Chapter Eighteen

•Previously•

"Mamma? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to spend time with you."

"How much do you need?"

"This is not why I'm here Nikolàs. I have a family now. A son, your brother."

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•Now•

°Nik's POV°

I scoffed and threw all the things on my table to the wall. "A brother?! Is that what you're here for?! Telling me to accept a stranger so he belongs somewhere?! What about 'your' family huh, is it not enough?!"

"That's not what I mean Niko. You know my husband has just started his own company, it's still small. We need investment, connection. And you're the one Niko, you can help us. We can join our family together. It's good for Silas, he is still a baby and he needs diapers, milk, clothes. He needs all the support we can give! We're not rich like you are. We're not poor either, we just need a little more money so we can build a bigger house and move somewhere better for Silas but if it's not possible then please Niko, accept him and let him live with you." She stopped.

"And here I thought for once you'd think of how I feel." I stood up and swallowed the lump in my throat and keep my anger at bay. I can't lose it. I can't let my anger win. It's not worth it.

"I do! I always think about how you feel, I didn't think twice before coming here to tell you this because I care about you, I want you to meet your family, he's your brother! You've always wanted a sibling Niko and now you have him. Please Niko, please consider it. I'll bring him to you tomorrow. Once you see him, I'm sure you'll change your mind. He's so cute and tiny, just like you were. Niko!" I slammed my office door close and walked past everyone who tried to talk to me. A few seconds pass by and I'm still walking upstairs, heading to my room.

I could hear her from here, her heels were loud. She was running behind me. "Niko!" I strode faster to my room, when I reached, Laine was on the door, her eyes were red and puffy. She cried.

"Laine?" I placed both my hands on either side of her arms. She looked up, our eyes met and hers were teary. "What's wrong? Laine?" She stilled. She slapped my hands away and walked down the hall. "Laine, where are you going?" I rushed to reach her. "Laine, tell me what's wrong?" I stopped in front of her, preventing her from going anywhere. "Laine!" She flinched and I was mad at myself for raising my voice at her.

"Niko!" My mother yelled from the end of the hall and ran towards me. "Please listen," She shifted her eyes to Laine for a while before saying, "Let's talk in private please?" She grabbed my hand and tried to pull me with her.

She failed. I stood with both feet on the ground.

"Go home, I'm done talking." I said with finality.

"But Niko,"

"Laine." She ignored my call and walked past me. "Wait, Laine."

"Niko, do you care more about this whore than your brother? Is this more important?" She asked sternly.

"Yes! Yes, this is fucking important because it's about someone I love and not a fucking stranger! And don't you dare call her names!"

Laine stopped in her track and turned back to meet me. "You love me?" She asked.

"Yes I do Laine, you know I do."

"If you do, you wouldn't lie to me." She sniffed and wiped away a tear. "If you love me you wouldn't do that!" She yelled at me for the first time. "You wouldn't kill my father!" She pointed her finger to the ground.

"Who the fuck told you that Laine?" I furrowed.

"Is that not true? Did you not kill him?" She calmed and I knew she was hoping I didn't.

"I did Laine, but there's a reason why." I sighed.

"Niko..." I ignored my mother's call.

"Let me explain baby. Please." I begged her.

"I'll let you explain Nik, we'll talk. But for now, let's take a break." She muttered.

"No Laine, don't..."

She shook her head and entered her room.

"Laine!" I knocked on her door.

"Niko, this is more important!" My mother urged.

"This is what you mean when you said you care how I feel? You care only about money! Money! Money! I'll give you fucking money and don't contact me again!" I took out my credit cards and placed them in her hand. "Here take these! These are what you wanted right? It's all yours! Now get out!" She pushed them back to me.

"I don't want any of this Niko, I just want you to be in his life! That's all! So please! Meet him once! I'll bring him to you tomorrow." She hung her bag on her wrist.

"Don't ever come back." I declared.

"Don't be fucking stubborn Niko!" She yelled.

Laine's crying could be heard from outside, it was louder than before. "Laine, are you ok? Laine!"

"Let her be for one second and listen to what I say Niko!" My mother yelled again.

"Fucking stop!" I yelled back. "You want to bring him? Fine, bring him. No matter what, I won't accept him. Understand that!" I called security and let them show her out. Fucking hell.

"Laine open the door baby, please!" I knocked repeatedly. "Laine, I'm coming inside." I busted the door. The bathroom door was wide open and the lights were off. "Laine what are you doing?" I said after I turned on the lights. "Drop that!" I hurried to her and threw away the razor blade. "Laine" I said lowly.

"I hate myself, they argued because of me! I hated it!" She sobbed louder.

"Baby, what are you talking about?" She held her head with both hands.

"I hate when they yell! I hate it!" She repeated again and again while closing her ears and shaking her head.

"I'm so sorry baby, if this is because of the argument with my mother, I'm so sorry. No more yelling okay? Come here, sweetheart." I hugged her tightly as she sobbed.

"I hate myself." She hit her head with her hands.

"Baby, baby don't do that. It's not your fault." I rubbed her arm up and down. "It's not your fault sweetheart." I combed her hair with my fingers and shushed her, still sitting on the floor. "Let it out baby, how long have you been keeping this inside hmm?" She cried her heart out and I let her. I'll hold her, always.

♪

We were now sitting on my bed, Laine was still crying but it died down a bit.

"Do you want spicy chicken wings?" I queried while caressing her hair.

She sniffed and shook her head, staring at the wall.

"What if I cook you some gazpacho?"

"I'm not hungry. You haven't told me why." She looked at me with puffy doe-eyes.

"He stole from me Laine, not just once or twice. He also killed my men. Justice needs to be served, but I'm sorry for killing your father." I apologized and kissed her cheek, she let me.

"I know that he did some bad things, I just, let's not talk about it." She sniffed softly and I nodded, "I'm actually kinda hungry, if you don't mind I want spicy chicken wings and a large bucket of strawberry cheesecake flavored ice cream." She shooed me away with her eyes. Unsure what to do, I nodded and tip-toed my way out of the room.

After a while, I lightly knocked on my bedroom door and opened it. Peeping inside, I saw Laine laying down on her stomach with her limbs spread out. Stepping inside, I placed the food on the table near the sofa and strutted beside her. "Laine?"

Her eyes were closed and her lips slightly parted. "Baby?" I called. She didn't respond to me, so I assumed she's asleep. "The food is ready, I'll put them on the table, ok?" I whispered in her ear even though she probably can't hear me right now. Kissing her temple I fished out my phone to make a phone call.

I sat on the edge of the bed and dialed my agent's number. "Ciao Romano."

"Mr. Russo, he's on the run. He knew we've been following him." Romano said, panting.

"Did you plant the device on him?"

"We did, but he destroyed it."

I frowned, "All of them?" I tapped my foot on the floor anxiously.

"All of them sir." Romano breathed out.

"I want you all to work on plan b."

"You got it, sir." He hung up.

I got another call after. "Jaylen."

"Don, we're going to start soon. All members are here and we're testing them in 10 minutes." Jaylen whispered.

"I won't be there, I have things to take care of. I trust you Jaylen, don't disappoint me by helping the rat escape."

"I won't let you down Don." I hope you won't. I ended the call.

I bent my head down and gripped the phone in my hands.

I felt the bed dip behind me and I glanced back to see a sleepy Laine laying her head on my shoulder. Her presence was calming and I loved that about her.

I rubbed her rosy cheek with my fingers, she smiled. "Did you take a nap?" She hummed. "Look there." I pointed with my forefinger at the table and she beamed happily.

"Thank you." I nodded at her.

"Anything for you." I murmured under my breath. She stopped and turned to me. She smiled a little.

"Bon appetit." She said before taking a bite.

"Bon appetito bebè."

Suddenly, she shoved the chicken in front of my face. "One bite." She fed me.

"Two." I negotiated.

"One and a half." I agreed and took a large bite of it. "Hey!" She bumped our shoulders together. "Just a tiny bite."

"Too late." I chewed. She pouted. "I'm sorry."

"Ok." She grinned and continued eating.

So adorable.

"Laine?" I called.

"Yea?"

"Do you know who stabbed you?"

She stopped eating, knitting her brows, "I don't. She was wearing a mask."

"She?" I questioned.

"I saw her hair. It was blonde and when she called my name she sounded like a woman. Her figure looked familiar to me. But I can't figure out who." She gulped.

"Ok, I'll look into it baby." We ate in silence and after a while I asked what's been on my mind. "Who told you about me killing your dad?" As far as I know, nobody would give out information like that.

"I overheard the girls talking."

"Who?"

"Veronica and her friends."

She's up to something, I have to find out what.