A DEAL FOR A LIFETIME

chapter 19

                        BETHEL

I opened my eyes as I felt Rico pull me closer, his head still resting on my chest. I couldn't help but smile. He looked so peaceful, so different from his usual confident and sometimes arrogant self. I traced the line of his jaw with my eyes, admiring the way the morning light highlighted his features. He raised his head and looked at me, a lazy grin spreading across his face.

"Good morning, sunshine," he said in a husky, sleepy voice that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Like seriously," I said, feeling my cheeks warm. He called me sunshine.

"What?" he asked, resting his head back on my chest, his breath warm against my skin. I tried to move his hands so I could get up, but he held me tighter.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice a low murmur.

"It's morning already," I said.

"Not to me."

"What do you mean not to you?" I asked, trying to understand.

"Your grandfather is coming today," I reminded him, trying to snap him out of his cozy state.

"Oh, fuck him," he said, annoyance creeping into his voice. Just then, the door burst open, revealing a guy I had never seen before.

"What's this?" the guy said, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. He had brown eyes, was tall with black hair, and had pink lips. He was undeniably attractive, but his presence felt intrusive.

"What the hell are you doing here, Finn?" Rico yelled, his voice hardening. He removed his hands from my waist and stood up, facing the intruder.

"Hey, reduce your voice, man. I thought this was my room," Finn said before closing the door. Rico sighed, his shoulders tensing, and then he turned to me.

"Why did you yell at him?" I asked, curiosity and concern mixing in my tone.

"He's an asshole," Rico said, running a hand through his hair.

"Do you guys hate each other?" I asked, trying to understand the tension.

"Hate is even a good word. We could kill each other," he said before walking into the bathroom. I left the room and walked downstairs to the kitchen, trying to shake off the awkward encounter. In the kitchen, I saw a girl about Katherine's age drinking from a glass of juice. She turned to me and rolled her eyes.

"You must be Bethel," she said, her tone dripping with disdain.

"Yeah, and you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.

"Oh... I'm Lia," she said, her glare returning to the juice. She had light brown eyes, red small lips, and long brown hair, looking strikingly similar to Katherine.

"What did Rico even see in you?" she said rudely, making my patience wear thin. I ignored her and opened the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water.

"She's a friend, Lia," I heard Katherine say as she entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, Bethel," Katherine greeted, her tone warm.

"Good morning. How are you?" I asked, grateful for the distraction.

"I'm fine," she replied. I walked back to the room, where Rico was already out of the bathroom, lying on the bed in a black and white T-shirt and black jeans.

"I met your cousin Lia," I said, breaking the silence. He turned to look at me, his expression darkening.

"That spoilt brat," he said with a sigh.