Irresistible Love

32 | Set-Up

Nikolai's POV:

I felt a rush of pain rise up my body, as Anthony struck a punch on my cheek.

I immediately responded with a right hook to his jaw.

But I didn't get a groan from him. Instead, I received a determined smirk.

After we threw punches for a few hours, we finally decided to call it quits.

****

We sat at the bench as we began to pack up our things.

"You have been getting soft, Russo. What the hell has been going on?" Anthony said cheekily

I rolled my eyes. "If anything, you should go look in the mirror because I am pretty sure you are talking about yourself, Brown."

Anthony chuckled as he wrapped his towel around his neck.

"Yeah, right. It's been a while since we have been at it. So, I will give you that."

I narrowed my eyes. "That doesn't mean anything, jackass."

He couldn't help but chuckle as he stood up and wrapped his gym bag around his arms.

"How is it going with finding out about the break-in?" He asked.

I glanced up as I suddenly felt my heart drop. With the past couple of days, the break-in wasn't even on my mind.

But to be honest, it should be. It should be one of my number one priorities.

But it wasn't. I had men searching for answers, and so far, there have been no leads. But no matter what, I would find out SOMETHING. Whoever this person who tried to attack me or Ellie would pay. And I don't plan on giving up either.

"Fine. I have my men searching for some answers." I said as I stood up as I grabbed my duffel bag firmly in my grip.

"Ah. So you are giving up then."

I looked back at Anthony once more as my eyes narrowed. "Who the hell said that?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he took a big chug of his water. "I don't know, man. Normally, you are all over something like this. But now, you don't seem to be so focused on it."

Yes. Because I have been focused on your sister.

"I just have a lot of things going on right now." I lied.

I felt my skin begin to itch as I said yet another lie to him.

I hated lying to Anthony, especially when it was about his own blood. I considered him to be my brother. A guide. A leader. Hell. We both have helped each other on many different occasions.

Which is why lieing to him now, hurt like a mother fucking bitch.

"Like what?" He responded in a little more of a meaningful manner.

I groaned. "Things with my family."

Technically, that wasn't a lie.

But, the reason why I wasn't so focused wasn't because of my family. I mean, don't get me wrong. They can all be assholes. But they weren't the reason why I had been so distant.

It was because of Ellie.

Ellie. God. Just even thinking about the first letter of her name made me hard.

She made me soft. And the old me would have said hell with that, and I would have left her ass to the curb, because anything that would have ruined my reputation or my demeanor was a threat.