Kayla is still asleep, one arm thrown over her face and her hair spread all over my pillows. During the night my shirt crept up her thighs, and a sliver of her thong now peeks out, but I pull the door closed slowly and let her sleep.
When I get downstairs, I go straight to the kitchen. Vero is sitting on the counter with his morning coffee, and Ares is at the table with his newspaper. I’m not even sure anyone else reads the actual print version anymore. We give him hell about being an old man and showing his age.
Vero stares at me as I walk in, but I ignore him.
“Why do you look different?” he finally asks.
“I don’t,” I say, grabbing a mug.
“You do... your face is doing something. Ares, look at his face.”
Ares glances up and shifts his eyes to me, then looks back down.
“I know what it is,” Vero says with a snap of his fingers. “You’re smiling. Since when do you smile? Your signature facial expression is a scowl.”
I pour my coffee and take a sip. “Kayla is in my bed. Why don’t you keep her company, Vero?”
“I knew it, you’re happy,” he says, jumping down off the counter. He puts his mug down so fast that it spills everywhere, but he is already halfway out the door before I stop him.
“Vero.” He spins to face me. “Don’t wake her up if she is still asleep.”
He puts his hand on his chest. “I would never.”
“Yes, you would. But she was up late.”
“Okay, I would, but I promise today I won’t. I will sit there and watch her sleep.”
Well, that’s not creepy.
He disappears into the hallway, and I listen as he takes the stairs, then hear my bedroom door open. I turn back to Ares, taking the seat across from him.
“Where’s Brawley?” I ask in a hushed tone.
“Morning run, he won’t be back for at least half an hour.”
“Good, I need your help. Someone was in Kayla’s apartment last night.”
Ares’s brows dip and he asks. “Are you sure?”
I nod. “She called me last night after her shift, said something felt off. I had a look, and it seemed fine.”
“She has good instincts. What are you thinking?”
“Iwant to check and make sure there are no listening devices or cameras. Just to be sure.”
“Good idea. If there’s something there, we need to know.”
He picks up his coffee and finishes the last of it, then stands. “Give me ten minutes and I will meet you back down here.”
I nod and polish off my own coffee before heading back upstairs to grab my equipment bag. When I push the door to my room open, Vero is on my bed with his arm around Kayla, and she is still asleep. He looks up and puts his finger to his lips, so I grab the bag and leave without a word. He will keep her busy while I’m gone.
Ares is in the kitchen when I get there, and he follows me to my truck. The drive to Kayla’s takes about half an hour.
“So, you and Kayla . . .” he starts.
“What about us?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know... how did you manage it? You never get close to anyone, but you didn’t seem to have a problem with her.”