Seph leaned in slightly, his face now just a breath away from hers. His voice was softer now, teasing yet dangerous. "If you keep playing cool, Natalia, next time… you will lose more than you can imagine."
A flicker of something crossed her face, but before she could respond, the large hotel TV screens flickered to life.
As Seph and Natalia continued their verbal sparring, a sudden interruption drew everyone's attention—the massive TV screens in the hotel, showed Tony Stark in a full racing suit, casually taking the place of the professional driver he had just kicked out.
"What's the point of owning a race car if you're not the one driving it?" Tony's voice boomed through the speakers, flashing his signature smirk as he climbed into the sleek silver and red Formula One car.
Pepper's face paled, her body stiffening as she took in the sight.
"What the hell is he doing?" She muttered under her breath, fumbling for her phone.
Natalia tilted her head, just as surprised. "I had no idea about this."
Seph, on the other hand, simply chuckled. "Come on, you really thought he wasn't going to make a scene? This is Tony Stark we're talking about."
Pepper glared at him. "This isn't funny! He could get himself killed!"
Seph merely shrugged. "It's only dangerous if you're bad at it. And trust me, Tony loves proving he's the best."
Sure enough, the moment the race began, Tony handled the car like a professional, weaving between opponents with an almost reckless grace.
Everything seemed to be going fine.
Until the second lap.
Gasps erupted from the crowd as a man stepped onto the track, completely ignoring the oncoming cars.
The camera zoomed in, revealing a towering, heavily built figure in an orange jumpsuit. His hair was slicked back, his face scarred, and his expression one of pure, chilling confidence.
Before anyone could react, long metallic whips extended from the man's arms, crackling with electricity, and then—he swung.
The first whip lashed out at an oncoming car, slicing it in half as if it were made of paper. The explosion sent burning debris flying, the crowd screaming in terror.
Another car tried to swerve, but the second whip came down, splitting the vehicle clean in two.
The destruction was absolute.
And Tony?
His car was next.
Pepper's scream echoed through the hall as the TV screen showed Tony trying to dodge, but the electrified whip came down, slicing through his car like butter.
The impact sent him skidding across the track, the wreckage bursting into flames behind him.
The man—Ivan Vanko—began stalking toward Tony, sparks flying from his whips.
Pepper turned to Happy, pure panic on her face. "We need to get to him, now! Get the case!"
Happy didn't hesitate—he grabbed Pepper and Hela and rushed toward the exit.
Amidst the chaos, only one person in the hall remained completely calm.
It was Seph.
He exhaled slowly, watching the scene with mild amusement.
"Predictable."
Natalia's sharp gaze landed on him. "You knew this was going to happen."
Seph glanced at her sideways, his lips curling into a smirk. "Oh, I didn't know. But Tony is someone who attracts trouble every time."
Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away, heading toward the hotel's rooftop.
Natalia hesitated for only a moment before following him.
By the time Seph reached the rooftop terrace, he had already assembled the sniper rifle. Every motion was fluid, and effortless—like a predator preparing to take down its prey.
The moment he aimed down the scope, the chaos of the world faded. His breathing steadied. His vision sharpened. His focus locked onto one man.
Ivan Vanko.
Below, Vanko continued his slow, menacing approach toward Tony, his whips crackling with lethal energy. The smug expression on his face made it clear—he was toying with Tony.
Seph clicked his tongue. "Flexing like that in front of me? How arrogant."
Bang!
The first bullet pierced Vanko's right leg.
The Russian criminal staggered, his expression shifting from smug satisfaction to shock.
Bang!
The second bullet ripped through his left leg, sending him crashing onto his knees.
The crowd gasped.
Vanko let out a furious snarl, his body trembling in pain. He tried to rise, his whips still glowing—but Seph wasn't done.
Bang!
A bullet struck his shoulder.
Bang!
The other shoulder.
His entire body jerked with each impact, blood seeping through his jumpsuit as he let out a pained roar.
The once-menacing figure now lay completely subdued, his strength robbed from him in mere seconds.
Seph exhaled softly, his amusement growing as he watched Vanko struggle helplessly.
"Pathetic."
He reached into his pocket, pulling out a cigar box. With practiced ease, he lit one up, taking a slow, satisfying drag.
A voice behind him finally spoke.
"That was impressive."
Seph didn't turn around—he already knew who it was.
It was Natalia Romanoff.
She stepped closer, her arms crossed. "A perfect shot. No hesitation. No wasted bullets."
Seph smirked, exhaling smoke into the cool Monaco air. "Flattery? From you? I must be special."
Natalia ignored his teasing, studying him with narrowed eyes. "You're not just some mercenary. No hired gun has skills like that."
Seph chuckled, finally glancing at her. "Oh? And here I thought you already checked every database trying to figure me out."
Her expression didn't change, but he saw the flicker of irritation in her eyes. He had caught her.
"You're a mystery, Seph."
He took another slow drag from his cigar, his gaze locked onto hers. "And you hate that, don't you?"
Natalia stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
They were now inches apart, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife.
"I don't like loose ends," She murmured, her voice softer now.
Seph smirked. "Oh, trust me, Natalia. I'm far from loose."
Her lips parted slightly, but before she could respond, he leaned in.
His face was just a breath away from hers. His deep, piercing eyes held something dangerous. Something thrilling.
And for the first time in a long time… Natalia felt unguarded.
Seph's voice dropped to a whisper. "Keep acting all cool and professional… and next time, I will kiss you."
He didn't move closer. He didn't need to.
He had already gotten to her.
Then, with a chuckle, he picked up his rifle and walked away.
Natalia stood frozen, her heartbeat unsteady.
For the first time in years, someone had gotten under her skin.
And she hated how much she liked it.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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