Chapter 63: Untitled Chapter
The kitchen was quiet. The morning light hit the marble and made everything look fake-safe. Even though it wasn't.
Kendrix walked in barefoot, half asleep, reaching for coffee before she even clocked the room. Then she stopped.
Roberto was there with a cup next to him. He stood by the window staring at the garden like it owed him answers.
Neither said anything for a second. Then he looked up.
And Kendrix’s brain immediately went to the car. The dark. His hand on her thighs.The way he looked at her like wanting her was getting old. She looked away first. Stupid.
“You’re awake early.”
She regretted it instantly.
Roberto’s eyebrow went up. “You’ve lived here long enough to know that’s not unusual.”
Fair.
Kendrix grabbed a mug. “You looked surprised.”
“I was.”
That threw her off. He wasn’t usually honest like that.
“Why?”
He glanced at the window, then back at her. “Because I was hoping you’d still be asleep.”
Kendrix stared. The coffee machine hummed low.
“You were avoiding me?”
“No.”
His reply was too fast. Way too fast.
She gave a small smile.“That sounded convincing.”
Roberto sighed. Actually frustrated. Not at her. At himself.
“I’ve been awake since five.”
“Insomnia?”
“No.” He paused, pointing the cup at her. “You.”
Kendrix forgot about the coffee, a soundless gasp escaped her lips. Roberto looked down right after, like the word slipped out and he wanted it back.
For the first time since the car, neither of them knew what to do.
Roberto gently sipped the cold coffee. “i think the day's already going badly.”
Kendrix laughed before she could stop it. And for the first time that morning, Roberto actually smiled. It was gone as fast as it came. But it was real.
Then he left. Like staying one more minute would ruin him, but the smile stuck with her.
By noon she thought she was imagining it. Until she walked into the library.
Roberto again. A book was opened in front of him. He hadn’t turned a page since she came in.
He noticed her first. Not the other way around this time.
“Most people use libraries to read,” Kendrix said, dropping into an armchair.
“I am reading.”
“No, you’re holding a book.”
Roberto looked down at the book like he had forgotten he was holding it. A chuckle slipped out.
“You seem very confident.”
Kendrix didn’t miss a beat. “I am.”
“We’re on the same page,” Roberto said, deadpan.
He shut the book slowly. Kendrix grinned. A tiny win.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I needed something.”
“Sure?” She raised an eyebrow.
“I did.”
“What?” She held his gaze. For a second she thought he would actually say it.
“A quieter room.”
Kendrix looked around. The library was huge, and empty. Dead quiet.
Yeah. He was lying. And he knew she knew.
The third time was in the garden. Kendrix sat under a tree with a notebook on her knee. The afternoon was warm and perfect, until footsteps echoed behind her.
She facepalm without looking up.“No. Not again."
The footsteps stopped.
“No?”
She lifted her head. Roberto stood a few feet away looking mildly offended.
“You’re following me.”
“I’m not.”
“You absolutely are.”
“I’m not.”
“Roberto…”
He went blank-faced. Which she had learned meant he was caught.
She laughed. Couldn’t help it. He stared a second too long, then looked away. Which made her laugh harder.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Kendrix..."
“Nothing.”
His eyes narrowed, then something shifted. Not big. Just enough. Like watching her laugh messed with his head.
They both caught it at the same time.
Her smile dropped. Roberto looked at the trees. At the sky. Anywhere. Just trying to avoid her eyes.
. .
That evening Bash found Skyler on the couch.
“One question.”
Skyler didn’t look up. “No.”
“I haven’t even asked.”
“You rarely improve things by asking.”
Bash grimaced. “Rude.”
“Accurate.”
Bash flopped down on the couch and pointed outside. Roberto was crossing the garden again.
Skyler glanced up. “What about him?”
Bash frowned. “He’s acting weird.”
Skyler stared, then lowered the tablet. “Roberto?”
“Yes.”
“Weird?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “More weird.”
Skyler thought about it, then nodded once. “Fair.”
Bash leaned back. “Something happened.”
Skyler didn’t look up. “Be specific.”
“No idea.”
“Then shut up.”
Skyler glanced outside, staring at the way Roberto had gone. “He’s distracted.”
Bash smirked. “And Kendrix keeps accidentally ending up where he is.”
Skyler’s jaw ticked. “I noticed that.”
They both kept quiet after that. Because for once they were thinking the same damn thing.
Somewhere else in the mansion, Roberto was dealing with a bigger problem.
He could stop kissing her. Stop touching her. Stop being alone with her.
What he couldn’t stop was looking for her.
That thought followed him all the way to midnight.
. .
The first thing Kendrix noticed was the empty chair.
Roberto was always first to breakfast. It was a rule, like sunrise. But this morning his seat by the window sat empty. His coffee had gone cold. His newspaper was folded perfect, like he had never touched it.
Kendrix stared half a second too long before sitting.
Bash clocked it instantly. Of course he did.
“He’s hiding.”
Skyler didn’t look up from his tablet. “Morning, Bash.”
“I’m serious.”
“You’re never serious.”
Bash jabbed a finger at the chair. “Roberto Tuzo missed breakfast. Do you know how bad that is?”
Skyler glanced up, saw the empty seat, and went back to his screen. “That's not a major problem.”
“It should be. Man doesn’t skip food unless he’s dead or running.”
Kendrix poured coffee slowly, her eyes on the mug. Like she couldn’t hear them. Bash never bought that act anyway.
“He left?”
“Since six-thirty,” Skyler said.
Kendrix’s hand jerked. The coffee sloshed. She set the pot down too hard.
Bash’s eyes narrowed at her.“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re doing the thing,” Bash said. “Where your face goes blank right before you lie.”
Kendrix didn’t answer.
Bash sighed. "He's gonna come around, trust me."
"He's an asshole," Skyler said, glancing at her. "You should know that."
Kendrix looked away. Disappointed at herself for expecting something more than a make out.