Page 34 of Quake

He stops in his tracks again, those piercing eyes sweeping across my face. “I liveatThe Groves,” he responds.

My eyes go wide at that. “Oh,” is all I manage, but the unfamiliar feeling of butterflies fluttering in my stomach takes hold of me, and nowI’mthe one dislodging the frog in my throat. “I do too, well, now I do anyway. We just moved in yesterday, actually.”

He continues walking again, this time not facing me, as he asks, “You and your boyfriend?”

My lips tilt in a grin. Something about the way he asks this makes me think that Kat might’ve spilled the beans about my breakup. “No, we actually broke up, but something tells me you already knew that,” I challenge, intrigued by his line of questioning.

“I did,” he says with a nod, refusing to meet my eyes. “But you said ‘we,’ so I just wanted to be sure,” he responds as we approach the building we’re headed to.

“I meant myself and the dogs,” I explain with a chuckle.

“Oh, you have another dog?” His voice is filled with genuine interest, and our conversation flows better than I had anticipated for a man of such few words.

“I do. His name is Rex; he’s a really pissy Chihuahua-shih tzu mix,” I say, peering up at him with a grin. “Worst attitude ever.” I shake my head with a laugh. “But he loves me dearly, and he’s eventually warmed up to my friends and my dad, at least.”

That makes him chuckle, a sound I’m not used to hearing from such a surly man. Those butterflies from moments ago flap around violently in my gut, and my head spins as my pulse begins to speed up.

“Well, I look forward to meeting Rex, assuming he doesn’t try to bite my balls off.”

I guffaw at that, eyes wide with shock. I hadn’t told anyone about that, but then laughter bubbles out of me so abruptly it’s a surprise, even to me. Gianni stares wide-eyed as the laughter turns to borderline hysteria. The memory of Rex’s little jaws latched onto Tyler’s nether region will be fully ingrained in my brain till the end of time.I hope he can’t have children after that. Men like him don’t deserve to procreate.

Something like a smile, but not quite, twists Gianni’s lips. “What’s so funny?” he finally asks, amusement lilting his voice.

I snort, and he rewards me with an even brighter version of his almost smile. “I actually caught Tyler in theact,” I say with a giggle.

But his expression doesn't match my own. His face goes hard, almost feral at my words, and it sends a tendril of something unfamiliar through me, so I rush to continue. “Rex ran in the room, latched onto his testicles, and I’m pretty sure he won’t beable to reproduce.” I explain the reason for my sudden outburst of laughter.

“Jesus Christ,” Gianni mutters, gripping the back of his neck. “Well, I can’t say he didn’t deserve worse for what he did, but I’ll be sure to keepmyballs far away from Rex.”

I smile at that. “Believe me, Rex isn’t really violent. He’s usually all bark and no bite, but not this time.” I snort again, an unattractive sound that I haven’t been able to stop from happening despite my repeated efforts over the years.

His eyes turn soft, one side of his lip curving up a fraction. “Are you okay, Lark?” he asks me seriously, concern lacing his melodic voice.

That’s the first time he’s called me by my first name. It sounds so pretty when he says it. Almost like a poem.

I give him a broad, reassuring smile. “I promise, I’m really okay. Better than okay, actually. I feel like the weight of never being good enough for him has lifted off my shoulders, and I’m just so damn excited to not have to be around his negativity anymore.”

“Good,” is all he says in reply before holding the door to Rocket Dog open for me to pass through with Tiny.

Chapter twenty

Gianni

Sunday, March 9, 2025

Who in the hell would cheat on this gorgeous fucking gem of a woman?

I’ve known her for practically no time at all, and she’s already been more kind to me than half of my teammates since Alex’s passing. More than that, she’s opened up to me and been vulnerable despite my reluctance to give her the same in return.

She just bares her soul to me as if it isn’t a precious gift, a piece of herself that she could choose to keep locked away for safekeeping.

Her smile manages to burrow itself into my gut and practically warms me from the inside out; it’s a feeling I’m unfamiliar with.

Lark.

It’s the name of a woman who deserves to have songs written about her. Sonnets written and published in her honor as a declaration of love and devotion.

That isnotthe name of a woman who’s tossed to the side and treated like she’s less than by a waste of space who thinks he could find better.

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