The Rules to Redemption

Chapter 56: To whom i owe my life

Ugh look at me updating quickly it's hot.

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Malachai and I were silent for the entire car journey, perhaps there was no reason for it or perhaps the silence was comforting.
My eyebrow seemed to raise itself as I notice him pull up to a rather posh restaurant, the type where people tend to wear suits and dresses yet here I was in a black leather jacket and jeans. This isn't the actions of someone who is in desperate need of forgiveness since he is already setting me up for failure.
I don't comment, just get out of the car when he does and follow him through the double glazed doors.

He didn't need to consult the security nor workers at the front but this is Italy, no one questions the Mafia. We are seated at a table when I decide it's finally ok to break the silence.
"When you said that we should talk over food I thought you meant a burger and some curly fries."
He looks offended, "Can't I treat my sister?"
"Malachai when have you ever treated me?" I scoff.
"Plenty of times." He stutters trying to find examples which he can't.
"You literally used to steal money off of me for weed." I challenge him.
"I also payed off your college debt." He mutters.
He what?

"You what?" I almost choke on the appetisers which do in fact taste of plastic.
"Dad was broke at the time, who did you expect would pay it off?" He speaks as if it is so casual.
"I don't know, mom? Where did you get that kind of money from anyway?"
He smiles a little bit, "You used to shout at me for never being at home. I had three jobs T."
"But you were in the Mafia, weren't you rich?" I raise my eyebrow at him.
"You can't use criminal money to pay government debts Tallia. Have I taught you nothing?" He shakes his head sarcastically.

"Is that why you dropped out?" I hoped he wouldn't say yes maybe because it would mean that I owed him or maybe because that was where his life took a turn.
"I never had potential in school, you did. You were always the smart one and god do I hate to admit that. One of us should have had the chance to be better than our parents." He explains.
I look up, my pupils fractured because I had always criticised him, rolled my eyes at him yet here he was, the hardest working one of the two of us.
"Don't look at me like that T. I didn't miss out on anything and I'd have done it again, I'd work a hundred damn jobs to give you opportunities that I never got."

"You shouldn't have to Kadir." I frown subtly.
"You were merely an adult. It wasn't your responsibility to provide for me."
He raises his eyebrow at me, "Don't pity me Tallia. I'm your older brother that gives me a duty over you, I'm obligated to protect you in all senses." He warns me.
"So being an older brother means that you aren't entitled to live for yourself." I challenge him.
"I live for the both of us. I have no complaints in that." He is blunt, certain.

Neither me nor Malachai were raised in the environment that taught siblings how to love each other yet somehow we ended up ok.
"I know that I'm fucking hard to deal with and you dealt with me for over 20 years T. And it's weird for me to say that I love you but I do.
I love you in the way every sister should be loved and that was my way of making up for being emotionally absent. And when you graduated I didn't regret it, I was proud of you."

"Okay Malachai I dearly appreciate that but you look like you're about to have a heart attack from showing me emotion, it's ok. You can go back to being rude now." I smile.
"Thank fuck." I mutters under his breath.
I shake my head smiling as I call for the menu, a waiter brings two over and we scan over the contents.
"I really don't want any of this shit." He sighs indirectly asking if we should get tacos.
"Actually I think you might want to stay for a while." I smirk because I had just caught sight of something.