CHAPTER 80: HER NUMBER

Zayne scratched through his hair, frustrated.

Dario, who was watching him, seemed apprehensive. "You know you could tell what is bothering you? I can he—"

"It’s none of your business. Just shut up."

"HEY!"

Dario glared. "What is your problem? I’m just worried and I’m asking—"

Alessio and Caesar walked through the door into the living room, pausing at the tension.

"Oh. crap." Alessio frowned. "Don’t tell me you two are fighting again."

Neither of the two men answered him. Dario looked away, letting out a soft breath.

"Dario...?"

"It’s fine, Alessio, nothing’s wrong."

Alessio glared over at Zayne. "Zayne, what did you do?"

Zayne narrowed his eyes on him.

"I don’t have time for any of this nonsense," he said, rising to his feet. He approached and handed his phone over to him. "My mate is gone."

"Huh?" Alessio blinked.

"She’s gone," Zaynee repeated. "And I don’t know where to start looking for her first."

"So...?"

"So, I need you to track and find her location for me. Please."

Caesar, who was listening to all these, cocked a brow. "What do you mean your mate is gone? Evelyn?"

"Yes, her." Zayne nodded.

Alessio grabbed the phone and walked over to take a seat, opening his computer.

Caesar asked, "What happened? I don’t understand."

Before Zayne could answer, Dario spun on his seat, saying, "When I asked what’s wrong, I was bothersome, huh? Now everyone else is getting to know what your problem is."

Alessio looked at him. "Dario—"

"You’ve got something to say?" Zayne asked.

"Yes, actually I have something to say, Zayne." Dario rose from his chair, popping his hands into the pockets of his pants. "What is your problem with me? Why are you always an asshole to me?"

"Dario—" Alessio kept his laptop aside.

Zayne tilted his head. "I wonder why."

"Tell me then. Because I can’t think of any reason. I’ve never done anything wrong to you. Over and over again, even though I know there is this strain between us, I keep trying to brush it off, pretending I don’t notice it. Is it the way you treat everyone else? Or how you act like I’m some annoying pest when I’m in the same room with you? What the fuck is your problem huh? Or do you just think you’re better than me? That I’m a loser compared to you?"

"Dario!"

Alessio snapped at him.

"Stop it!"

"Stay out of this, Alessio," Dario said to him, eyes stuck on Zayne.

But Zayne didn’t have the time, not one to spare for this argument. Evelyn was his priority, whom he wanted to find. So he brushed his brother off, throwing only one sentence, "Your insecurity has nothing to do with me."

Dario’s eyes flickered. He stayed silent for a few seconds.

"Dario..." Alessio cautiously said.

Dario lost it, spitting, "I’m insecure? Are you kidding me? I call you out on your behaviour and you call me insecure."

Zayne paid him no heed.

"Dario." Alessio shot to his feet, walking up to the man. "It’s enough, please stop. Now is not the time."

"What?"

Dario glared at him.

"Are you going to pretend like you don’t see what he does? The way he is with me? He acts like I’m some kind of pest. You think I wasn’t aware he didn’t even want me coming to that event with you?"

"Dario, listen, I need you to calm down—"

"I’ve had enough of this bullshit. You what, I don’t give a fuck if you doon’t like me for whatever reason it is. Pretend I don’t exist and I’ll dish it back to you. I’m not going to be the bigger person or try to curry over to you like some—"

"You want to know why, huh?" Zayne snapped over to him, having hard enough. "You want to know why I can’t stand you?"

Dario leveled him with a heated look. "Go ahead. Say it then. Tell me what it is that I did so wrong to you."

"Oh, you didn’t do anything wrong to me, but you sure did to someone dear to me." Zayne shook his head. "What? Three years and you haven’t said a word to our mother. Are you joking? Three freaking years and you haven’t looked at her face or even heard her voice. You don’t know if she’s doing okay, what’s going on with her, or how she’s doing. You know nothing, yet you think I’m going to walk in here, smile at you like you aren’t doing something wrong?"

Dario stared at him.

His lashes flickered, hands balling into fists by his sides.

He lowered his head silently for a few seconds before chuckling. "You damned idiot." He lifted his gaze and this time around, he stormed towards Zayne and grabbed the front of his shirt.

"You don’t know anything about me, Zayne. You don’t know what’s going on between me and mom or why I haven’t spoken to her. Just because you’re her favorite oh so dear son, doesn’t mean you get to talk to me like that. Save this saint attitude of yours for someone else, you and I aren’t the same. Piss off!"

He stormed off, slipping his arms into his jacket.

Alessio wanted to stop him, to do something, but he knew it was only going to worsen things.

Slowly he turned toward Zayne. "Why did you do that...?"

"And what did I do?" Zayne eyed him.

Alessio rubbed his temple in deep stress. "I hate to say it, but...he has a little point, Zayne. The way you are to him, it’s a bit..."

Zayne’s hands clenched. He said, "I didn’t come here for this Alessio. Evelyn, I need to find her. So please...help me."

Alessio hesitated, but then he nodded, taking his seat again. "Her number. Can I have it?"

Zayne transferred his phone to him before glancing at Caesar who’d stood to witness the entire thing. He pinched between his brows. "I’m sorry you had to witness that."

Caesar chuckled. "Nothing to worry about. My brother and I used to be that way."

He walked over to have a seat. "What happened with you and Evelyn? Why is she gone? What did you do?"

"I think I fucked up Caesar," Zayne said.

Caesar nodded. "I can see that."

"Do you mind telling me what happened?"