Page 87 of Nemesync
“Okay, okay! I’ll talk. Promise—just promise me you won’t do to me like you did to the others.”
Elijah released his grip, a fearful spark of the flames of hell in his eyes, “I don’t know. Depends on what information you give us and depends on her too.”
23
ZANAE
After that night, everything happened very quickly.
Alonzo was detained in a place close to the penthouse where guards were waiting for us at the entrance. I know he was tortured, and God knows what else in that garage, and I didn’t care, if he suffered, it brought me more silence in my head.
During the first few days, Elijah was always busy with Niko; the two spent their time where he was held up and always came back home covered in blood everytime.
Elijah didn’t say much, and I didn’t need him to say anything. He was different. Darker somehow.
One day I was in my thoughts and he just touched my nape. But I wasn’t myself and tears flowed down my cheeks unconsciously.
I couldn’t help it and I hated it.
It wasn’t him; I was the one with no control over my own mind.
They spent hours trying to extract information, mapping out the network of activities that led Alonzo to Luna and me that night, but it was all in vain. The only thing he said and confirmedwas that Naevio’s father was still one of the heads of it. That bastard didn’t say anything we didn’t already know, nothing that helped us; he was useless.
I went to the place where they were keeping him, one night and I found Elijah carving something into the chest of that man without flinching while he screamed endlessly.
He plunged the blade into his flesh while casually smoking as if it were something normal. Niko smoked next to him; hands bloody too. It was both exhilarating and scary to think that they were doing this for a reason I still didn’t know. They deserved their nickname, the Venom Reapers; this duo complemented each other perfectly.
The first week passed, and I learned from Niko that Alonzo was still alive and locked up.
There were stolen moments between Elijah and me, trivial things but enough to make me feel he was there. He would simply look at me without the habitual loathing during our meetings; he could accidentally touch my hand or my back, even my arms.
We had this kind of routine set up before I had to go back to my father’s house at the end of the week. Ben and Niko would always come to have dinner with us, chatting and sharing all those nasty/weird/disgusting stories from the club or discussing the surgeries Ben had to perform and just all kinds of crazy things.
It was new to me, having people around who didn’t look down on me but rather treated me like a part of their lives.
I started to get used to it.
I started to get used tothem.
I started to get used to having afamily.
Tonight, we were having Italian dinner, and Niko wouldn’t stop going on about how Italian gastronomy was superior to everything, even though I tried to convince him that Lebanesefood was way better. “Little Z, stop this nonsense. You’re devouring that plate of pasta. How dare you say it’s not the best food ever?”
Elijah just grinned, taking a bite of his plate.
I turned to Niko and smiled, “Benny agreed with me on this, Niko. Lebanese food for the win.”
Ben laughed and high-fived me, “I’m sorry, brother, but that little thing she did the other night— hummus, right, Z? Fuck, it was so good.”
Niko shook his head, shocked and betrayed, “I can’t believe this. You’re a traitor.”
He nudged Elijah with his chin before asking, “Eli, please be by my side.”
And Elijah just took a sip of his drink before answering, “I can’t choose.”
Niko sighed in offense, “It’s too much for my heart…”
I just smiled and locked eyes with the Devil at the end of the table, lost in those eyes, lost in his presence, in that familiar comfort he offered me, even from a distance.
