The Age of The Masrui

“I had to cut back on hotels on the companies card, I have money of my own, Red.”

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“She’s been an adult all of a few months and you’ve pounced on her.”

"No, no. I don't want to be in debted to you." She shook her head, leaning up to kiss her cheek gently. "Thank you though, I'll be okay. I'll negotiate the bail and then... there are charities I'm sure for lawyers."

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"She is an adult." He repeated calmly.

"If you disobey us you will regret it." Ronan hissed lowly.

"Empty threats are boring, you think I don't always get them?"

“You won’t be indebted to me, silly.” Archer rolled his eyes.

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“Barely an adult. And I imagine you’ve been helping her break a few laws with alcohol and such mm? That won’t look good to your superior.”

"These threats are just boring." He repeated, moving past them and heading into Esme's hospital room in an attempt to shrug them off.

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"Of course I will, it'll take two years at least for me to be able to pay you back aswell."

“Dont you dare!”

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“Red, I’m not gonna ask for it back.”

Just as Dale opened the door, Ronan grabbed him by his shoulder and threw him backwards - snatching the gun off his belt, flicking the safety and putting it under his chin. "I said leave my daughter alone."

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"I'll want to give it back."

(( Gotta go for a few hours - chores ))

“Ronan! Always with the fucking gun!” Bella sighed deeply.

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“You don’t have to. Consider it a Christmas present a few months early.”

"Okay, fine but promise me you won't get me anything for Christmas then?"

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"This happens often, does it?" Dale questioned, completely unphased. Doing his best not to flinch under the pressure Ronan pressed him against the wall with. "I don't want to hurt you. Move back, give me my equipment back."

Ronan didn't say a word, eyes flitting from Bella to Dale and back again to seek her guidance.

“Your lawyer is good, not good enough to get you off a murder charge of a police officer with a stolen weapon and cctv.” Bella sighed deeply.

---

“I promise.”

Ronan made a frustrated noise, shoving the gun back into Dale's hands and taking a few steps away.

Dale shook his head in disapproval, putting his gun back and brushing himself off before returning to Esme's hospital room. Closing the door behind himself.

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"Thank you..."

“No need to thank me.” Archer shook his head, kissing her gently. “She can stew in jail for a while whilst we eat mm?”

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“She’s been brainwashed by him, look at him.” Bella seethed. “He’s got into her head knowing she’s young and vulnerable.”

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Esme was curled up on the bed, pillow wet from where she’d been sobbing into it.

"He's a cocky bastard too. I don't like this. As soon as he is out of range of CCTV I am making him disappear."

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Dale moved to her bedside, reaching his hand forward to brush her hair down with a gentle promise; "They arent going to scare me away from you, Essy. We've got something special."

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Scarlett smiled warmly then and nodded, "Yes. Yes... food."

“You’ll be dead by nightfall, Dale.” Esme whispered miserably. “If you don’t walk out of here and never look back you’ll be dead. It’s over.”

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“And break her heart?”

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“You ready to go?”

"Break her heart before she gets more attached. Better the idiot die then he betray her, put her family away."

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"I'm not easily killed. That may aswell be part of the job description these days." He laughed softly, brushing his thumb against her cheek before leaning down to place his lips there a moment later. "Don't worry. I can handle this."

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Scarlett nodded.

"Break her heart before she gets more attached. Better the idiot die then he betray her, put her family away."

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"I'm not easily killed. That may aswell be part of the job description these days." He laughed softly, brushing his thumb against her cheek before leaning down to place his lips there a moment later. "Don't worry. I can handle this."

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Scarlett nodded.

“You don’t understand… my parents are right. Either they get rid of you or you’re gonna destroy our family if I stay with you… doesn’t matter if I love you.”

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“You say better to break her heart but can you deal with her never speaking to you again? I don’t know if I can.”

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“Let’s go then.”

"Destroy your family? Why would I do that - what... what does your family do, Esme?"

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"I could... I could to help her."

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"Lead the way."

Esme sniffled, shaking her head. Moving his palm to her mouth as she kissed it gently before gently pushing him away. “You need to go and pretend you never met me okay? It’s for your own good.” She whispered tearily.

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“Maybe for a little while. But in ten years time when she moves on and gets married and you’ve not walked your little girl down the aisle because she can’t stand you? When we’ve got grandkids we won’t meet?”

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Archer headed out then.

"I can't just just stand back and allow it though, not when I know jt it going to end in disaster for her." Ronan sighed, sitting down heavily.

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"No, absolutely not. This is absolutely ridiculous." Dale frowned. "You don't want this, nor do I. Your an adult, Es. You get to make your own choices, don't don't them win."

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Scarlett headed out after her, "So, is your dad still in Russia?"

(( It's finally cooled down a bit so just taking the dogs out for the first time in ages ))

“As far as I’m aware, he doesn’t exactly talk to me much these days…”

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“Please just go.” Esme sobbed, rolling over and curling in on herself.

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“We have to figure out a way around it. That’s not alienating her. Deprogram her…”

"Childish, you were out of order but he was aswell for hurting you. Both as bad as each other."

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"No, Essy... please." Dale whined.

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"And how are we meant to do that?"

(( So yeah - the drama of only one or two of then coming back from Russia, what do you think? ))

((We can go with it if you wanna))

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“My family are the next generation fucking mafia, and in the same way there’s nothing to pin on them because they’re that fucking good, just like the originals. You’re a cop. If this carries on and you manage to escape with your life then your choices will be between loving me and not hurting me by ignoring the things you’ll see and uncover, or by choosing your job and tear my family down. So leave. Just fucking leave!” Esme sobbed. “I was a stupid, silly little girl to think this could work. My parents are right. If I don’t get hurt here then you’ll end up dead so go!”

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“No… he found out about the transplant, where it came from. He’s not speaking to anyone right now… despises us all.”

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“I don’t know but to keep our daughter we will have to work it out.”

(( Just the one of them then, like the wheel said? I can spin for which one comes back and then its up to you what happened to the other two? ))

"Well then that is an easy choice for me, I can turn the blind eye. I can turn the blind eye, Esme, ignorance is bliss. I don't even work in this area, they'll never know that I know anything " Dale answered easily. "I choose you, Essy, okay?! I choose you."

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"Oh. Oh." Scarlett frowned. "Does he know you were always against all of that though?"

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"Right. Right." Ronan groaned.

“He won’t give me chance. He won’t talk to anyone.”

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“You can’t pick me after a few months over the career you’ve dreamed about since you were a little boy.”

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“We’ll work it out.”

((Sure!))