Breaking the Grid

Focus

The morning had been peaceful. I had slipped out early with Milo, taking him for a walk along the quiet streets of Monaco before stopping at a small bakery. I picked out fresh pastries and grabbed a bouquet of flowers—white and yellow, something simple but thoughtful.

It was supposed to be fast but of course in Monaco everything takes time, it's the city of drivers and with all the fans here I couldn't do 3m without stopping to take pictures with fans.

When I got back, Kyra was still curled up on the couch, her hair messy from sleep. The way her face lit up when she saw the flowers? Worth every second of my morning trip.

We spent the next hour lazily watching a movie, Kyra tucked into my side, our legs tangled on the couch. At one point, I leaned in and told her we were going out before heading to Nice for our flight. She asked where, but I only smirked.

"Trust me," I whispered against her temple.

Now, the movie had ended, and we were still lounging. Kyra stretched lazily before shifting to look at me.

"Can I see the pictures from your shoot yesterday?" she asked, her fingers trailing absentmindedly over my arm.

I smirked, already knowing where this was going. "You want to see them, huh?"

"Yes," she said, rolling her eyes. "You looked good."

I unlocked my phone and scrolled through my gallery before handing it to her. She took it eagerly, her eyes scanning the photos. I watched her closely, waiting for the reaction I knew was coming.

It didn't take long.

She raised an eyebrow, her lips slightly parted as she stared at one particular shot—me in a sharp, tailored black suit, the blazer left slightly open to reveal the delicate lace of the black bra underneath. My hair was tousled, my expression sultry.

Kyra exhaled, shaking her head slightly. "Okay," she muttered, her voice lower now. "That's unfair."

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she tilted the screen toward me. "This. You. Looking like that." Her eyes traced the image again, slower this time, and when she looked back at me, there was something almost dazed in her expression. "You are so ridiculously gorgeous it's actually infuriating."

I laughed, but my cheeks warmed under her gaze.

"No, I'm serious," she continued, still staring at the screen. "How is it even possible to look like this? It's giving main character energy. No—villain energy, actually, because you're out here ruining lives looking this good."

I leaned in, my voice teasing. "Oh? Whose life am I ruining exactly?"

She met my eyes, and for a second, the air between us shifted. "Mine," she murmured, her voice softer now.

Before I could respond, her phone buzzed on the couch beside her. She glanced at it, and I saw Michelle's name light up the screen.

And just like that, the mood shifted.

Kyra hesitated for a second before answering. "Hey," she said, tucking the phone between her shoulder and ear as she continued scrolling through my pictures with one hand.

I watched her, my jaw tightening slightly.

Michelle's voice came through the speaker, casual and warm. "Hey, Kyra. Just wanted to check in. I swear today drained the life out of me."

Kyra hummed, her attention flickering between my photos and whatever Michelle was saying. "Yeah? Long day?"

I leaned back, watching her carefully. It wasn't what they were talking about—it was how. The way Michelle's tone sounded too familiar, too easy. Like checking in with Kyra was something normal.