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.
And back then, I really hated Ellie. She was like a pebble in my fucking shoe, she irritated me that bad. As I am sure I was the same to her.
We both were so alike, but crashed and burned when we were forced to be together.
But after spending weeks with her, and after being separated from her for a month, I realized that she was a drug to me.
Her scent, her body, her goregous brown hair, the twinkle in her eye when I stared deeply into them, her white pearls for teeth, her goregous dimples that would appear everytime she smiled, and the way she would play with her hair when she got nervous...
I would notice it all. And I would cherish it all.
And even after all that, and even after KNOWING the stakes ahead when we started this.
I would do it all over again, just to kiss those lips.
I would do it all over again, to know that she was safe and sound wrapped around in my arms.
"Like what?" Anthony immediately asked.
"Father shit." I responded almost immediately.
My face began to tense up badly, as anger began to form in my veins.
And I think Anthony noticed it, because as soon as he looked at my face one more time. He just nodded, and dropped the issue.
"Hey. I know of a way to cheer you up." He said as he patted my back.
We walked out of the boxing room, as we were now standing in the lobby.
People surrounded us, and most of them were either talking or working out on equipment.
I looked up at him as a small cheeky smile formed on his mouth.
"We need to get you with a chick."
I felt my breathing began to stop, as soon as he said that.
"What?" I asked in worry.
"Yeah! The best way to get over your problems is to distract yourself. So how about we get you a partner."
Fucking shit.
"And that blonde behind you has been eyeing you ever since we stepped out of the ring." He responded, pointing over my shoulder.
I couldn't help but turn around and stare at the woman behind me.
She was beautiful. And I would be sitting here lying if I said otherwise.
She had long blonde hair that was tied up in a simple bun, and she wore a matching pink set.
Her eyes looked me up and down as she bit her lip.
I used to be turned on by that.
I used to immediately go after a woman like that.
But as soon as I saw her, I didn't feel anything.
I didn't feel shit.
I didn't do anything as I turned my head back around and looked at Anthony with a serious look.
"I'm good." I said.
His eyes narrowed. "What? Normally, you would be all over that?"
I shook my head. "I am not in the mood to deal with a one night stand. Plus, I can't. I have the party tonight."
His eyes searched me for answers. But I did my best to play it off.
"What the fuck is going on with you?"
I growled. "I just don't WANT TO Anthony. Now fucking drop it."
He nodded slowly as he tightened his grip on his bag.
"I am concerned for you Russo. You have been acting strange. And I don't know what the fuck is going on. But whatever it is, you better figure it out, because if I know anything about you, it's that you take stuff seriously. And whatever that has got you so distracted that you can't even get a girl is weird."
He immediately walked passed with a pat on my shoulder before I watched as he exited the gym.
I glanced over and noticed the blonde was still staring at me sexually.
But I completely brushed her and her sexual intentions off of me as I walked out the door right behind Anthony.
I walked a little down the street until I reached my car, and once I did, I walked around to the driver's side and opened the door.
I hopped inside and shut the door with a slam behind me.
I threw my bag in the back as my hands immediately slammed on the steering wheel with force.
What is going on with me?
And why is Ellie this Irresistible?