Chapter 27

The following morning was uneventful. We ate breakfast with the family and prepared to leave, since Luz and I had some business with the girls in the late morning. We also needed to figure out what happened last night. Specifically, if and why Tala was watching Mayu and Paz fucking.

That was a conversation I was hoping not to need to have.

Regardless, I tapped Mrs. Gallardo for some possible help in the near future and promised I would marry Luz within the year in return. I was willing to either break it or go through with it, depending on what Luz ultimately chose to do. If Luz wanted to wait, I’d more than willingly face Mrs. Gallardo’s wrath.

She probably knew that, though, so she must be very confident Luz would accept. Honestly, so was I, but I wasn’t about to take the choice away from her.

Regardless, after a quick trip to the supermarket we were on our way home. Not that anyone was up to greet us. The apartment was silent and dark. I had Luz check the rooms while I brought the groceries up, and they were indeed still fast asleep in Mayu’s bed. All three of them. In varying states of undress.

Mayu and Paz were in for a reckoning. I’d specifically asked them not to fuck with Tala. They’d done one better and just straight fucked her. I was actually upset. Right now, more so because they ignored something I’d directly asked them not to do than on Tala’s behalf, since I couldn’t be sure how much they’d peer pressured her into it.

If I got even an inkling that Tala had been so much as uncomfortable prior to, during, or after the encounter ... I took a deep breath. It wouldn’t help to get so angry when I didn’t know what happened exactly.

“Luz,” I called. I was unloading the groceries still as she started preparing lunch.

“Hmm?”

“You’ve made friends with Tala this last week, yeah?” I asked, putting a plan together.

“I mean, as much as you can in a week,” she said. “She’s a nice girl. We’ve played some games together. She really likes history, so we talked a lot about art history too. There’s actually this art museum that opened last week and—”

“Excellent,” I said. “You’re taking her to the museum this afternoon.”

“Uh ... okay?” She shifted her footing uneasily. “I was hoping to go with you and the girls, though...”

“We can go next week,” I said. “Then you can chaperone us, showing off all the stuff you learned from going first. We’ll make a day of it.”

“I’ve already gone...” she said sheepishly. “But okay. Why though?”

“I need her busy so I can have Mayu and Paz to myself,” I said, closing the fridge. That was the last of the groceries. “They fucked up, and need ... correction.”

“Oh!” she said, bouncing as she stirred sauce. “You should’ve started with that. Of course!”

I chuckled. “Yeah, probably. I’m counting on you, yeah? Get me five hours. If you run out of stuff to do in the museum, go shopping.” I fished out my wallet and handed her my black card.

She took it and quickly slipped it into her bra. “Okey-dokey!”

I mussed up her hair to a little giggle and left her to her cooking. Not long after, the culprits emerged from their dark room, shambling about like zombies. Very hungover zombies. Tala was not with them.

“What the fuck did you do?” I simply asked.

“Pipe down...” Mayu groaned. “Agh, shit...”

“Pipe—Pipe down?!” I raised my voice. They both cringed. I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Sit the fuck down,” I ordered. “Where’s Tala?”