EGO & VENGEANCE

Chapter 6

Mateo

I watch the car drive off, and I find myself wishing she was still here so we could finish what we started in the bathroom.

I can't get close to her, I promised myself I wouldn't.

Dad and mum come back to the house, laughing amongst eachother.

"What's so funny?" I ask, as they brush past me to go inside.

"Oh nothing, we just enjoyed having them over" mum smiles. She's always smiling the most when she's away from him, my stepdad.

Actually now that I think of it, I'm not sure if it's when she's away from him or when she's around dad. They still love eachother, everyone knows it, but he thinks he's keeping keeping her safe by staying away.

"Yeah, that Kelani is a nice girl" Dad says as he pulls off his neck tie and drops to the couch.

"She's alright" I say.

Dad side eyes me as I make my way to the other couch, and scoffs.

"What?"

"Boy, do you think I'm blind? Or I have selective vision?" He laughs

I shrug and lean back on the couch.

"It's nothing. Why were they here anyway, i never really got an answer"

"She wants a job"

"What- with you?"

He nods

"What could she do, it's dangerous for a girl like her"

He smirks and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"'A girl like her'?" He chuckles.

"Yeah?"

"Mateo, her uncle is Samuel Perez. He's the strongest and most dangerous in the team. And he lives with Kelani in a shifty neighbourhood with scumbag men. Do you really think he wouldn't be a little overprotective and teach her a thing or two about fighting?"

I scoff "what could she have possibly picked up to make you even consider hiring her"

"Sam said she's on his level"

I drop my cockiness, somewhat suprised.

"He never admits shit like that"

"Exactly. Must mean something"

As long as I've known Sam since he started protecting my dad, he's always upheld his title as the best bodyguard, the most skilled. He never even complimented anyone for their fighting.

"Maybe he's just saying that cause it's his niece" I say

"Why would he put his niece in jeopardy like that dumbarse"

He has a point.

"Besides," he continues "I'm probably not going to hire her anyway"

"Why not"

"What type of dickhead would I be if I put my closest friends only niece out on the field, throwing her into danger"

He leans back and sighs "I couldn't do that to him. Despite that, she's probably never been in confronting and high pressure situations like you or the others."

Mum comes over and joins dad on the couch.

"She's a great girl, I'd hate to see her get hurt" she says, taking off her heels.

Just then her phone rings, she quickly glances up and gives me a look. It's him. She's scared to answer, he doesn't know we're here.

Dad catches us and raises an eyebrow in suspicion "what's going on? Who is it?"