Page 150 of Scars Like Wings

“Not at all!” Nat’s laugh died down. “Cody was just telling the story about how Quinn had kicked this dead snake’s skin into Cooper’s flip-flop as a kid. It was so fucking hilarious!”

“Oh, I would love to hear that,” Maisie leaned on Cody, playing with his hair. “Especially after what just happened. I want to know all the dirt on that kid.”

Quinn looked up from plating some eggs. Her eyes furrowed immediately as she took me in. “What happened?”

“Nothing. It’s fine.” I half-heartedly shrugged, but my hands were still shaking from the adrenaline of it all. I crossed my arms to hide them, but it didn’t escape Quinn’s notice at all.

“No, it definitely isn’t fine.” Quinn’s nostrils flared as she sat the pan down on the burner. She turned and took my chin gently, forcing me to look at her. “What happened? Did he do something to you?“

“He was eavesdropping on our conversation upstairs. Then he started asking Byrd questions—” Simone answered from Cole’s lap. “Including one about Byrd’s mom.”

“I’m going to talk to him.” Quinn turned to move past me.

I caught her just before she did. “No, Quinn, you're not. You are going to kill him.”

“So?”

Natassa rolled her eyes. “You can’t kill Cooper. My mom would kill you, for one. Also, he isn’t worth it.”

“Yeah, he’s been acting weird for weeks. Like, more than usual,” Cody added.

“He’s been super obsessed with Byrd lately, though,” Cole said thoughtfully. “Leading up to this trip, he was asking some weird stuff.”

Quinn glared at her cousin. “Weird how? Why did I not know about this?”

Cole held his hands up in surrender. “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, Quinn. He was just asking if we had noticed anything about her leading up to her birthday and after.”

“Why the fuck would that matter?”

“Why the fuck does any of this matter?!” Nat declared. “Fuck him! If he wants to try to ruin this trip, he can literally eat an ass.”

“How many drinks have you had this morning?” Cole raised an eyebrow.

“Both not enough and more than I should have had.” Natassa shrugged.

“Alcoholism aside, she’s right, Queenie.” I took her face in my hands. Instantly, the heat of her hazel eyes cooled at my touch.“We are on vacation! We are on a beautiful island! If he wants to brood upstairs, let’s let him. He can miss out on the fun we are going to have!”

Quinn smiled down at me and gripped my hands. She pulled one away from her face and bent down to kiss my palms. The light, gentle kiss lit a flame within my body immediately. She met my eyes again. “Are you sure, sweetness? You know I will literally go up there and kick his ass. Just say the word.”

“I know you will, starlight. But he isn’t worth it. Let’s just have the time of our lives with or without him, okay?” I kissed her.

When we parted, she was beaming. “You are the only one who can calm me down like that. I really saw red just now.”

“I know. What is it that you said before? We’ll take care of it together.”

Garden

While the mansion was stunning and luxurious, it was nice to get out and explore the rest of the island for the day. We had spent the rest of the day yesterday getting drunk at the pool from Dorian’s cocktails. After Cooper had left, we had laughed and played pool games together. We had a blast! You could definitely feel the excitement in the air at our freedom.

After breakfast, we headed out front to the car. I was expecting a large SUV like we had the day after the party. Instead, a six-door candy-red Jeep Wrangler waited with its soft top pulled down and the doors taken off. Quinn winked at me before putting on her sunglasses. She held her hand out for me to use to step into the Jeep. Once I was seated, Quinn buckled me in, kissed me, and made her way to the driver's side. As soon as she got in, she put her hand on my knee, the warmth and electricity from it was better than anything the sun could provide. I laced my fingers through hers when I placed them on top.

With everyone inside and buckled, we took a ride around and through the island. Daylily Isle was close to Bermuda, but you would never find it on a regular map. Just like Blackbell, it was magicked to be hidden away from human eyes and couldn’t beaccidentally found for the safety of the water-beings who lived there.

As secluded as the island may have seemed, it was bursting with life. Along with the daylilies making up the perimeter of the island, lush green palm trees and thriving flora and fauna were everywhere. Ultramarine blue waters lapped at pink sandy beaches, begging for visitors to sink into its salty coolness. The streets of the city called just as loudly. Full of colorful buildings, brick roads, and sidewalks, the town on the island was bustling with activity of all sorts. After we had driven around the island and seen the streets and houses, Quinn parked the Jeep for us to explore.

Simone, Maisie, and I had been visiting Daylily Isle around this time of year essentially since we first met. We had been to this town countless times. Yet, it was never the exact same experience. There were always new shops open with new styles of clothes, new things to do, and new food for us to try. There were always new smells all over the town from something sweet or whatever new fried good was being made. New residents and old ones walked around the pastel stone streets. Now, too, there were Quinn and the cousins here to explore and laugh with us.

Walking the streets, I could tell I wasn’t the only one happy to have them along. Most of the old townsfolk knew this already, but Simone wasn’t one to throw her title around. Yes, she was a princess, but she never used it as a power play against others. It made her uncomfortable since she had done no work to earn the title, praise, and admiration. So, when the newcomers recognized Simone, she would politely play along, greeting them and then gently telling them that they didn’t need to bow or curtsy or address her as anything but Simone. I knew from our past conversations and just watching how stiff her spine went and how uncertain her smile was just how much she hated this whole affair. Usually, Maisie or I would pull Simone away whenthings started to obviously get too much for her. But now, she relaxed into Cole’s hand at the small of her back and Cole’s voice after she had introduced him and Cole’s laughter at being called “Her Royal Suitor” and “Her Royal Consort” even after the sixth time it had happened. I had never seen Simone so at ease while being swarmed by the islanders.

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