Page 135 of Embriagado

He tsked, then pointed at my plate. “Are you sure all that sugar is good for you after a fight?”

“Eh… no?”

He rolled his eyes when something occurred to me.

“How did you know I was here?”

Looking at me with a raised brow, he seemed unimpressed. “Do you really want to know?”

I nodded.

He sighed, sat back on the sofa, and pointed at my phone. “I placed a tracking app on your phone.”

My eyes widened, and I quickly grabbed my phone from the table and slid it open. “What? When?” I asked while swiping through my apps to find it.

“On your first day at the hotel.”

“Seriously?” I looked up to see him checking his nails.

“Of course. You expected I’d allow you to run loose?”

I bit down on my tongue, fighting the urge to snap when he looked up to meet my stare.

“Oh, don’t give me that pitiful look… instead, be grateful I keep an eye on you.”

I’d have to find that app and delete it later, but for now, I placed my phone back on the table.

“Do you want some?” I cocked my head at the waffles. “I still haven’t taken a bite.”

He sighed. “As if I’m going to share a meal with you.”

Bitterness clenched my jaw, and I gritted my teeth.

“If you’re here to mock me some more, feel free to leave.”

Staying silent, he just… stared at me, lips sealed as if he knew a joke I wasn’t in on. It made me feel small and unworthy, and just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, he grabbed his helmet from the table and got up. My heart sank with disappointment as I watched him walk away, and not wanting to seem too pathetic, I looked down at my hands.

The fact that I experienced some shred of hope from him being here was so fucking lame. But what was new? Around him, I was always a joke.

A white porcelain mug was placed on the table, and I looked up to see Ariyan sitting down. After he was settled, he didn’t say a word, just cupped the mug in both palms and looked around the nearly empty diner.

The anger and agony I’d felt so far vanished, and for the first time in the last few days, I felt like smiling. With relief also came my appetite, and without saying something that might ruin the moment, I reached for my plate and pulled it close.

“I bit myself,” he said, just as I picked up my fork.

“Huh?”

Still not looking at me, he took a deep breath.

“The bruise on my lip, that’s how I got it. I bit myself.”

My chest tightened with warmth, and for the very first time, I felt like he saw me—Santiago Rivas, the man, and not the image he had of me that he despised so much. Whatever made him confess to me right now meant he did care.

Knowing it was beneath him, this was probably the closest thing I’d ever get to an apology from him. I wanted to tease him about it, but not wanting this precious feeling to flee, I instead grabbed my fork and began eating.

He didn’t say another word throughout the night, nor did he actually drink his tea, but he did stay with me until I was done and only left after I told him good night. And somehow, his silence tonight said more to me than his words ever did.

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