Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“So I’ve been told,” I say, and when I look up through my lashes, Quinn is still watching me. I can’t figure out his look; it’s somewhere between awe and fear. He wears it a lot around me.
Posey clears her throat, and I glance over at her. “Mom said Fallon told her you’ve been planning to come back since Christmas?”
I notice as she looks over to Quinn but quickly puts her eyes on me. I swallow. I wasn’t really ready to admit that, but here we go. “Yeah. California wasn’t doing it for me anymore.”
“Really? Social media made it seem like you loved it,” she throws back at me, and I shrug.
“It’s easy to live a happy life on social media, but true happiness isn’t documented like that. I was just going through the motions, trying to keep up with my peers. I was bored, and I missed the South.”
“Bored? You?” Quinn asks. “That doesn’t happen.”
“It does when you’re all alone with no one who cares for who you are, only the car you drive and the money you drop at clubs,” I say, my tone sharper than needed. Ignoring him, I look back at where Posey and Boon are watching me with bewilderment in their eyes. “I had just chosen not to renew my apartment lease, but I paid it annually, so I was going to come back in August when it expired.”
“You came home early, though?”
There is a challenge in Posey’s eyes. She wants me to admit the truth. Beside her, Quinn rumbles, “Enough, Posey.”
She feigns innocent, her eyes dancing. “What? I’m just making conversation.”
Before he can scold her anymore, I say, “Yeah, I’m not a fan of the fact that your brother is thinking he can marry someone other than me.”
Posey fights back emotion as Boon shakes his head. I feel Quinn’s eyes on me, and when I meet his gaze, anger is swirling in those beautiful blue depths. “I am getting married.”
I don’t look away. I don’t even show emotion. “We’ll see.”
He narrows his eyes. “I’m serious, E. This is happening.”
“Or it won’t,” I say simply, looking back down at my food. I pop a spoonful of chicken into my mouth and meet his fiery gaze once more. “I guess we’ll just see how this plays out.”
“There is only one way—me marrying Ava.”
“Or me.”
His face turns red with frustration, and Zac notices immediately. “Unky?”
Quinn rubs his nephew’s back. “I’m fine, buddy,” he says softly, kissing the top of his head. His eyes are like steel as they burn into mine when he grits out, “Emery. I’m not kidding.”
“Nor am I,” I say calmly, and I know it’s driving him crazy. Inside, I’m a hurricane of emotions, but on the outside, I won’t let him see.
“You need to accept it.”
“I won’t,” I say matter-of-factly. “I don’t know if you’ve caught on or not, so let me be clear. You are mine. I am yours. The blood that courses through my body is yours. My heart pounds for you and only you, Quinn Phillips.”
He scoffs. The bastard. “Only because I’m marrying someone else. Three years ago, I wasn’t good enough for you.”
Well, there goes my restraint. I feel my face heat as I glare. “That’s not true. I wasn’t ready.”
“Oh, but you are now? That’s so fucking cute. You’re just selfish and don’t want anyone having what is ‘yours.’ If I were yours, you wouldn’t have cast me to the side when I had my heart on a silver platter for you.”
I’m shaking mad. I inhale sharply, ready to give it back to him, when Posey stands. “You two are upsetting Zac.” She comes around, gathering her son in her arms. “This needs to be handled in private.”
“Yeah, at home,” I say, my eyes locked with his.
Quinn’s glare deepens as he scoffs at me. “Where you shouldn’t be because you can afford a fucking Bugatti.”
I almost laugh. He’s such a baby. “You’re just mad I won’t let you drive it.”
Before he can quip something back, Posey says, “Wait. You’re staying at his place?”
With a sweet, innocent smile, I nod. “Yeah. We’re roommates.”
“No. She’s a roach that snuck in,” he grumbles, and I snort.
“You opened the door.”
“You pushed your way in and now won’t leave.”
“You haven’t told me to.”
“I told you three times!” he exclaims, his eyes wild.
“No. You suggested I go somewhere else, and I said no.”
He holds his hands out at me. “Exactly. You won’t leave.”
“You don’t want me to,” I say with a shrug. “Stop with the dramatics.”
Boon clears his throat, and we both look over. “Is Ava not living with you?”
Quinn exhales heavily. “We’re waiting till after the wedding.”
So, Quinn has a tell when he lies. His left eye always droops a bit. I don’t know if he’s trying to look away and won’t let himself or what, but I know his lying face. I’ve been the accomplice to many of his lies. I eye him. Why is he lying about that?