turns and walks to their bed.

"You get off on me shedding blood, don't you?"

"No."

"You do!"

"Just get over here!" They share a laugh.

Later that night, Vincent and Nocalie lay together in bed silently. They had been talking endlessly for hours and were now just enjoying each other's presence.

"The next place Caine goes, I want to tag along again." She suddenly says. Vincent sighs heavily, sitting up and shaking his head.

"Are you ready for that? To meet him?" He asks, moving himself to lay in between her legs, his chin on her stomach. She closes her eyes. He knows her so well.

"I want answers that only he can give." Vincent sits in silence, occasionally nudging his face onto her stomach in thought.

"And that will be all?" He finally asks.

"That will be all." He nods.

"I would never stop you from doing what you feel you need to do." His eyes change then, a looks she doesn't see often on her husband shows, fear.

"I can't lose you, Novalie." He pleads. She brushes his hair our of his face.

"I won't put myself in danger. Unless he has the mind to kill his own daughter. Which I'm hoping is improbable." She assures, shifting from the sudden squeeze her husband gave her.

"I made something for you too." Nova reaches to her iPad. Vincent pushes himself onto his elbows in curiosity. She turns the screen towards him with a smile. His eyes light up at what he sees. He scrolls through videos of her dancing, all in different costumes of his favorite colors.

"When did you make these?"
"I've been doing them every few weeks so you'll have something to entertain you while I'm away." Vincent groans and drops back onto her stomach.

"It is like your Boudoir shoot all over again."

"Vincent!"