Thanks, I wrote.
He looked at the notebook, smiling at me.
It was getting easier to see the differences between him and his brother.
There was something menacing about Luis, but Gabriel, though rough-looking, was not all that mean.
“You’re welcome.” He handed me the glass. I took it in. My eyes focused on the glint the glass made underneath the light. I had never tasted alcohol before. Saliva formed in my mouth at the sight, but I didn’t want Gabriel to think I was unworldly.
I took a large sip and instantly regretted it.
I turned my face away and coughed, feeling the burn as it lingered in my throat.
Oh, God.
I could feel my face turning red.
Gabriel was now gently patting my back.
“Easy, princesa. Here, drink this.”
A glass of water was placed in front of me. I didn’t even hear him get up to get it. I took a large sip of the water and felt myself calming a bit.
“Better?” he asked.
I nodded, looking down, embarrassed.
“Ah, nothing to be embarrassed about,” he said gently. “So you’re not used to poisoning your body. I’d say that’s a good thing, no?”
I could only nod, grateful for the soft look in his eyes.
“You can keep drinking the Scotch if you want, but slow and easy sips, okay?”
I eyed the glass, and again, I nodded.
We sat there in silence for a moment.
I shifted in my seat.
I wondered if this was a common occurrence for him. To drink in the dark by himself.
Gabriel always looked so put together that it was hard to see if any demons were keeping him up at night, though I supposed with what he did, that would make sense.
Unless he was up because of Melinda.
I grimaced.
I pulled the notebook closer to me, wrote down the words, and showed it to him.
I’m sorry about Melinda. You didn’t have to kick her out because of me.
He looked up at me after he read what I wrote, but I didn’t know what he was thinking by just looking at him.
He took another sip. “There is nothing to be sorry about, Catalina. Melinda had always been a means to an end. There’s no loss with her gone.”
I frowned. Then why had he kept her around?
One side of his lips lifted in a smirk. “I can hear you thinking over there.”