When Villains Rise (Market of Monsters #3) - Rebecca Schaeffer Page 0,43
physical form of telling you how big they are. I don’t even know if they’re actually romantic. I don’t even know what romantic feels like. All I know about relationships is what I’ve seen on television. And on TV, everything ends in a kiss.” She considered. “Or a cut to a softcore porn scene.”
He laughed at that. “Ouch. Too true.”
She looked down, suddenly feeling empty and a little dark. “I’m not really sure what people mean when they talk about love sometimes. I loved my father, but obviously not, you know, that way. And I guess I’ve just never understood how romance was different from a friendship? I mean, aside from the kissing?” She looked away. “I don’t . . . I don’t know what any of these things are supposed to be like. I don’t understand what I’m feeling,” she admitted, and then she bit her lip and whispered, “But I don’t think I’m experiencing it right.”
He frowned. “What makes you say that?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t think my feelings match what people say they’re supposed to be.” Nita couldn’t explain it more than that. There was a disconnect between what she thought her feelings were supposed to be—big, all-consuming, rose-tinted glasses, giddy with love—and what she actually felt. Something strong and warm and fierce, but not really . . . that. She didn’t feel lust, she didn’t want to rip his clothes off. She didn’t feel like he was perfect, his flaws were all still striking and real. But she did feel warm when she was with him, content and relaxed.
He hesitated, then leaned forward and put his hand on hers. “We’re quite the pair, aren’t we?”
She choke-laughed. “Yeah, we are.”
They stayed like that, hands just touching, a unanimous decision to link themselves together, even though neither of them understood what kind of link it was.
Seventeen
AFTER A TIME, the shower stopped, and Fabricio came out. He had changed back into his clothes, but his hair was sopping wet and dripped all over the floor where he stepped. He froze in his tracks when he saw them sitting silently at the table. “Uh, am I interrupting something?”
Kovit lifted his head, irritation crossing his features. “Your jokes are getting old.”
Fabricio held his hands out, palms up, for peace. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it.”
Nita went to the window, and tilted her head as she looked at the street below. Cars cruised down the street, an odd mix of old boxy models and new luxury brands. People laughed and chatted as they puttered down the sidewalk. A little girl ran ahead of her parents, carrying a blue balloon.
Nita turned back. “Fabricio.”
He gave her an uneasy look. “Yes?”
“There’s an international conference starting tomorrow dealing with unnatural trafficking along the Amazon.” She crossed her arms. “Would your father come?”
He considered. “Probably not. He’d send someone to see how it went, though.”
Nita tapped a finger on her leg. “Would he come to meet a high-profile client there?”
“Maybe. Depends on the client.”
“With only a day’s notice?”
“Notice isn’t an issue if the person is important enough.”
Nita nodded to herself. “I figured as much.” Nita turned to Kovit. “We’re going out.”
He blinked at her. “Now?”
“Yes.”
Fabricio ran his hand through his hair. “Where?”
Nita raised her eyebrows. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re staying right here. Kovit, get the duct tape.”
Fabricio raised his hands again, palms out. “I thought we were working together?”
“We are. But I don’t want to leave you here unbound. Who knows what plans you could set up behind my back?”
Fabricio’s shoulders slumped as Kovit led him to a chair and began duct-taping him to it. Fabricio gave Kovit a mournful look. “Can you tape me to the couch instead? It’s more comfortable.”
Kovit shrugged. “All right.”
Nita rolled her eyes. “Kovit, you need to stop doing everything your prisoners ask.”
“There’s no harm in letting him be comfortable,” Kovit protested.
Nita sighed dramatically.
Fabricio plopped on the couch and held out his hands for Kovit to tape. “You’re not a great team player, Nita, you know that?”
“I don’t particularly care.”
He muttered something inaudible over the squeak of the duct tape being peeled off its roll.
When Fabricio was bound, Nita and Kovit headed for the door. “Don’t worry, Fabricio, we’ll be back in a few hours.”
“And if you die?” His voice was caustic. “I’ll be stuck here in a duct tape cocoon until I die too.”
“Nonsense, the Airbnb is only booked for three days. They’ll discover you when they come in to clean it. You can survive without water for at least