Page 70 of Lost In London

“I need you to ride with me.” Not giving me a chance to ask questions or agree, Quest was heading back out to his truck. Knowing how my brother could get there wasn’t any hesitation for me to snatch up my keys and lock up my house. He rarely ever involved me in his personal life so for him to ask me to join him meant something had happened.

“Where are we going?” This fool was driving fast and crazy. When he jumped on the interstate, weaving through traffic, all I could do was hold onto the armrest for dear life and pray I saw another day.

“It finally happened.” The hairs on my arms raised and chills coated my neck hearing this foreign darkness laced in his voice. “My dreams of Dove and that bloodbath were all a past happening. Somebody hurt my Dove, Qu. He hurt my Dove.” Ice-cold venom chilled his voice.

May God have mercy on whoever was on the receiving end of Quest’s wrath.

Getting off on Sterling Road and heading east, I watched his hands grip the life out of that steering wheel. His eyes weren't their usual brown, but onyx and deranged. Veins popping out near his temple. “Then her punk ass daddy.” Spit flew with each word he yelled. “She called me the night it happened. I talked to her. Gave her advice about dating. I sat on that phone and listened as she got ready for that nigga.” My heart dropped to my stomach watching him reach a hundred miles per hour.

“She called me hours later but I didn’t answer because I’d been called back on base.” He sniffled. Looking around where we were I sat up seeing we were turning down the dirt road that led to the compound. The same compound London lived on. I tried not to think too deep into it because I knew him and Amell were good friends. Maybe he was coming out here to get Amell as another form of backup.

Like his hands were made out of steel, he started pounding his chest with his fist. I wasn’t on the receiving end but the impact and force made me flinch. “They didn’t help my baby, Quincey. They flipped the story on the news so it wouldn’t be linked to their family. Do you know her father had the fucking audacity to tell me that he did what was best for his family?” His laughter made me shift closer to the door. “Can you believe that? Instead of handling the motherfucker that violated his daughter he’d rather the news call her a nameless Jane Doe who provoked her date.”

We pulled up to the gate where several guards stood. Quest rolled down his window, they flashed a light inside to look at me and then let us through. As many times as I’ve been here not once have I been able to breeze through here so easily. Each time I had to show my ID, have my car searched, and hand over my gun until I left.

It was well past ten at night so there wasn’t much movement going on outside of the guards patrolling. We passed every house, Amell’s included until we came to a screeching halt in front of Cassian’s house.

“Why are we here?” I looked from the house to him.

“I need to talk to Cassian.” He grunted getting out, leaving his truck running.

Knocking on the door we stood there waiting until a girl with yellow glasses opened it. “Uncle Cass, there’s two muscle heads at your door. Cash, come walk me home.” Tiptoeing by us like we were going to snatch her, she eased out the door with her fist up ready to fight. “Don’t let my size fool you.” She taunted, making me chuckle.

This had to be the infamous Ariana that London talked about so much.

“What’s up, Quincey.” Cash stepped out. He did a double take at Quest and tensed up. His entire stance shifted. He stood taller, hands in fists at his side. Eyes wide and mirroring his father who came and stood behind him with a grimace on his face.

All of this warrior energy was too much for me. My anxiety was through the roof not knowing exactly why we were here. Then having Quest in a stand-off with Cassian and his son. I wasn’t at all prepared to deal with this.

Bending down to Cashton’s height, Quest moved close until they were nose to nose. When he started talking low only for Cash to hear, I stepped back. I never inserted myself in those conversations. Sometimes it wasn’t wise to be a listener when conviction and correction happened.

“What is that man saying to Cashton? Is he going to hurt him?”

“He’s not going to hurt him. He’s teaching him.” Amell answered Ariana, stepping up beside me motioning for Cassian to move back.

Usually, Cassian opened his door talking trash. For him to not have said a word since we arrived, now that made me scratch my head. There was so much going on with little being said.

Rising to his full height, Quest looked at Cassian and spoke the calmest I’ve heard him speak since he came to my house. “Can I come in?” Eyes on his son who stood off to the side wiping his eyes and sniffling, Cassian stepped back for us to enter.

“Ari, where’s the popcorn?” London’s voice echoed through the kitchen. I was itching to see my baby.

“Can I speak to her?” Quest asked Cassian.

Hold on.

Can he speak to who?

Calm and relaxed, Amell walked around his brother and leaned against the entryway with his hands in his pockets. “Go ahead.”

“You came here to speak to London?” I didn’t give a damn what Amell said or that we were in Cassian’s house. What did he have to speak to London about?

Ignoring me, Quest moved to go into the living room but I blocked his path. When it came to that woman in there I don’t give a shit if he served his lifetime protecting and guarding the Dalai Lama and was a tenth-degree black belt. He wasn’t about to transfer his heavy bullshit onto her.

“He won’t hurt her, Quincey.” Amell’s annoyance came out exhausted. “She won’t tell you but since you don’t believe me.” He shrugged. ”Go right on and ask her.”

Pushing past me, Quest and the rest of us followed behind him. London was laid out comfortably on the couch watching Criminal Minds. How fitting. “Oh my God.” She gasped, sitting up almost falling off the couch when Quest sat his overgrown ass on the coffee table before her. “Qu-Quest. What are you doing here?”

“It’s about Dove.” His entire posture changed. No more was he the fire breathing dragon ready to burn down a village. His shoulders were folded in and his head dropped between them. I’ve never seen my brother show a posture of submission.

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