Gonzalo ✔

Chapter 10

I spared him a frosty glare for a second, before putting myself in order when I remembered he'd been so ruthless with the now crotchless man called Brent and I didn't want him anywhere near my younger ones. "It's called autism."

"Oh. Does it have a cure?" He furrowed his brows.

"It doe-"

Leo cut me off. "Do you have a smart phone, Gonzalo?"

"Hmmm? Yes?" Gonzalo nodded like he was conversing with his mate about a serious issue and not with a thirteen year old boy.

"Maybe you should check Google. Stop asking stupid questions!" Leo suddenly snapped. Then he resumed feeding Greta as if he'd never done anything out of the ordinary. I looked from him to Gonzalo who was eyeing Leonardo with interest.

He was back to smirking.

"Hmm. I like your spunk." He told a stony faced Leo. Silence ensued after that. Then my phone started ringing and I checked the caller ID.

Timmy.

"Okay, it's time for school." I told Leo, who pecked Greta's forehead and picked his comb to brush his hair once more.

Immediately Leo was done preparing, I had Timothy take him to school while Greta was taken by the maid, Aliza and I followed Gonzalo out since I was dressed and prepared for work.

~

"What's your story, Rosa?"

"What?" I asked him dumbly. We'd just gotten to the company but instead of alighting, Gonzalo was smoking inside the car, a brooding expression on his face.

"Everyone has a story. I'm just a random man trying to find my purpose in life while killing dumb people on the way and also leading a bunch of idiots who have so much faith in me. That's my own story." He said.

I shrugged, hardening my resolve. There was no way I would tell him anything about my past and the people who'd repeatedly visited us before we left france.

"Well I'm just a lady who left her parents and had to relocate to a new place and get a new job and start a new life with her siblings."

"Do you have secrets?" He raised a brow and took another puff.

"Everyone has secrets."

We stayed silent for a while before he took another long drag and slowly released the smoke. Then he eyed me curiously.

"Tell me one of yours."

"Uhm... nope?" I squinted warily, reminding myself that even though he seemed normal at the moment, he was still my boss who could switch from Teka to Tefiti in a minute. Did I just compare Gonzalo to a character in Moana?

"Why..?" He stretched the question and threw out the remnant of the cigarette stick before giving me his half profile and then smiling. "Pretty please?"

"It's called a secret for a reason." I chuckled at this childish part of the man sitting beside me.

He pouted.

Then frowned, still pouting.

My eyelids drooped and I found myself eyeing his pink lips for longer than necessary. Then my breath hitched in my throat and I had to remind myself to breathe. This man just pouted!

Too cute and too sweet! I think I'm going to be high on sugar if I stay around him any longer!

"What are you doing?" Giggles were threatening to spill off my lips at the moment and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from giggling.

"That's how Kara usually does it. And it works all the time." He stated absentmindedly, still pouting.

'Who's Kara?' I almost asked out loud but restrained myself.

"Fine, but you'll have to tell me two secrets in return."

His glare was back, and he sat straight as if we hadn't been having a light conversation just seconds ago. "I tell you one, you tell me one. That's how it's done."

"No deal."

"Fine. No deal." He huffed.

I shrugged. "You're the curious one. Suit yourself."

He gave me a side glance and then huffed again, looking reluctant. "Fine. We have a deal."

"Okay. I... my mom used to be royalty. Years ago, before the lineage and kinship denomination was tampered with." It told him.

"How do you know this?" He asked me and I smiled, remembering how I'd heard the story repeatedly while growing up.

"I was told."

"Do you believe it?"

"It doesn't matter. I don't even know anyone and I'm not interested, since she has lived a normal life for years and she doesn't care about stuffs like that."

"Okay. It's my turn."

"Yes."

I waited for him to speak, holding my breath as I reminded myself that I needed to learn more about this man. Had he always been like this? Did he suffer some traumatic incident that he simply couldn't get over and was now reacting this way?

Where are his other family members? Does he have siblings or was he an only child?

"I..." he eyed me as he trailed off and I urged him on.

"You...what?"

"Okay. I... snore when sleeping." He said awkwardly.

I couldn't help it even if I tried. I burst out in laughter. "How's that a secret? So many people snore when sleeping, especially after a long, tiring day. So, that doesn't count."

"Oh. It doesn't?"

"No."

"Okay. I've never been attracted to a girl in my whole life. Number two, I'm the only child of my parents."

"Oh. Wow."

I didn't know if he was the only child or not and why was it even a secret? So many other people also had only one child and there was no big deal about it.

"I said the second one because you've been asking questions."

My brows furrowed. I'd never asked anyone about him, even though I'd been curious and willing to know more about him from the very beginning.

"I've never asked-"

"You've been asking yourself and you now have the golden answer. Every other person that ever knew this is now dead. There, now we can go up." He ended and smiled warmly, making his dimples pop and I nodded, digesting the information.

I was just at loss for words, so I patted my bag which was calmly laying on my thighs, staring at the glass beside his head absentmindedly.

"Well? Get the fuck out already." He stated more seriously, looking impatient after I didn't make any move to get out of the car, succeeding in rendering me speechless that he could smile in one second and suddenly glare at me in the next moment.

"Of course." I nodded and quickly alighted. "Moody..." I murmured.

Romeo, who had driven us here gave me a weird glance and looked away almost immediately, then alighted and opened the door for our dear 'boss' to alight before we all headed up.

*

There you go :-)