EGO & VENGEANCE

Chapter 33

Mateo

It's been a whole fucking day, and Sam still hasn't told me who Kelani and Alaiyahs assaulters were.

"There's a reason she didn't tell you who the assaulters were" Sam had said.

Anything I do, I'm just thinking of who they could possibly be, to cause Kelani to feel as though she couldn't tell me.

Now I'm drying and packing dishes that Mum washes with that rosey vanilla scented dish soap she always uses. The smell reminds me of Kelani. Fucken hell of course it does.

Everything does.

"Where's dad by the way?" I ask mum, packing away a glass cup in the corner cabinet. The black marble clinking as It connects the neighbouring cabinet.

"Oh he's with James"

My hands freeze. "James? He's still here?" I grab a wet glass plate, watching mums hands scrub the wok she used to cook dinner tonight.

"Yeah, he has some sort of business to take care of and asked your father for help. Something that has to do with his late son?" She places the wok on the rack and takes off the tap. She turns to find me staring mindlessly at the dripping wet plate in my hand that I've failed to dry.

"Mateo? Something wrong?" Mum dries her hands before laying her palm on my arm. I slap back into realisation and force a smile. "Yeah I'm good"

She perks up a brow and hums questionably before walking away and flopping on the couch in the living room.

She knows I'm lying, but she won't push. She knows that James is the person on top of my list of people I can't stand to be around. She just can't seem to understand why.

His mafia and my fathers work together from time to time. They're friendly. No wars, no conflicts. Nothing. If I ever brought up what I know, it will cause a massive war that we don't need right now.

So I've just been keeping everything to myself, not intending on telling my father anytime soon.

No one knows.

Just when I thought that bloody bastard was out of my life for good, he crawled back in like the fucking cockroach he is.

The doorbell ringing causes mum to flutter to the front door. She looks through the peephole with ease, given she's fairly tall, and opens the door with a smile.

"Sam!" She beams, giving Sam a hug as he steps in before she closes the door behind him.

I dry my hands and rush to the door. Fucks sake I haven't seen him since the hospital and he told me he'll tell me everything soon.

"Sam" I greet. He turns to face me, his smile shrinks compared to the one he gave mum.

"Mateo" Sam retorts before brushing past me and placing a new bottle of wine on the counter.

"I know it's only been a day, but how's Kelani?" Mum questions, grabbing the bottle of wine and putting it in the wine cooler beside the fridge.

"She's doing good at the moment. Could be better. But good. Her mum is there with her right now"

"That's good to hear then" mum smiles, making her way back to the living room "Gabriel isn't here by the way, he's out running some errands".

With the fucking devil himself.

Sam makes his way to the back door that leads to the backyard followed by the manor. Nobody goes in the manor, it's like a guest 'house' so it's empty almost all the time.