Page 34 of Nemesync
Niko is not at all what I expected. He’s kind, funny, and attentive. I feel so comfortable around him, which is rare for me with men in general. He always drives me back after our sessions to make it less stressful because Elijah can be so intense sometimes… more like always.
“Okay,” I smile before stepping out of the car.
The soft jingle of the café’s door always amuses me. It’s an old sound; cliché and cozy.
Meeting Miranda after my training with the devil has become the best part of my week. June, my favorite little boy, sits at a small table, engrossed in a coloring book about…pigeons? Since when do pigeons coloring books exist?
“Hey, beautiful!” Miranda greets me, her brown eyes lighting up with affection. “The usual?”
I nod, my gaze fondly landing on my baby, June. “Yes, please, ma’am.”
Miranda prepares my coffee as I take a seat. June abandons his coloring book and toddles over to me, climbing onto my lap giggling.
I chuckle, running my fingers through his soft hair, “Hey there, Juny baby. How’s my favorite artist today?”
June beams, hugging my arm so tight, his voice so adorable and full of innocence, “Aunt Zee, fun!”
“How is it going, beautiful?” My friend asked me.
Taking a sip of my coffee, my expression darkens. “Intense. Elijah’s tough, but I’m learning a lot. We’ve got a mission coming up, and I need to be ready.”
Her brows furrow. “Zee, I get it. I know you want to bring justice to those who deserve it, but this organization… It’s dangerous. I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“I promise I’ll be careful. Elijah and Nikolai are watching my back, and you know I can handle myself.”
My friend sighs, glancing at her son. “I get it, I really do. It’s just that after what happened to me, I can’t help but worry. These people, they’re ruthless.” She whispers the next part, “And you’re training with the Pakhan, Zee, he could kill you too.”
“I know, Miranda. He isn’t that scary.”
I really know, they’ve hurt me too... The thing is, Miranda doesn’t know about my assault; she doesn’t know I’m fucking destroyed and it’s eating me from the inside. “It’s going to be okay.”
Here comes Niko, entering the café. He really is another enigma on his own. How can a man be this sweet, funny, and that devoted to a friendship with a man like Elijah, and even worse, be the head of the Cosa Nostra?
I’ve heard a lot of stories about the Don.
Torture, gruesome murders, massacres—even that. But with me, it was different. We quickly became almost friends.
“Hey, ladies,” he greets, pulling up a chair. “Mind if I join you?”
Miranda blushes slightly, exchanging a glance with me. “Not at all. Zanae was just telling me about her training. You’re Nikolai, I presume?”
He grins, leaning back in his chair. “That’s right, Nikolai Moretti,” he says, looking at her with a smile.
He returns his attention to me, massaging my shoulder. “Elijah is a tough trainer, but I’ve seen Zanae handle herself. She’s quite a beast, therefore, because of how proud you made me today by hurting Elijah with that punch, I’m going to take you out for dinner. We’re going to talk about the mission. It’s in a week.”
“Lucky me.” Turning my gaze on Nikolai, I ask, “Do you have details on that or not yet?”
He scratches the back of his neck. “I have details, but the thing is, you’re ready for the most important part and I think that the training will just be a bonus. You’re good, Zanae, we’re just being cautious.”
Miranda’s cheeks turn a shade of pink; she’s flustered by Nikolai’s presence. Note for myself, keep an eye on these two. “I-I mean, he’s right. You’re impressive, Zee.”
June pipes up from my lap smiling and grabs my hand to lift them up in the air, “Zee strong!”
I chuckle, ruffling his beautiful blond hair, “Smart boy. He’s not my favorite little human for nothing. Knows a good team when he sees one.”
The night falls, and I prepare myself for the evening ahead. Stepping out into the cool air, I notice my father, waiting by his car, a stern expression etched across his face.Oh, fuck. We have a wedding to attend tonight, and I forgot about it.
“Zanae, we need to talk,” he says, putting his phone away.
