Little Mafia Boy (BoyxBoy) #1

Chapter Thirteen: I'm not brOKen

He constantly told himself that he wasn't lying to Nico. He was protecting him. His uncle wasn't someone max wanted to introduce Nico to. If possible, he wanted to erase all contact with his uncle before his past came to light but that was currently impossible with his sister still in his uncle's hands. It was a very complicated past that he wanted gone.

The constant beatings, the blood, the dead bodies he used as camouflage. The smell of their rotting flesh filled his nose as he started to recall the reasons he made a selfish call to runaway without his sister.

"So, we get a free day?" Sera asked bring back max from his thoughts.

"Well, Max does. Haven't you had enough free days, Sera?" Nico asked putting his fork down, "You always seem to disappear. Where the hell do you go?"

"This again?" Sera asked.

"You do understand why I'm skeptical to believe you, right? Whenever I seem to need you around, you disappear into thin air. It can't be a coincidence, can it?"

Max watched carefully. Sera didn't look visibly shaken by Nico's skeptical looks. Then again, he knew she wouldn't. She lied easily which was another reason why he couldn't trust her or think of her as a friend.

Sera sighed impatiently and said, "I was out buying you a Christmas present, jack-ass."

"A present? Why didn't you let me know before hand?"

"Kind of takes away the surprise element of a present, doesn't it? I understand why you questions my allegiance to you but, Nico, I've stayed by your side all these years. Think about it. I've had countless opportunities to turn against you and go to your brother's side. I haven't. I'm still here."

Nico didn't look convinced but he seemed to let it go. Max, however, was not going to do that. "Unless you're waiting for the perfect time to stab us in the back."

Sera looked over at max and squinted her eyes, "Why would I do that?"

"You've always seemed more fond of Elisha. You always step down immediately when he says so. It's like you're afraid of him."

"I'm not afraid of anyone." Sera said standing her ground.

Max laughed softly and said, "Right. Is that why you always put your tail between your legs when you see Elisha? I swear, if you back stab up, I will kill you myself." He said seriously. He wouldn't just sit around and allow Sera to pull Nico down.

"Woah, down boy." Nico called out as he tried to ease the tension in the room.

"Nico, sir. Your father is waiting for you."

Nico sighed and stood up, "Behave. Both of you. You're both my dear friends. I don't like fighting between us." He said turning his back as he demonstrated that he wasn't afraid of leaving his back to Sera and Max. Max was just unsure if he was leaving Max in charge of fully protecting him or whether or not Nico actually trusted Sera. He put his coat on and put his hand up without looking back, "I'll catch you two later.

Max watched as soon Nico was no longer in sight. He heard him faintly talking to his father before the front door shut. It took a while for max to realize he was alone with sera but when he turned to where she was supposed to be, she was gone again.