There was no one making me meals. There was no one reminding me to take my shoes off when I got in the door. There was no one banging on the bathroom door when I was taking too long in the shower.

Most nights I would lie awake, listening to the echoing silence that filled the halls. There were no footsteps in the hall indicating Richard's late arrival to bed. No scent of breakfast waking me up in the morning. A house full of nothing.

Every night for the past two weeks, I'd lie in bed until the silence became too much and curled myself under a bundle of blankets on the back patio, allowing the frigid winter air lull me into a trance. I wasn't sure when the last time I actually slept was.

Dimitri politely pointed out how wrecked I looked when he brought Gianna over one morning. She jumped through the door as soon as I opened it, throwing her arms around my shoulders.

"How are you?" She asked, pressing my cheeks in between her hands. "Do you need anything?"

"I'm alright, thanks." I took her wrists, gently prying her hands away from me.

Dimitri placed his hands on his stepdaughter's shoulders. "Give him space, Gi. Would you give me and Justin a few minutes to talk?"

"Sure," Gianna said quietly, smiling up at me.

"The living room is through there, make yourself comfortable." I nodded at her, turning back to Dimitri. "We can talk in the kitchen."

I poured the pot of coffee I'd started into two mugs, sliding one across the table to Dimitri. His stance never changed. His shoulders were always stiff under his expensive suits. Like he was always braced for an attack, ready to defend. But I'd never want to pick a fight with a man like this.

He took a sip of the hot drink, trying but failing to hide his disgust. He met my eyes and politely took another sip, forcing it down.

"Sorry," I wrinkled my nose, embarrassed. "My unc-Richard always made the coffee. Actually, he always did...everything basically. But I'm trying." The word uncle was loose term now.

Dimitri smiled understandingly. "I can tell." He nodded towards the pan of burnt eggs thrown onto the counter. I'd slammed the pan down in a rage after the third bad attempt at making an scrambled eggs. Then I sat on the floor, back pressed against the cabinets with my head hung between my knees.

"I imagine you'll be receiving a ton of money in the next few months."

I shrugged. "My mom didn't have much. Anything she did have went to Richard over the years so I doubt there's anything left. But I bet he's got a lot more than he was willing to share."

"He did what he had to do." Dimitri cleared his throat. "Look, Justin, I have some important things to discuss with you."

"Alright."

"I just can't believe he's gone." Dimitri shook his head. "You know, Richard was a lot like you when I first met him. Alone, lost in life, not really sure where he fit."

"How do you know I'm lost in life?"

He chuckled, "I know a lot more about you than you think Justin."

"I bet."

"Anyway, Richard has always been like a brother to me. He was so torn between us and your mother. They were exceptionally close you know?"

My fists clenched against the table. Dimitri pretended not to notice as he took another small sip of his coffee. "Were they?" I said through my teeth. "I don't really remember my mom too well honestly."

"And how would you? You were so young when she passed. It tore your uncle apart, losing his sister and getting responsibility of you. I know you two had your differences but you have to understand, he loved you so much."

Sadness rushed all throughout my body. The hollowness seemed never-ending. "Why are you here? Why are you telling me this?" My voice was low and hoarse.

"Richard has some unfinished business with us, Justin. We can do so much for you. We can do everything we did for Richard. We can help you."

"Who's we?"

He ignored my question. "You don't realize just how much Richard sacrificed for you. I think you owe him to at least finish what he started."

"So you're asking me to join the Mob."

Dimitri just shrugged. In the few meetings I'd had with him, I knew he had a special strategy of conviction. But I guess that's what made him so marketable in organized crime. He made you feel comfortable, told you what you wanted to hear. He made you vulnerable so you felt you had no choice but to give in to him.

"And if I say no?" I challenged.

He shrugged again, "I'm not sure you want to hear the answer to that question, son." He held his mug up in a cheers gesture, taking another long sip. Gianna made her presence known then, insisting that she cook breakfast.

I felt uncomfortable while we ate. I didn't want these people in my house. I didn't even want to be in my house. I felt bad brushing Gianna off with short answers and brusque conversation. She had done nothing wrong and was just trying to make me feel better.

"We're going to go visit my stepbrother now. We should all get together for dinner one night this week. Nate is a great cook."

I forced a grin. "Absolutely."

"And if you need anything, let me know. I don't want you to feel alone in this huge house." She grabbed me by the neck, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "You're like family now."

"Thank you, Gianna. I really appreciate it."

Dimitri embraced me before they left. He pulled me closer to speak lowly and directly into my ear. "Will you me a favor, Justin?"

"I guess."

"Make the right choice." He clapped me on the shoulders. "I'm confident you will."

--

"You okay?"

I looked up. "Yeah I'm fine, why?"

Ana grinned, reaching over to hit the power button on Gavin's laptop. "You've been staring at a black screen for ten minutes."

"I'm good," I said. "Just a lot on my mind." I typed the password I watched Gavin type in from over his shoulder last week.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing, just trying to get myself back on track."

Ana frowned, "How come it seems like whenever things are going semi-well, everything gets fucked up again?" She slid a plate of grilled cheese over to me.

"Hey," I grabbed her hand to keep her from moving. "Thanks."

"It's just grilled cheese."

"No, not that. For giving me another chance. I know I've done a lot of shitty things in the past year but you've always been here when I've needed you the most."

She moved closer to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. "I wasn't there when you spent two months in the hospital."

"That was my fault."

Ana shook her head. "Let's not talk about it. We're moving forward remember?" She whispered. I felt her fingers creep up into my hair, tugging lightly. I let out the breath I was holding, pulling her into my. Our noses brushed together and I took her face in my hands.

Then the front door burst open.

"Whoa," Gavin jumped back, shutting his eyes. "Um, I know this is probably a really bad time but there's a shit-ton of groceries out here and since my apartment has somehow turned into a shelter for the needy, it'd be nice if I got some help. Then I can leave, erase this from my brain and you can go back to...whatever you guys were doing."

Ana rolled her eyes, pulling away from me. I let out another breath, my heart beating a million miles a minute. When she went to grab a few bags, Gavin gave me a fist bump behind her back.

"That's mine." Ana said when Gavin sat at the kitchen table and took a bite from her sandwich.

He shrugged. "Oops." He said through a full mouth.

She shoved him. "I'm going to work. Will you be here when I get back?" She asked me.

"Yeah, I don't want to be alone tonight."

"Okay," She smiled. "See you later."

Gavin handed me a beer and we sat on the living room floor, both taking video game controllers in our hands.

"How do you even get alcohol?" I asked.

"I know people."

I nodded. "I really didn't like you when you first moved here."

"No shit." He snorted.

"I was a really shitty person last year. I was possessive and selfish. I put through Ana a lot. But she had you. You kept her from doing as many stupid things as I did and you were her only friend despite what everyone said about us."

Gavin smiled. "I heard a lot about you two within my first hour at that school. That's why I went and sat with Ana that first day. And I continued to sit with you guys every day to prove a point. I wanted to see for myself if the rumors were true and they weren't. Because those kids were all assholes and I didn't want anything to do with them."

"I was an asshole to you."

"You were a jealous boyfriend. And I did like Ana when I first moved here but I saw how much she loved you. I saw how permanent you two were so I backed off. I'd heard what you'd been through and I know how badly you were treated growing up. So I decided to try and be nice and hoped that maybe one day, you'd want to be my friend. It took a year but it worked."

I let out a laugh. "Why are you so nice?"

He shrugged. "My parents, they're really shitty. They're horrible to me and to each other. I know how rough my upbringing was but no one in school cared. Everyone will treat you like scum if they can. I figure, I don't know what a person's been through so why make their life worse?"

I shook my head. "You're pretty great, Gavin."

He grinned, "Thanks, man. So are you. And you'll get through this, I promise. Things will get better. And for the record, I'm team Justin."

"Huh?"

"Like I said, you and Ana are permanent. I don't think either of you should be with anyone else."

"I just don't think we're right for each other anymore."

"I know what I walked in on. And I know what would have happened if I had come in a minute later. All I'm saying is that she's stuck on you. And I think she'd do anything for you if you just asked." He knocked his shoulder into mine and picked the controller up again. "You ready to play?"

I licked my lips, thinking about what he said. "Yeah, let's go."