Claimed by my Brother’s Best Friends (Alyssa) novel Chapter 36

Alyssa

"Where is my Zuri?" Niko's voice fills the room as he strides through the front door, his eyes immediately seeking out the kitchen. I'm feeding Zuri her breakfast, and the sound of his arrival makes her tiny face light up.

Sebastian insisted on making sure Zuri had a full meal before everyone arrived. He said it would keep her content while I deal with the mess of reconciling with my brother. My heart pounds as I think about seeing Gray again. It's been too long, and the distance has only made everything between us more complicated. But it's time to tell him what happened with Isaac and introduce him to his niece.

When Zuri spots Niko, her little arms stretch out toward him, her smile making my heart warm. Niko looks at me, silently asking permission to pick her up. I force a smile. "Go ahead. She's done eating anyway."

Niko's grin widens as he carefully removes the tray from her chair, unbuckles her, and picks her up. Unlike the first time he held her, he seems confident, the bond between them natural and adorable.

"I'll get her cleaned up and changed, okay?" he offers, and I nod, trying to push down the nervous energy swirling in my stomach that my brother will be walking in here any second.

As Niko carries my daughter upstairs, King appears on the staircase, wearing a gray T-shirt and jeans. He and Niko exchange whispered words, and King's gaze locks onto mine, drinking me in with a smirk that never quite reaches his eyes.

"Ready for the shitshow, kitten?" he asks, his tone light but hollow.

I bite my lip. "Is it really going to be that bad?"

He shrugs, his nonchalance failing to hide the tension in his body. "Depends on whether Gray wants to be an asshole today. Jet lag might just bring out the worse in him. His finger hooks under my chin, lifting my face until our eyes meet. "Just remember our agreement, okay?"

I nod, my voice caught somewhere in my throat.

A moment later, the door swings open, and my big brother steps inside, a woman on his arm. Mason trails behind them, his expression unreadable as usual. Gray releases the woman briefly to pull me into an awkward hug.

"Hey sis. It's been a while," he mutters before reclaiming her hand, as if he can't stand to be apart from her.

Time has aged him, or should I say running a gang has. His once unruly brown hair is styled in a short crop top fade, and there's a new depth in his hazel eyes—a wisdom that wasn't there before.

The tension in the room thickens, almost suffocating. I can feel King and Mason lingering around, the air practically buzzing with unspoken words. Something's off, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something important.

What the hell is going on?

"Hi, who's this?" I ask, doing my best to keep my voice polite.

No one mentioned that Gray would be coming back with anyone, but considering how they kept his whereabouts a secret, I'm not exactly surprised. Still, why wouldn't the boys just tell me?

When I glance up, Mason looks away, while King settles into his chair, his gaze steady on mine as he sips from a glass of something dark. Damn, isn't it a little early for that?