Chapter 16. #2
My eyes crease with suspicion, “Lies. James doesn't like Sullivan enough to do that.”
I'm disliking the smirk that comes to the boy’s face, “Oh, you're really far behind. Sullivan is even closer now to James than his second.”
My scowl deepens, “That doesn't even make sense—”
“Season fourteen episode six,” He rolls off the exact episode with a smirk that irks me. “You have some catching up to do, old man.”
This kid—
“Kai.” A woman's voice interrupts us both and the boy’s head snaps towards the sound, towards a beautiful woman with golden skin and short, wavy hair that tousles around her face just like someone else I know.
Her blue jeans hug shapely thighs while her pedicured toes are enclosed in white sandals, and a long grey cardigan falls to her ankles over a white vest with thin straps.
Her face is round, her lips are glossy and full, and I have to blink when she tilts her head, watching me curiously behind familiar, piercing eyes.
Because she’s insanely beautiful… and also insanely familiar.
“Es hora de conocer a Baachan.” The woman’s voice is rich and sugary in the air and the child beside me rises to his feet.
“Si, mama.” His politeness is enough to give me whiplash.
“And who are you?” the woman asks me. I’ve never exactly been at a loss for words before, yet somehow, I need just a bit more effort to speak.
“New recruit,” I answer shortly. Am I standing straighter? I think I’m standing straighter as she assesses me, but there's only a glimmer of playfulness in her eyes as she hums.
“‘New recruit’. Thank you for keeping my son company.”
“He looked lonely.”
“Did not!” he bites back almost immediately, and the outburst makes me relax with a gentle smile.
“He's a good kid,” I don't know why I'm mentioning it. “Crazy amount of attitude though.”
The woman laughs, a sharp, melodic sound in the air, “I assure you, you're the first to say that to his face.”
“It's not a bad thing,” I remember his earlier haggling and my expression becomes serious. “But the world should definitely be afraid.”
I ignore Kai’s glaring as his mother's lips curl, “Oh, they are. There are only a handful of men who’d have the gall to approach my son.”
I blink. I can’t tell if she’s upset or not.
“Should I not approach in the future?”
The silence in the air is like a breath held in my lungs as she watches me, contemplating. Kai looks up at her too, as if worried over her next words and when she looks down at him and sees it for herself, she relaxes visibly.
“No,” she finally responds. “Do what you want. But preferably where I can see him, next time.”
“Will do, Miss...?”
“Rosabella.”
Reuben's twin sister.
Stars. Their hair, eyes and mannerisms are all the fucking same. Rosabella’s complexion is darker, but the universe really just… ‘copy-and-pasted’ them so lazily. I’ve only heard about her in passing so I know little, but she and Reuben were supposedly very close until she married away from home.
Something about an early pregnancy.
I bow my head awkwardly, “As you wish, Miss Rosabella.”
Kai frowns at my newly found good manners, but knowing that he’s Reuben’s nephew…
somehow I feel softer inside. I wink while bowed, pointing to my shirt pocket, where Rosabella can’t see.
He looks down at his own shirt and when he finally notices the fifty dollars there, his eyes go wide—the biggest grin I’ve ever seen spreads across his face.
“While I’m here we might as well watch Syndicate,” he calls back to me as he walks away. “I’ll catch you up in no time. Don’t go anywhere.”
I’m technically still on house arrest so I can’t refuse. But with the smile on my lips, I can’t help but wonder if he’s realized it.
That subordinates can be friends after all.
The kid has a lot of fucking energy. He practically spends the whole of the next two days in my room watching Syndicate and keeping me company.
With his mother’s permission of course. After meeting with Baachan, she dropped him off here like I was a paid babysitter and disappeared to who knows where.
I mean, you should have some questions about leaving your kid with a complete stranger.
“I spoke with Reuben,” She’d smiled at me then when she dropped Kai off. “He says you’re a trustworthy guy, so I’ll leave him to you.”
I’m sure you could be a little more suspicious if you really tried.
Kai himself actually falls asleep on my bed the first day, after a full six hours of Syndicate.
I'd returned him to his room that night but he came knocking on my door early the next morning, half-asleep in his pajamas and dragging his pillows behind him.
Like a ball that somehow comes right back when you throw it.
He’s a good kid… up until he sprawled out on my bed and fell asleep, but as jarring as watching him is, it helps me keep my mind off Reuben.
He hasn't returned since that night at the church and I can't help but wonder if he's still... ‘at it’. The kid stops my mind from wandering too far, so I’m somewhat grateful as I resign myself to another day of… babysitting.
The plan today is to take him outside and tire him out as quickly as possible, so I teach him a few self-defence moves.
It's nothing major when he's half my height, but at least he knows to poke some eyes out and aim for the groin as hard as he can.
It's effective against anyone no matter the size or gender.
I'm sure the consequences of that will come back to bite me later.
After that, it takes about four more hours of Syndicate before my plan comes to fruition and he falls asleep. By 3 pm, when I’m finally able to step out of the room, I spot a familiar figure at the bottom of the stairs.
“Gabriel,” I hiss to get his attention and he blinks up at me from his conversation, as if seeing a ghost.
Yes, you. Bastard, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Hell is freezing over right now.
I’d never cared to ask where he goes, or what he does when there aren’t any missions. For any of them actually, Tobias or Xavier. Are they allowed to have lives outside of the Taiga family? Does he leave here on the weekend to go home to some sister or family member?
Fortunately, I’m not close enough to ask... but when I got stuck with the kid I realized I had no idea where to find any of them to ask for... anything. I have their numbers in my phone yes... but it’s a familiar kind of emptiness, not knowing where they are.
“Which room on this floor is yours?” I ask the moment he gets to the top of the stairs.
His brow furrows, “Four doors to the left of yours.”
Silence.
“Your left or my left?”
I hate the amusement that flashes through his eyes for an instant when he points to my right.
And then he’s going to say something like, ‘You should know that’.
People.
“And Tobias’?” I ask.
“Left of mine.” He gives me this look that screams, ‘I’m assuming you know which left now’.
Fuck off. My teeth are already grinding six seconds into conversation. Forget sister, I bet you don’t even have a dog at home waiting for you.
“Xavier’s is right next to yours and Reuben’s is down the hall.” He points to the rest of them for me and I hate the mocking glint in his eyes even more, “Three months and you don’t know our rooms?”
Three months and two days actually, but who am I to correct you? Also, you guys are the ones always coming to me.
“Watch the kid for six minutes, I’m starving,” I implore him.
“Not for free.” His reply is instantaneous.
“… You’re joking.”
“I don’t get paid to babysit.”
“… Aren’t we Reuben’s glorified babysitters?” I deadpan.
“If he ever hears you say that,” he hisses with a venomous look, “you will have killed us both.”
I shrug. I can’t imagine that. Though seeing Gabriel frightened is separately hilarious.
“Besides, Rosabella’s kid is a legend in the family.” He folds his arms and his smirk grates on my nerves as much as his conversation. “I’m surprised you tamed him. Do you go around playing a magic flute?”
I can’t say I follow, but I can tell he’s being an asshole. “He’s asleep and I’m starving.” I attempt a barter, “Just six minutes.”
He holds out his hand and I take back every other thing I ever said.
What’s wrong with this family and extorting money from people?!
“You’re a demon.”
“You can’t leave him unattended,” his smirk is bordering on hittable, “what if something happens to him while you’re downstairs nonchalantly making lunch?”
Why does that sound like a threat?!
If looks could kill I would have burnt him alive solely with my eyes. I click my teeth as I head back into my room and grab fifty dollars from my wallet.
Nice, my ass. I was obviously hallucinating that one time for sure.
I pawn it off to him, and it feels like some kind of shady transaction as he steps into my room.
“Don’t touch anything.” My warning is icy. “And if you wake him, I’ll kill you.”
He hums in response and I really don’t trust him one bit, but I head down to the kitchen anyway, taking the stairs two at a time. But the moment I reach the kitchen my body locks into place and freezes in the doorway.
Reuben blinks at me with coffee in hand and my breath immediately catches in my throat. He looks relaxed, the tension that was there in his shoulders a few nights ago has vanished and his eyes look just a bit brighter than before.
I remember reading somewhere that debauchery rejuvenates demons.
It’s my first time seeing one in the flesh.
My eyes lock on the pink marks on the skin beneath his collar and an unfamiliar sensation rises up from my stomach, a new unpleasantness I’m not used to.
He grins at me, “I heard my sister’s kid fell in love with you—”
I leave the kitchen before he even has time to finish.
Nope.
Not ready.
Most definitely.
Not ready.
“Christian?” He calls after me, but I’m already at the top of the stairs.
If he does that thing of his—
If he reads me when I’m like this—