Page 27 of Bound to You

“Yup.” I pop the end of the word.

“This is sweet.” She admires the photo. “Do you see them often?” She swaps the frame with me for the coffee I brought over for her. Something about the way she’s looking at me over the rim of her mug makes me compelled to share everything with her. Her eyes hold such an innocent curiosity, so open to vulnerabilities. I look back at the photo in my hands.

“No.” I chuck the frame back on the table with a bit more force than necessary.

I’m an asshole. “Sorry,” I start, “I?—”

“It’s okay, I can wait.” She situates herself on the couch and kicks her feet up on the coffee table just how I do. She sips her coffee, seeming completely content to wait for me to explain.

This woman. Sometimes she seems so shy and other times her confidence radiates off of her, that sass showing up in full force. It’s frustratingly adorable. Unfortunately, this is one of those times, and I don’t think I’m getting out of it.

“Does The Marchetti Group ring any bells for you?” I begin.

“Oh yeah, they’re a huge hotel corporation in the states, right?”

Great, she has heard of it.

“My dad is the founder.”

“Oh, wow.” I watch her put the pieces together. “This place isn’t a part of that though, is it?”

I raise my eyebrows in response. “You could say that me opening this place of my own put some distance between us.” That’s enough of the story for her to get the picture.

She pulls her feet off the table and crosses her legs on the couch. “They aren’t proud of what you’ve done here?”

“I invited them to the grand opening, and let’s just say that didn’t really go down like a treat.” More like a complete shit-show.

“I’m so sorry, Caio. This place truly is incredible, and you should be proud of what you’ve created here.”

“Honestly it’s fine,” I say, brushing it off. Talking about this shit never does anything good for my mood. “I’m really close with Marina's parents, and her, Rafael, and Heath have become like a family to me. I treasure that.”

She smiles softly, but a hint of sadness glints in her eyes when she says, “I’m sure.”

She stands up off the couch and moves to put her mug away.

“I’ll do that.” I take it from her before she starts washing up in my house. I place the cup in the dishwasher while she lingers around the bench, looking like she doesn’t know what to do with herself.

Before I can fill the silence between us, a soft meow echoes through the room.

“And who is this?” Isla’s voice goes high pitched as she crouches down behind the counter where I can’t see her. I round the corner to see Marvin rubbing up against Isla’s outstretched hand.

The little prick. I swear the cat glares at me before he faces Isla again for more affection. The little shit knows exactly what he’s doing. And what is he doing meowing? He doesn’t meow. I’ve never even heard a peep out of him.

“Marina mentioned you had a stray,” she says. She can’t take her eyes off of him. “He’s adorable.”

“Oh yeah, he’s the best.” If she notices the tone of sarcasm laced in that sentence, she doesn’t mention it.

The cat finally makes his departure, but not without pinning me with a deadly case of side eye as he walks past me. I swear he’s some reincarnated spirit that I pissed off in a past life who’s come back just to taunt me through a fucking alley cat.

“So, I actually came to give you something.” She reaches into her back pocket and pulls out an envelope before sliding it across the bench to me. I already know what it is before opening it, butI do anyway, and as suspected, a wad of cash sits nestled inside. “Isla?—“

“It’s only the tips.” She raises her hands. “I knew you’d never accept my full wage, so it’s just anything extra May and I made last night.”

She sits with her elbows resting on the bench, keeping her hands busy by fiddling with the long strands of her hair.

I slide the envelope back over to her. “No.”

“Caio—“

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