Page 141 of Nemesync
A few months ago, I wasn’t really sure about the timing to bring Zanae into my life. But Niko and Ben made the decision for me when we discovered that the organization was behind all those gifts I was receiving.
They never left my side. They accompanied me on her university days when she would stay alone in a park, losing herself in music or a book while gazing at the sky, sad and lonely, while I watched her and scrutinized her every move to make sure everything was okay and that she was safe.
She was 19 at the time, and now she’s 25. It’s been 6 years of pure stalking and obsession. Prior to that, there were 4 moreyears during which my best soldiers kept a close watch on her, ensuring her missions were never too dangerous.
But she always was myLittle Nightmare.
Last year, at an event, she was there with her family, looking lost and tired, and I couldn’t stop my eyes from searching for her, even Niko saw it and he said to me, “Sometimes, I don’t think your heart is capable of hating her.”
He has always been right.
When I think about it, even Benny always said that if I ever had to be with her, I wouldn’t know how to keep myself from being close to her.
Maybe they knew it before my brain even realized it.
“Eli?”
“Yeah?”
“How much do you love me?”
“Go fuck yourself, Niko.”
He leaned back in his chair, laughing as if he just cracked the best fucking joke ever, even though it wasn’t. “Listen, I just wanted to remind you, Zanae can be your romantic interest, but I’m your bro-mantic one.”
I stared at him, smiling, “You’re going to end up dead-mantic if you keep this up.”
He bursted into laughter, “You won’t kill me, you bastard.”
We sat in a comforting silence, my voice carrying a truth I never thought I would admit loudly and proudly too, “She means something to me, Niko.”
He pretended to be shocked, and placed a hand over his heart, “I might just cry right now.”
This fucking guy…I sighed. “Niko, you know what I mean.”
“Eli, she always meant something to you. She nearly killed Ava for being close to you, and you took a life for her. It was clear to everyone, I think, that you two aren’t just some kind of archenemies.”
“It’s scary. Now it’s different. You two and Ben are the only family I have.”
Nikolai, pretending to wipe away a tear, replied, “I never thought I’d see the day when Elijah Volkov admitted he has a family.”
I hadn’t either. That’s why he and Ben were the only family I’ve ever had, and now, she’s in the picture too.
“You’re fucking insufferable, you know that?”
“Hey, I’m just loving this moment right now. We should mark that day,” he said, grinning like when he was younger.
“If you tell anyone about this, I’ll make you regret it.”
“Your secret’s safe with me, Eli. Just remember, family or not, I’ll always be by your side.”
I leaned on the sofa next to him. “Then I’m okay with that.”
“Does that mean you’re okay with my tattoo proposition I mentioned last time?”
He brought up the idea of getting matching tattoos so many times.
“Which one, Nikolai?”
