Unraveling Him | A mafia Story

Chapter 6 - That's what brothers are for

Nikolas's POV

My eyes traveled from the beer in my hand to Alex beside me. He took his last chug and placed the can aside, his eyes on the TV. He somehow decided to drop by unannounced as he always does and I've been contemplating on how to tell him what happened.

"Okay, what's up with you?" He asked with a loud sigh, his eyes drifting from the TV, all of his attention now on me.

I shrugged, "What?"

His eyebrows pulled closer, "You keep looking at me, and that kind of scares me, what do you want? Or what did you do?" He added, suspiciously, "You did something, didn't you?"

I sighed and leaned forward in my seat, my eyes anywhere but at him, and told him what's on my mind, "Lilly saw me," I mumbled.

When he didn't reply, my gaze drifted back to him. He stared at me confused, "Saw you? When?"

Okay, he doesn't look angry. That's a good start.

"I dropped by your place a couple of days ago, I wanted to talk to you about something, and then-" I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face, "She saw me then."

"Weird, she didn't say anything."

I smiled, "She's a smart little one," I mumbled, realizing how she kept it a secret like I asked her to.

"Uh-huh," Alex mumbled and I wondered what's going on in his mind.

"And?" He asked, expecting me to say more.

"She remembered me," I mumbled.

"I know," Alex said.

My eyebrows pulled together as I faced him, "How?"

He shrugged, "Let's just say she always asks me about her other daddy," He sighed, "Gotta tell you, if someone hears her, it may give us a gay reputation, just saying."

I fidgeted with the can in my hand, "Does it bother you?" I asked, addressing the whole calling-me-dad situation.

"Being called gay?" He asked ever so seriously, "Like I am not homophobic or anything but if I am gonna get the reputation, at least let me have it with someone better, not you, also-"

I raised my eyebrow and he paused in his rambling and shook his head, "Not really," he answered my actual question, "It did at first, when she didn't know who I was," He said, "But now, you're someone she cares about, I can't take that away from her."

It still leaves me baffled, his actions toward me, his calmness toward situations like this. I kind of need him to be angry at me again, to shout and throw in my face every wrong thing I've done to him, yet still, he's here. If I ever need him, I know that he'll be here and I don't think I deserve it.

Having a constant in my life, yeah, that's something I am not used to.

Something I am still trying to get in terms with.

Alex cleared his throat, his eyes drifting to his watch, desperately trying to change the subject, "I should head out," He started and got up to his feet, "You also have your appointment with Natalie, right?"

I shook my head, "I am not going."

He paused in his steps and his eyebrows pulled together, "Why?"

"What happened?" He added, curiously.

Silence.

He sighed, "What did you do?"

When I didn't answer again, his eyes narrowed at me, "You didn't kill her, did you?"