Dropping their suitcases by the front door, Kaoru and Coco collapsed onto the sofa in the living room. Kaoru's phone buzzed with a text notification. Tiredly he pulled it out of his pocket to read the message. Groaning, he declared, "We should have taken Marinette up on her offer to stay with her a few days."

Coco murmured, "Why do you say that? I thought we were going to just get settled here." She curled into Kaoru side, fighting to keep her eyes open.

Leaning his head against the back of the sofa, he replied, "That was a message from our housekeeper. She had a family emergency in Genoa and won't be back until next week. She didn't know we were coming early so she gave the rest of the staff the week off as well."

Reaching up to caress her husband's face, Coco said, "We can handle it."

"But there is no food in the house and I'm starving," Kaoru moaned dramatically, flopping onto her shoulder.

Pushing him off playfully, Coco assured him, "Then we can head to the deli we like. It's just down the street." She kissed the tip of his nose. "Even though the trip was exhausting, we can make it a little longer." She stood up and held her hand out to pull Kaoru to his feet.

After trying to pull Coco back down onto the couch and her resisting, Kaoru finally got up and followed her back to the front door. When they opened it, they were surprised to find a security guard standing in their way.

"Is there a problem?" the officer asked.

"No problem. We were just going to head to the deli to get something to eat," Kaoru replied.

Frowning, the guard responded, "It would be better if you were to give me your order and I'll send another officer to pick it up."

Kaoru tensed at the suggestion. "Is there some reason we shouldn't leave the house?"

The officer considered for a moment before explaining, "For the past three weeks, there have been some suspicious characters loitering around several fashion houses, fabric warehouses, the airport, and even here at the villa. Your security detail noticed the one from the airport followed you here and is sitting in a car just down the street. We have a detail continuing to watch them, but their intentions are unclear at this time."

"They could just be reporters trying to get a scoop on our next line," Kaoru said with a shrug.

Coco tensed and curled into his side. "Or it could be related to those incidents Marinette and Adrien were telling us about."

Looking down at his wife, Kaoru conceded, "You could be right. Let's not take any chances." To the security guard he said, "Give us a couple minutes to write down our order."

"Take your time," the officer assured him. "The house detail is still in the garage unloading the rest of your luggage."

"Then be sure everyone gets something, and have it put on my account," Kaoru instructed as he and Coco handed him the note with their order.

While they were waiting for the detail to return with dinner, they cuddled up on the sofa and talked about plans for the next week. "Should I call an agency to get some temporary help?" Kaoru asked.

Coco practically purred as she replied, running her fingers down his chest, "No, I'd prefer we have the place to ourselves. It's not like we need someone to take care of us." She shifted to straddle his lap and kissed him deeply.

Pulling away panting after the intense kiss, Kaoru stammered, "Wow, you present a compelling argument." Then he leaned up to kiss her again, more tenderly than passionately this time. He was about to say more when there was a knock on the door and a security officer came in carrying a box with their order from the deli.

Blushing as she shifted off Kaoru's lap, Coco stammered, "That was quick."

The young security officer's eyes flicked away from the couple as red spread up his cheeks toward his ears. "Um, your dinner is here," he choked as he held the box at arm's length. He darted out of the room as soon as Kaoru reached for it.

Lunging to catch the box before it hit the floor, Kaoru chuckled playfully, "You'd think he'd never been around a married couple before."

Kaoru leaned against the kitchen cabinet as he and Coco reviewed the shopping list, they were putting together for security to pick up for them. "Should we have them pick up something from the deli for breakfast?" he asked as his stomach growled.

"I'd prefer something from that bakery near your design studio," Coco responded, standing on her tiptoes to kiss her husband while pressing her hands against his chest for balance.

Drooping against her, Kaoru groaned jokingly, "I don't think I can last that long." He snickered as Coco slumped beneath his weight.

She was about to let him drop onto the floor when she was startled by a knock at the front door. "Who could that be?" she asked curiously.

Straightening abruptly, Kaoru stepped between his wife and the door. "I won't let them get you," he declared, paranoia coloring his tone. His jaw was set, and a determined scowl pulled his eyebrows down.

"What are you talking about?" Coco gasped. "Let who get me?"

The sound of voices carried from the front door though not the words. The tones were light and pleasant, so Kaoru relaxed minutely. "I didn't sleep well last night because I had a nightmare that the stalkers broke in and attacked us. They dragged you away as they left me for dead."

Pressing her forehead against his shoulder, Coco murmured, "Everything will be fine. Security would never let anything like that happen."

While they were distracted, Oscar entered the kitchen, declaring, "Mornin', Boss and Mrs. Boss." The bakery bag and drink tray he had been holding up like trophies slowly sank to counter level. "Um, did I interrupt something?" he asked tentatively.

Kaoru sighed. "No, I'm just being an idiot. A vivid nightmare from last night has me on edge this morning."

While the men were talking, Coco looked at the items Oscar brought. "You brought us breakfast from that bakery near the design studio?!" she squealed. Pulling the drinks from the tray one by one, she silently read the names. Finding the one with her name, she took a sip and moaned in pleasure.

Kaoru's head whipped around at her exclamation. "Hey, I'm the only one who's supposed to make you moan like that," he teased, reaching for the cup facing him with his name on it. He eyed Oscar suspiciously. "You're not trying to seduce my wife, are you?"

Holding his hands up as a shield, Oscar took a step back. "Boss, you know she's not my type." His eyes flicked back and forth between the couple.

Laughing, Kaoru picked up the third cup and handed it to Oscar. "It's just so much fun to mess with you." Taking another sip of his own cup, he remarked, "Thanks for bringing breakfast. I was starting to feel faint, and security isn't allowing us to leave the house right now."

Oscar paused with the cup halfway to his mouth. "I hope they'll let you head to the office. I have all the information gathered that you asked for…and then some."

The trio jumped as the security guard said from the doorway, "The transport can be ready to leave in half an hour. I'll meet you at the back door. You can give me the shopping list then." He turned and headed toward the garage.

Pointing with the hand holding his cup, Oscar muttered, "Did anyone else find that kind of creepy?"

Kaoru shrugged. "I think all of Kyoya's security firms specialize in that kind of 'shadow' tactic. It makes sense since he was the Shadow King…actually he still is."

Coco giggled as she set her cup on the counter and started rooting through the bag of pastries. Selecting a pain au chocolat, she took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. "Not as good as Tom and Sabine's, but it'll do."

They chatted about inconsequential matters as they ate their pastries and sipped their coffee. Coco took a few minutes to read through the grocery list to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything. None of them jumped when the security guard tapped on the kitchen doorframe near the back door.

"Transport is ready when you are," he stated, standing at relaxed attention.

Kaoru gathered the cups, tray, and bag to dispose of the debris from their breakfast. "Ready," he replied as he closed the lower cabinet door hiding the garbage can.

The drive to the design studio was silent. The driver was focused on the road and the other three were watching out the heavily tinted windows to see if they could spot any of the stalkers they had been briefed about.

Despite heavy traffic, they arrived in under twenty minutes. When security parked the transport in back near the loading dock and turned off the engine, Kaoru looked at him questioningly.

Indicating Oscar, the guard said, "He mentioned information that he had gathered in a conference room. I would like to see if he's discovered anything new that I should relay back to headquarters."

Oscar preened at the implied praise in the security man's comment.

"Valid," Kaoru agreed. "Just give me a minute to check in with the receptionist. I'd rather not scare her out of her wits because we came in through the back."

"No flirting," Coco called after him mischievously. She smirked as she gestured for Oscar to lead them to the conference room.

Oscar flung the door open dramatically and said, "Tada." The walls were covered in photographs. The table was littered with what appeared to be invoices, contracts, design specifications, fashion magazines, and handwritten notes.

Coco started to the left of the door, examining the photos with interest. Pointing to what appeared to be a breakfast meeting in a restaurant, she turned to Oscar and asked, "Is that Gabriel?"

Nodding in confirmation, Oscar answered, "It is. The funny thing is that his online status claims that he hasn't left Paris in months. But that was just last Thursday." He stood next to Coco and pointed to another diner at the table. "Recognize Audrey?"

"Wait, she made a statement just last month that she would not be traveling outside of New York until next year," Coco exclaimed, practically pressing her nose against the photo to get a better look.

The security guard had started to examine the photos beginning on the other side of the door. He tapped several images with the top of his pen. "These four are among those we've tagged as stalkers." Making a few notes on the pad in his hand, he asked, "Can I get copies?"

"Actually," Oscar remarked, leaving Coco's side and heading to a file cabinet in the corner, "I have a file with a copy of everything in here, hardcopy and electronic." He pulled out a manilla envelope and handed it to the security guard. "There's also a set of copies in the safe at the warehouse, just in case."

Glancing through the contents before refastening the seal, he nodded. "Good job."

All heads turned as Kaoru entered the room and whistled. "You weren't kidding when you said you had the information and then some." He turned as the security guard cleared his throat. "Yes?" he inquired with a quirked eyebrow.

"I should get this information to headquarters as soon as possible," he stated succinctly. Fixing the couple with a stern expression, he ordered, "Do not leave the offices here for any reason. Have lunch brought in. Either I or another guard from the firm will transport you back to the villa. If you are ready before someone comes, please call the office."

Kaoru gave him a sloppy salute and Coco giggled at his antics as she nodded in agreement.

After the security officer left, the trio spent the next few hours discussing all the evidence Oscar had gathered. They used their phones to magnify some of the photos for greater detail and noted that the heads of every major fabric supplier in Milan were at the breakfast meeting with Gabriel and Audrey, as well as representatives from suppliers throughout Europe.

Tapping the photo that showed most of the faces of the diners, Coco asked, "Just how did you find out about their meeting? It looks all the world like they are colluding to fix prices, or availability, or something."

Oscar chuckled. "One might call it a happy accident. I stumbled into that restaurant after a thirty-six-hour designing trance. I was absolutely starving, and they were the closest place that was open." He pulled out his phone and laid it on the table. "After ordering, I put my phone on the table so I could record some notes to myself about ideas that popped to mind. It wasn't until I was listening to my notes later that I found out I had accidentally recorded most of the conversation at the next table, where the group was meeting."

As the recording started to play Kaoru and Coco were shocked to hear plans to divert fabric shipments and tell the original purchaser that the items were on backorder before informing them at the last minute that the order had been cancelled. There were instructions from Gabriel and Audrey to interfere with fabric availability for Marinette.

The cold laughter of one of the suppliers sent a chill down the spines of the trio listening. "It's so much fun to claim she cancelled an order at the last minutes, charge her the cancellation fee, and then sell the fabric at a premium to another fashion house who thinks they're getting a deal."

Kaoru growled. "That's exactly what happened during Rene's birthday visit. I cannot support businesses that are so…crooked." He curled his hands into fists and struck the table in frustration.

"But what can we do?" Oscar asked. "That meeting included representatives from every major fabric distributor in Europe."

Grinning shrewdly, Coco said, "Then maybe we should start supporting the minor distributors or small businesses."

With a gasp, Kaoru's eyes lit up. "That is a good idea…and the start of a great one." He pulled out his phone and started scrolling through his contacts. While waiting for the contact he dialed to answer, he looked at Oscar. "Can we get enough fabric from smaller vendors for the next season or two?"

Oscar shrugged. "I can start asking around to check quantity, quality, and availability." He paused before adding, "I have a feeling that we might find some untapped wealth in those areas."

"You do that," Kaoru remarked, then his attention was drawn to the person who answered the phone. "Hey, Fuyumi, do you have any land left from taking down Mikoshiba?"