Page 56 of Veil of Lies

I didn’t miss the way Quinn’s eyes dropped down and lingered for a moment on the swell of my tits. It reinforced what I’d already suspected, which was that he found me attractive. Fuck knows why when most of the time I went out of the way to look anything but attractive. But there we were.

“Where’s Brax?”

Quinn’s smile fell away. “I left him in the gym, he’s working out his…issues.”

My heart dropped. He was angry and upset and it was all my fault. “This is a bad idea,” I started to say, but Quinn stopped me before I could spiral any further.

“No, it’s not. He’s dealing with it. He just needs a bit of space right now.” My stomach grumbled loudly and I flushed with embarrassment. How long was it since I’d eaten? I honestly couldn’t recall. “And you need some food. Let me shower and then I’ll make some dinner for us all.”

He smiled at me and I blushed even harder. Jesus Christ. What was wrong with me? It was bad enough I’d ended up in some kind of thing with Harley; now I was crushing hard on his friend. Could my life get any more complicated?

???

Most nights, I ate alone. I was used to it. Even when Dad was at home, we rarely sat down for a ‘family’ meal. And if we did sit at the same table, he was invariably focused on a screen of some description. At our NYC apartment, we had a cook who prepared meals five days a week while Dad was around and the rest of the time, a meal service delivered. On the days when it was just me, I typically ate in front of the TV or out on the terrace with my Kindle for company. That suited me fine.

Dinner with Harley and Quinn was a very different affair. They talked, insulted each other, and made me feel welcome. I felt as if I’d slipped into an alternate reality, where I was now part of some wholesome sitcom family. It was slightly overwhelming, if I was being honest. For an introvert like me, being around people was draining, which was why I preferred my own company. But it did force me out of my head, for which I was grateful. Listening to the back and forth between Harley and Quinn meant I didn’t have time to obsess over everything to do with Dad. I’d done enough of that over the last couple of days.

“Ready for some dessert, Stella?” Quinn took my plate. Harley tried to shove his plate across the table too and Quinn scowled at him. “What am I? Your fucking servant?”

“But you're taking Stella’s plate?”

“Stella’s our guest. You’re a lazy fucker.”

I tried not to smile at Harley’s injured expression, but it was hopeless.

“God you’re so petty. Time of the month, eh?”

“No dessert for you, asshole.” Quinn threw him an evil look before smiling at me sweetly. “Stella?”

Harley jumped up and stormed into the kitchen. “Fuck you, I’m having some dessert whether you like it or not. I know you made tiramisu. Just try and stop me!”

“Jesus, he’s like a toddler.” Quinn rolled his eyes at Harley’s petulant outburst, and I snorted with laughter. “Would you like some tiramisu?” he asked with a grin while Harley rummaged in the refrigerator, muttering obnoxious insults.

“Yes, please.” My stomach was full to bursting after the delicious spaghetti carbonara Quinn had cooked for us, but I wasn’t about to say no to tiramisu. Especially not if it was homemade.

The door opened and everyone froze. Brax walked in wearing a hoody and shorts. His hair was damp with sweat and his blue eyes dull. Unhappiness radiated off him in waves and my appetite for pudding vanished.

“Hey,” Quinn called. “Want some dinner? I saved you some.”

“Later, I need a shower.” He didn’t look in my direction at all and I hated how much his dismissal of me hurt. I looked down at the table and blinked back tears. The boys were wrong. I couldn’t stay here. Not when Brax clearly blamed me for everything. Anxiety took hold. My heart rate sped up and the room felt unbearably hot. I was a fool for thinking Brax might come around. Of course he wouldn’t! This was his home. I had no right to intrude on the place where he felt safe. I needed to leave. I was better off alone.

Quinn’s hand on my wrist brought me back from the edge. “Breathe, Stella. It will be fine.”

I hadn’t realized I was hyperventilating. Quinn’s soft words broke through the tangle of thoughts swirling around in my head. Then Harley sat down next to me and shoved a bowl of tiramisu in front of me. “Eat,” he ordered. “Sugar is good for you.”

“Said nobody ever,” I grumbled.

My stomach churned but I tried a spoonful anyway. It was delicious, of course, and Quinn smiled approvingly as I scooped up some more. “If you want any extra, help yourself. I’m going to check on Brax.”

He and Harley exchanged looks and then Quinn disappeared into Brax’s room.

Once we’d finished eating and loaded the dishwasher, there was still no sign of Quinn or Brax, so Harley led me into his bedroom. We lay on his bed watching a movie. It was surprisingly comfortable. I rested my head on his chest and when the closing credits came on, I was half-asleep.

Harley dropped a kiss on my forehead. “Come on, it’s time for lights out,” he ordered. Moving was a wrench but I quickly used the bathroom and then crawled into bed. By the time Harley joined me, I was almost asleep. He wrapped his large frame around me and whispered in my ear, “Sweet dreams, Stella.”

I could have told him that was unlikely. My dreams were mostly nightmares these days.

Chapter 47

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