Alek

Chapter 29: Alek Russo

Chapter 29: Alek Russo

Thump.

Thump. Thump.

Thump.

I've been punching the same bag for the past hour and I'm starting to grow bored. I've tried to take out all my anger and frustration onto this fucking punching bag but it's not working.

Nothing is working.

I slowly began unstrapping my gloves and toss them onto the floor. I began to pace the large training room, one of many on this hallway. Diego's in the training room with me, working his abs in the corner of the room, airpods in his ears. He's oblivious to my pacing.

Diego Vantero. This man has been my best friend since we broke each other's ribs and noses in the boy's washroom in fifth grade over who had the bigger muscles. It was stupid, but it was what led to this.

I stop pacing and turn back to my best friend and I find him admiring his biceps in the mirror along the side of the wall.

"Bro, I'm so packed," he grins, slapping his arm and looking at me through the glass. "You're so jealous."

I roll my eyes. He's a fucking idiot. "I'm not going to fight over this with you again. I value my nose."

This makes him laugh and he turns to grab his shirt and phone off the floor, "It's funny how everyone always aims for your perfect little nose. Poor Russo."

"Don't forget I broke your ribs," I poke his sweaty stomach and instantly grimace in disgust. "I can always break them again."

Diego shoves me towards the wall and I groan loudly, "Diego!"

"Save that for the ladies," he says dramatically. "Unless....of course....you want to save it for me-"

This time I shove his face into the wall.

He stops the smash of course and saves his pretty little face. He's laughing and shaking his head and I can tell he's in a horribly good mood and I can't help but wonder why.

"Isabelle?" I ask, raising my eyebrows and begin following him out of the training room. "Is that why you're so cheerful?"

"Isabelle?" he frowns. "What about her?"

"Is she the reason you're in such a good mood?"

"Nah, I dumped her."

Oh.

This time, it's my turn to laugh, "But you were groaning about her all week last-"

There's a loud ping and Diego curses loudly. I lean against the wall and watch him flip his phone in his hands to check who's messaged him.

I watch his face pale and he raises his face, eyes meeting mine, "Oooh shit."

"Who is it? Are you okay?"

"It's my aunt," he says, shaking auburn hair out of his face. "She wants me home."

"But she lives in fucking Texas," I say with a frown as he shoves his phone into his pocket. "Is it an emergency?"

Here's the thing about Diego's fucking family. They're all dead thanks to his grandfather. After his grandfather got involved in all sorts of gangs and violent mobsters, he got into shit and tried to expose them to the police. The police were smart, he wasn't and his entire family got exposed and killed off one by one. If it weren't for Diego's mother sending Diego off to visit his Aunts, he'd be six feet under and a rotting corpse right now. In fact, he'd be nothing because that was way too many years ago.