"Well, this is not what I expected," I said, exploring the place we had landed in along with Rob's backpack and his jacket that held what was left of my belongings. 

My guardian didn't reply. It was typical of him, but I was cool with it for once. His honey-brown eyes swam with interest and wonder as they moved over the electricals. The tunnel we had taken from Vas Villa's kitchen cabinet had dropped us in a bunker. That was the only ordinary part of this place. It was an underground bunker; unlike how I had imagined it, it was well-lit and ventilated, almost as if we were expected to end up here.

Similar to how the ship’s tunnel —that connected my washroom to the laundry—had shut itself after we had exited it, this one had done the same, with one difference: Rob had no hand in closing it. Upon exploring, we found that the place had two rooms and a toilet. The only things missing were food and water. Luckily, we had some of both, thanks to Rob grabbing whatever he could find in the kitchen cabinets and the refrigerator before entering the hidden tunnel. 

I was confident there was a way to leave this place, but I was unaware of it. We couldn't return the way we had entered, for the tunnel was a one-way street.

Rob examined the skirting of the wall. "I don't see a way out of this place; can you?"

"No."

"Who told you about it?"

"Andre," I replied, trying to remember if my friend had mentioned anything else about it. 

"Oh, wow."

I could guess what was going through Rob's mind. "Yes, it's been a while, but I got us there, didn't I? I understand your apprehension, dude, but such places are meant to save lives, not take them. We are all set for now. We have food and water…" I didn't feel like continuing. Today was the longest day of my life, and it wasn't even over yet. My father and my family along with him had dropped off from the face of Earth; the man I was, until recently, in love with had drugged me and put the blame on me upon being confronted; the man I was interested in was hiding something big from me, something that was killing him from the inside; I had almost died twice within the past twelve hours, and no matter how I thought about it, it was an inside job. To sum it up, I was having a not-good-very-bad day, and it was far from over. I needed alcohol, but all I could afford was water… Rationed water. "Fuck." I angry-whispered. "Why is this happening? Why now?" I slid down against the wall and pulled my knees to my chest. 

"Want to hear my theory?" Rob asked, sitting directly in front of me. 

"Sure." I shrugged. "Enlighten me."

My guardian worried his lips, probably trying to decide how best to explain his theory without hurting my feelings. "You will turn twenty-five in roughly two weeks."

"Twelve days." I corrected him. 

"Exactly. And I think Mr. Carlton is planning to hand over the company to you on that day."

"Dad doesn't trust me enough to do that, dude." I, for real, wanted to ROFL. "For him, I am a kid whose continued existence depends upon him. I am his puppet, nothing more."

Rob shook his head. "That's where you are wrong; haven't you noticed? He is withdrawing from the business. It's slow but steady. You are attending more and more of his meetings."

I buried my face between my knees. "That's because he is expanding the empire, dumb-ass."

I heard Rob sigh. It dripped with condescension. "I understand why you might think that. I did too. So I looked into it."

My head snapped up. "You spied on Dad?"

My guardian lowered his eyes. "Yes. I needed to know the truth."

"Does it have anything to do with the message I received this morning?"
"I don't know." Rob ran his fingers through his dark waves. It fell just over his brows. "It might. It might not. I don't know," he repeated. Helpless. Defeated. 

"Fine, I won't ask again, just cause our plates are full at the moment."

"Indeed," he said, lost in thought and fell silent. 

"What's the time?" I asked, in order to fill the silence with words. 

Rob checked his wrist. "Seven thirty." As an afterthought he added, "Are you hungry?"

"No. Not yet. Are you?"

"No. I am tired, though." He stretched his legs and winced. 

"What's wrong?" I asked, noticing for the first time that both his shirt and jeans had burn marks. "Dude, did you get hurt?" I crawled over to him, but he stopped me with a hand on my chest before I could touch him. 

"I am fine. Nothing a good night's sleep can't fix."

He was obviously lying, but I didn't push. "At least take care of it. Or, I could help fix you up. I must have my best soldier at his hundred percent."

"True that." Rob chuckled and zipped open his backpack. Tossing me the first aid kit, he pulled off his burgundy shirt. "I think the stitches got fucked while I was trying to save your bag."

The statement felt like a punch to my gut; Rob's condition was my fault. 

"Hey," Rob placed his finger under my chin and tilted it. Our eyes met. "It's not your fault."

He was getting good at reading my mind, but I had no clue what was happening in his. I opened the kit and began cleaning his wound. "You should get it looked at as soon as possible."

"I will, but for now, you are all I have." Our eyes met briefly. Was it affection I spotted in his amber depths? It couldn't be. As usual, I was being delusional. 

"Yeah, I guess."

Soon, I was done caring for other bruises and singes on his upper body; lowering my eyes to his crotch, I ordered, "Now take off your pants."

"What?" Rob squealed. 

I laughed. "Don't worry, I won't jump you." At least not when you are injured, I add in my mind. 

"Oh." 

Why did he sound disappointed? I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I needed to rein in my thoughts lest I do something to break the precious bond we had built over the years. Helping him rid himself of his pants, I applied astringent to the pea-sized burn marks that dotted his thighs. 

"It doesn't hurt," Rob said. With his tone reassuring, he thumbed my jaw, making me look into his eyes. "Really."

I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. Rob was coming on to me; I was sure of it. But why? My brain supplied me with images of us kissing the life out of each other at The Veil before Uncle B interrupted us. Now that I was on the topic, I realized that though I had initiated the make-out session, Rob had participated. Actively! 

Was it possible that Rob was into me? 

But he was straight, was he not?

And if Rob was bi, why hadn't he ever said anything? Why hadn't Maria told me? Did she know?

No, what was I even thinking? Rob was straight. He was teasing me. Oh my God, that was it! I recalled how I had flirted with him just this morning, making him upset…uncomfortable, even. 

Disappointment and relief greeted me with equal zest, leaving me feeling irritated. I ignored the warmth radiating from where his thumb was caressing my face and went about my business. "It's done. I have fixed you the best I could."

"No, you haven't." Rob shook his head. "Pretty sure you left a spot."

"Rob, don't be a baby. You said nothing was hurting, and now that I have taken care of you, you have the nerve to complain!?" I spat, running my eyes over his muscular frame, ignoring the heat building inside me. "And if you are unsatisfied, I pushed the medical kit towards him, take care of it yourself."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

A positively evil smirk lit up his face at my response, and without giving me as much as a warning, Rob pulled me in by my collar and slotted our lips together. 

*****
[Chapter word count: 1405]