Chapter 12: Some Brotherly Conversations:

Knight’s P.O.V:
I took a closer look at the bouquet of bright pink carnations in my hand and debated on the color choice I’d made. Red would’ve been too bold, too demanding, and I didn’t want Elena to feel trapped. Pink was the better choice and since the industrially bread carnations no longer have any scent in them, it was safe for Elena to keep it in her room…if it didn’t get flung at my face or the trash can, right after I handed them over.
So I held the bouquet in my right hand and a large box of dark chocolates on my left; rang the door bell and stood quietly with my heart in the pit of my stomach. What I wasn’t expecting however, was a tall man with silver blonde hair and violet eyes, opening the door to Elena’s apartment.
“I’m sorry; I must have gotten the wrong address.” I told the older man and backed away, but stopped when I saw him smile.
“Knight Tyson.” He said in a rough voice. “Couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate time to show up.”
I stared at the man in confusion, although I had this nagging feeling at the back of my head that he looked familiar. “Do I know you?” I asked.
“Oh no!” His voice dripped with sarcasm, his eyes having turned cold. “You don’t, but you will very soon.”
“Who is it, Leo?” Elena peaked from behind the blonde guy apparently called Leo, her long hair wet from a shower, her big green eyes sparkled with curiosity and I finally noticed the similarity between their facial features. Leo was a family member.
“Knight?” Elena asked surprised.
“Hi.” I raised the bouquet and the chocolates to show her. “I got theses for you.”
Elena’s eyes turned weary. “Why are you here?”
“Yes, Mr. Tyson,” Leo chirped in. “I’d like to know that too.”
“That’s none of your bloody business!” I growled at him.
“Really now?” He was mocking me on purpose. “Well, I’d beg to differ.”
“Stop it, both of you!”
Elena pulled Leo back from the door frame and gave us a look that offered no argument. “Get in. I don’t want the neighbors knowing what’s going on in my life.”
I got inside her apartment obediently and shut the door behind me. Elena pointed towards the couches in her small living room and I went and sat on the couch furthest away from Leo and placed the flowers and chocolates on the coffee table at the centre.
“I’ll get us some tea.” Elena told us and walked towards the kitchen.
“Hold on Kitty, let me do it.” Leo rose from the couch to go after her but Elena just gave him a look over her shoulder that made him sit back down and made me want to laugh at the expression on Leo’s face. But then she directed that look towards me and I found out exact why Leo had turned so obedient. If looks could kill…
“I’m pregnant, not incapable.” She told us sternly before entering the kitchen.
With her gone, I finally turned to meet Leo’s stare. “Look, I know that you…know about her and me-“
“There is no her and you, Knight.” Leo’s voice was live gravel. “You slept with her to keep her quiet about your misdeeds and you completely forgot that she’s someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, and they’d very gladly rip you to shreds if you hurt her.”
I cursed out loud. “Jesus! I know that already!” I snapped at him. “Do you think I don’t feel guilty for what I did? I was a moron, I acted before thinking! Is that what you want me to say? There! I already said it.”
“If admitting your mistakes would’ve ended everything that’s wrong with my sister, then trust me, I would be the happiest man alive. But it won’t and you know that.”
“Christ! Are you even listening to yourself right now?” I asked him incredulously. “She’s not sick, she pregnant! There’s a living, breathing, child inside of her. Another life.”
“A child she should’ve had with someone who she loves and not someone who’d been out to get revenge.” Leo snapped back at me, making me cringe. “She bears a child and then what, Knight? Share custody with you? This way she’ll never be rid of you. You’ll be the constant thorn in her side that’ll never let her move on!”
“I don’t want her to move on.” I said quietly, looking down at the bright pink flowers.
Leo was quite for a while before he asked, “Come again?”
“You heard right.” I looked back up into his hard violet eyes. It was hard to tell that this guy was Elena’s older brother, he looked so much older than her; but the similarities were definitely there. “I don’t want her to move on because I want to be a part of her life, and not just as our child’s father. I want to be there as her partner, as someone who she can trust, even love.”
I continued on when Leo didn’t speak. “Look, I’ve done some pretty shitty things in the past and I know nothing I say or do will ever make them better, but I want to do this right by her. I know she deserves someone far better than me, but I want to be the better man for her. Give me a chance to make things right. Give me a chance to prove myself to her.”
Leo sighed, massaging his temples like he had a headache. When he looked back up at me, the hostility in his eyes had diminished a bit. “It’s not my decision to make Knight.” He motioned behind me with his eyes and I turned to see Elena standing behind me, leaning against the kitchen frame.

Elena’s P.O.V:
Making tea was just an excuse. Leo needed to question Knight about his intentions and I needed to hear his answers.
Leo had planned to visit Knight later this evening, but his showing up at my doorstep was both a boon and a surprise. A boon because Leo could now question him in my territory, without having to worry about getting thrown out by his goons, not that Knight looked like the kind of person who let his bodyguards protect him, but you could never tell. And it was also a surprise because I hadn’t expected him to show up anytime soon, especially when Helena and Robert had both warned him about my condition.
It also hurt to know about Leo. When he was talking about me not being able to move on, I knew he was referring more to himself. Leo was born from mom’s first husband, a man who is now behind bars for attempted to rape and murder charges and will rightfully never again see the light of day, but the scars from her first marriage had hurt mom badly and she’d shied away from men for more than thirteen years until my dad came into her life. During that time however, Leo had blamed himself for being a constant reminder of her past, even when mom had repeatedly told him she wouldn’t have had things any different. Daddy loves Leo too, but since he’s four years younger than mom, Leo and dad have an age difference of only fourteen years, so they’re more like friends than father and son. Leo even calls him Jaxon instead of dad.
I came out of the kitchen and leaned against the doorjamb when Leo and Knight fell silent. Leo looked at me and then answered Knight’s question. “It’s not my decision to make Knight.”
Knight looked at me at that instant, his blue eyes had dark shadows under them and his jaw had a five ’o clock shadow, like he hadn’t shaved this morning. In fact, he looked like he hadn’t slept the entire night.
Leo stood up from the couch and walked over to me and kissed my forehead lightly after he came to stand in front of me. “I’ll be out for a while, need take care of some work.” He told me. “Will you be alright on your own?” He motioned behind him at Knight.
I nodded my head. Knight would never hurt me, that much I was sure of. “I’ll be fine.”
“Okay then, I’ll see you tonight.” With that, Leo left through the front door, leaving me alone with Knight.