Page 24 of Cueball & Double-Z (Alpha’s Rejects #5)
I had a feeling Marco was resistant to something more than simply being introverted or wanting to be alone.
There were signs of anxiety, like me. I’d had it enough to recognize it in others.
However, he had pretty good control of it.
And my gut told me it had everything to do with that photo I’d found…
or more likely, that man. Did he die or something?
That was the only thing I could think of to cause someone that much pain. I related to that feeling.
It made me feel a strange sort of kinship with Marco.
We were bound by grief, just like Gio and I were.
Although Gio and I were already bound long before the death of our parents.
In my mind’s eye, this was more proof that we were meant to meet Cueball.
We were meant to be in his life, and he in ours.
We were destined .
I checked on the meat, giving it a gentle stir, then I got everything ready to make the tacos. There were taco shells, shredded cheese, and a jar of salsa. Nothing fancy, but it’d be filling.
Once everything was ready, I cleaned the kitchen and washed the pan, setting it on the rack to dry.
Not long after, Gio walked into the apartment. “Yum, tacos. It’s not even Tuesday.”
I snorted a laugh and waved. ‘How was work?’ I signed.
“Boring. It’s a job. The boss man’s always cool, though.”
‘We’ll wait for Marco. Go shower. You smell like grease.’ I pinched my nose, pretending to gag.
He chuckled and gave me the bird, making me laugh, and I flipped him off right back. I missed Gio’s playful side so much. When we were younger, we used to mess around all the time. I loved having a big brother despite wanting more from him. If it hadn’t happened by now, it probably never would.
Gio ambled off to our room, grabbed some clothes, and then headed to the bathroom to shower.
About ten minutes later, Marco came home. He gave me a quick nod, rarely smiling, but I’d grown used to it. His head needed a shave, and a part of me wanted him to grow his hair out to see if it looked the same as it had in that picture.
“You didn’t have to cook dinner,” he said. “But I appreciate it.”
I waved him off, then signed, ‘It’s nothing.’
“Gio home?”
I nodded and gave him the sign for shower .
“Cool. Let me change my clothes, and I’ll be right out.”
As I waited for my two favorite men, I grabbed three plates and three bowls from the cabinet above and set three taco shells on each plate. Then, I pulled out the salad chilling in the fridge and put some in each bowl.
There, a healthy-ish meal.
When Marco came out, he must have just noticed the music and radio because he pointed at it with a trembling finger. Right then, I realized my mistake. If I found the radio, then I saw the picture .
“W-where did you find that?” he asked, not bothering to sign as he usually did.
His eyes followed the path of my finger as I slowly pointed at the front closet.
His jaw was set in stone as he frowned and walked over to the radio, unplugged it, and cradled it, plunging the room into an uncomfortable silence.
Long fingers trailed across the plastic and chrome almost reverently. Without looking at me, he asked, “Did you see it?” His voice was raw and hoarse, as if he were holding back a flood of emotions.
I knew he meant the photo, but I couldn’t answer him if he didn’t look at me.
Or wouldn’t look at me. My gut twisted with guilt and a little fear.
I hadn’t meant to see that private part of his life.
It’d been an accident, but I was glad for it, too.
I wanted to know all about our beautiful benefactor.
If he’d just open up, we could all get closer.
I waved at him, and he finally looked up from the movement, his amber eyes hard, filled with so much pain, it was like a punch to the gut.
‘It was an accident, but I was meant to find it,’ I quickly signed.
Marco sneered at me, and I had to take a step back, not used to seeing anger from him. He’d always been calm, kind, and patient.
“Meant to? Meant to?!”
Regardless of my sudden fear, I wouldn’t back down. So, I nodded quickly. ‘How long have you been alone, with your one personal item hidden?’ I signed, despite knowing it would probably set him off into more anger, but I’d be there to hold him through it.
I felt guilty, but I truly believed Marco needed someone in his life.
He was meant to bring us home. For what, exactly, I wasn’t sure, other than we were all still grieving, and none of us had been able to deal with it properly.
And his reaction only confirmed that he was suffering.
For now, my grief was turned off, but it lingered there like a spark, ready to ignite.
Same with Gio. He’d never really faced it because he’d been too busy taking care of me.
What was Marco’s excuse? If he were no longer grieving, he wouldn’t be so angry with me right then.
You don’t know that the man died. Stop assuming .
“That’s none of your business,” he snapped.
‘I’m sorry. ’
Marco turned his back on me and stormed off into his room, slamming the door behind him, making me jump.
I was confident we were destined to be here, but I also worried that he wouldn’t see it that way and kick us out.
What I’d done hadn’t been intentional, but I could see him believing I’d been nosy, pushing his boundaries.
A few minutes later, Gio came out, freshly scrubbed with dripping wet hair tucked behind his ears. “I heard a slamming door,” he said, looking back at Marco’s bedroom before looking back at me. “What happened?”
My eyes watered when I said, ‘I fucked up.’
“How?”
‘It is personal to him. He will be angry if I tell you. I saw something I wasn’t supposed to. Accident.’
Gio walked over to the counter and filled his three taco shells with meat. “Then apologize to him.”
I rolled my eyes. ‘I did.’ It wasn’t as simple as that. One thing I needed to do for sure was fix this and figure out what Marco needed from us.
Gio had a taco near his mouth before he set it down, not taking a bite. He took a closer look at me and, seeing how upset I was, came up to pull me into a hug. “Tell him again. Explain that it was an accident. I’m sure it’ll be okay.”
I nodded, clinging to his back, but I wasn’t so sure. Gio hadn’t seen Marco’s face so hard and angry, like I’d betrayed him somehow.