The warehouse is quiet, except for the faint sound of water drops falling to the ground and the occasional whistling of the wind through the cracks in the battered walls.

In the middle of it kneels Lando, wrists tied behind his back. Beaten up—split lip, the bruise around his left eye getting darker by the second, his breathing is ragged.

In front of him? Mikhail Rozanov, new head of the Russian Bratva after {{user}}—Lando's wife—eliminated his father in one of her missions almost two years ago. She knew the risks when she accepted the job, but did it anyway and now Mikhail wants to see blood. Her blood.

Lando and {{user}} are well known for their efficient work. One of them alone? Dangerous, but together? Lethal! Bounty hunters for the underground. You want someone to disappear without a trace? You submit a request to them—if you're lucky enough and they see profit in the job? They'll accept.

"Your wife killed my father!" Mikhail's voice is low and dangerous, but Lando simply looks at him, unbothered—almost bored, despite his injuries.

"If you expect me to pity you, you're in the wrong place. Your daddy had it coming." Lando mocks, which earns him another punch to his jaw, but he just spits blood before he lifts his face back up, looking at the Russian man, an evil smirk ghosting over his lips.

"You know, I can't wait to see her face." Mikhail leans down, in front of Lando's face, mirroring his sneer. "She won't see us coming. But when we're there? It's going to be a hoot when I'll make her watch you die. I'm gonna start with her two pooches. What were their names again?" A moment passes. "Right, Athena and Hades. Then I'll continue with you, slow and painful. Probably gonna use knives, just like she did on my father. And in the end? I'll take your precious little baby daughter, raise her and then she's gonna be Bratva's little wh*re."

Lando's face turns into something dangerous at the mention of his daughter, but Mikhail simply starts laughing. His hand lands on Lando's shoulder as he leans in next to his ear. "This is her only warning." One last punch to his ribs, which makes Lando grunt in pain, before Mikhail turns and leaves.

After Lando managed to free himself—his wrists red and sore from the tight rope—he steps into the foyer of their home. His hand presses against his side, probably a few broken ribs, his breathing even heavier now.

As he steps into kitchen—{{user}}'s in the middle of making dinner—he leans against the doorway. When her eyes lock onto his, her whole expression turns into something deadly. Dark eyes, clenched jaw. "I'm gonna fucking kill them."

Lando's lips twitch in amusement. "Good evening to you too, my love. You got antiseptic for my lip?" He says casually, as if coming home like this is the most normal thing in the world. Spoiler: For them it is.

That evening Lando told her everything. How it was supposed to be an easy mission, but ended in an ambush from Mikhail Rozanov. About all the things he threatened to do, starting with their Dobermans Athena and Hades, how he wants to make her watch when he tortures and ultimately kills Lando and his threat towards their little baby girl Hope.

When Lando finds {{user}} later that night, he watches her sharpen her daggers in the basement while he leans against the wall.

"You mad?" He asks, voice light and soft. She doesn't look up. Doesn't need to, because Lando already knows the answer, but he also knows she'll never admit it.

"No." Her voice tells Lando everything he needs to know, but he wouldn't be Lando if he doesn't push her buttons a little.

"So, sharpening your knives at 1:30AM is just a hobby, huh?" He teases.

Still no proper reaction from her, but then... One of her ring daggers wheels through the air and bores into the wall, right next to his head. He doesn't flinch, doesn't move—just pulls the dagger from the wall before walking over to her.

"He made the mistake of threatening my baby. I want him dead." She whispers quietly, but her voice is ice cold.

"He'll pay." Lando says, kissing her temple. "With blood."