Page 7 of Under Their Watch

“He hurt you,” Quinn says to me.

“I’m okay, Quinny,” I say, cupping his face. “I’m okay.”

“You’re coming home with me and Jace,” he says.

“I figured,” I say, smiling softly. “Come on, Quinn. You saved me. Please, relax.”

“I am relaxed,” he says.

“You’re still a terrible liar,” I say, and he finally cracks a smile.

“Fuck, Rhea,” he says, hugging me tightly. When he releases me, Jace pulls me into his lap to hug me.

“Who is everyone?” I ask Jace.

“That is Rowan, Max, and Theo. They’re Anika’s partners. You met Emma. She is married to Mia, who is best friends with Anika. He is Quinn… and I’m Jace,” he says with a grin.

“Smart ass,” I laugh and lay my head on his chest. He wraps me in a hug again and kisses the top of my head.

Quinn Puipui is a huge man that stands six feet seven inches and is easily three hundred pounds of muscle. He is Samoan. He was born here, but his parents weren’t. Jace Hale is half-Samoan. His father was, but his mother is white. He is almost as big as Quinn and stands six feet four inches. They were my saviors as a child. I dreamed of marrying someone like them, or them. I was convinced that I was in love with them. When I was forced to marry Marvin, I gave up on that dream.

“Wait,” I say, sitting up and looking at Anika. “How do you know Marvin?”

“I work with the dumbass,” she says.

“Did,” Rowan says. “You did work with him. I texted Arthur and told him. He is firing him in the morning.”

“I… thought he was the boss,” I say, confused. Anika and Mia giggle, and Rowan smirks.

“No. Arthur owns Genesis. I run things. Anika and Mia are the top publishers,” Rowan says to me.

“Ah, well now I know I was lied to,” I frown.

“What did he tell you?” Anika asks.

“When I was first made to marry him, things weren’t all bad. He kept telling me that when I proved to him I could do it, he would help me publish,” I say.

“What do you write?” she asks.

“Nothing now,” I say. “He stopped letting me write a long time ago. He said I was choosing my characters over him, so it was easier to stop.”

“What did you write?” she asks.

“Uh…” I say. “It was like… Romance, but everyone’s life was shit. Like mine is.”

“Was,” Quinn says.

“Is,” I say. “If you think for a second Marvin will give up, you are insane.”

“What do you mean?” Theo asks.

“He’s about to analyze you,” Mia laughs. “He’s a psychiatrist.

“You hush, woman,” Theo laughs.

“The paperwork I got from that man was… I don’t know if I should say this,” I say.

“Quinn will be a good boy, won’t you, Quinn?” Jace picks.

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