Red.

NADIA 

"So, you have time for boyfriends, but you can't even text me back?" Zeke's voice pierced through the air, his words laced with a mix of frustration and concern. I closed my eyes, not in the mood for this conversation, but I knew I couldn't avoid it forever.

I walked into the kitchen, placing my keys on the counter and setting the pizza box down beside them. I grabbed a glass of water, my throat parched from the long drive and lack of sleep. Zeke followed me, his footsteps echoing off the tiles, but I pretended not to notice him.

"Nadia," he said, his voice softening, but I continued to ignore him. He called my name out again, and again, until finally, I stopped and turned around.

"I don't owe you any explanation, Zeke," I said, my voice firm but tired. "Whoever comes into my life is none of your concern. I have my private life, and you guys have yours, right?"

Zeke closed his eyes, exhaling slowly, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "I don't like the fact that we're fighting," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I scoffed, my eyes rolling in disbelief. "What do you expect me to do? Applaud you for being the best brother in the world by hiding a secret in order to protect me? Give me a break, dude."

Zeke's eyes opened, and he took a step closer to me. "Nadia, I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "Believe me, I'm so sorry."

I shook my head, my anger and frustration boiling over. "Sorry for what, Zeke? Sorry for keeping a secret from me my whole life? Sorry for lying to me about who we are and what we do?"

Zeke's eyes dropped, his gaze falling to the floor. "I was just a kid when I found out, Nadia. I didn't know how to process it, how to deal with it. And by the time I did, it was too late. I had already become a part of it, and I didn't want the same for you."

He took a deep breath, his words spilling out in a rush. "We're in a mafia, Nadia. That's why we've been moving around our whole lives, why we've always had to be careful. I didn't want you to know because I didn't want you to have to live with that burden, that danger. I wanted you to have a normal life, a life where you didn't have to worry about being hurt or taken advantage of."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me. A mafia? Our whole lives, a lie? I couldn't process it, couldn't wrap my head around it.

Zeke's eyes locked onto mine, his gaze pleading. "I know I should have told you sooner, Nadia. I know I should have been honest with you. But I was scared, scared of losing you, scared of what could happen to you if you knew the truth."

I felt a wave of anger wash over me, but also a deep sadness. My brother, my protector, my best friend, had been lying to me my whole life. And I didn't know if I could ever forgive him.

I smiled, feeling a mix of emotions: understanding, empathy, and a hint of frustration. It wasn't entirely his fault; he was just a kid when he got dragged into this dangerous world. That explained why he was always so adamant about me learning self-defense and being prepared for a fight. He wanted to protect me, to keep me safe from the harsh realities of our family's business.

As I hugged him, I felt a sense of forgiveness wash over me. I knew he wasn't malicious; he was just trying to survive in a world that was thrust upon him. "Don't ever keep such a secret like that from me again," I whispered, my voice muffled against his chest.

Zeke's arms tightened around me, his grip fierce. "And don't ever run away like that. You scared me," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. I could sense his genuine remorse, his regret for keeping me in the dark for so long.

As we pulled away from the hug, I shot him a playful glance. "Oh, and change your taste in women. I can't have Barbara as my sister-in-law." I teased, rolling my eyes.

Zeke's expression turned serious, his eyes clouding over. "About that," he began, his voice low and cautious. "She's crazy," he said, his words laced with a hint of fear.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Wow, took you long enough to realize that," I said, my tone light, but Zeke's expression remained somber.

"No, I'm being serious, Nadia. I'm not talking about the immature fights you guys have. I'm talking about she has serious issues." He paused, collecting his thoughts before continuing.

"We agreed to meet up, and at first, everything seemed fine. But then, she started forcing herself on me, claiming she was my girlfriend in front of a waitress who just stood there, looking at us like she was supposed to. And then, she went all bananas, Nadia. She started screaming, throwing things... it was like she snapped. I had to get out of there, fast."

My eyes widened, shock and disbelief etched on my face. "That's insane," I breathed, my mind reeling with the implications. "But that's what you get when you don't listen to your sister." I told him. 

After warming up my pizza, my brother and I decided to watch a movie together, munching on popcorn on the side. As we settled into the couch, Zeke turned to me with a curious expression. "So, who was that guy you were with?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with interest.

I rolled my eyes, feeling a familiar sense of annoyance. "Seriously? Can't I take a break?" I asked, trying to deflect the question. Never once in my life did I think I'd ever talk to my brother about boys, especially not about Elijah.

Zeke looked at me with a innocent expression, shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth. "What?" he asked, his voice muffled. "I'm just asking out of curiosity, and also because you're my sister and I don't want anybody to hurt you."

I nudged him playfully, feeling a soft spot for my brother's concern. "So serious," I teased, trying to lighten the mood.

"But for real, he's just a friend," I clarified, hoping to put an end to the conversation.

After the movie was over, Zeke took off, leaving me to tidy up the living room. As I headed upstairs, my phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out to see a call from an unknown number. I furrowed my brows but answered it anyway.

"Hey," I heard over the line, and it didn't even take me a minute to recognize Elijah's deep, smooth voice. I instinctively smiled, feeling a flutter in my chest.

"Hi," I said, not even bothering to ask how he got my number.

" Aren't you supposed to be sleeping or something?" I asked, glancing at the clock on my nightstand. It was almost 12, and all I wanted to do was pass out.

"How are you feeling?" Elijah asked, his voice filled with concern.

"Like a zombie," I replied honestly, my eyes already drooping.

"Is this your excuse for calling me?" I asked, my voice laced with amusement.

"Actually, I forgot to give you back your bio book," he said, and I chuckled, having completely forgotten about it.

"I want it back, Elijah," I said, my head already on the pillow.

"Come and get it tomorrow then,"

"Is this your way of asking me on a date, Elijah Grey?" I asked, my voice teasing, but before I could even hear his response, my eyes closed shut, and I drifted off to sleep.