Page 129 of Quinlan

My hand rises to my cheek, fingertips brushing over the burn scar. The texture is nothing like Quinlan’s skin. Hers is soft and silky. Smoother than anything I’ve ever touched.

Mine’s the opposite. The mangled skin is nothing but ridges, bumps, and taut scar tissue.

The fire caught on quickly to Mom’s clothes in the locked closet. The panic made it so I was frozen for long minutes. It didn’t help that no one heard my screams.

I close my eyes. Sometimes the scar is sensitive beneath my fingertips. That’s not the case when Quinlan strokes my skin. I’m back to being the kid I was before Aria barged into my life.

My eyes snap open. I’m here to watch over Rex, not to imagine my little flame holding me in her palm.

There it is. The anger. He unleashes his frustration at the café’s staff. His face twists in anger as he yells at them.

Maybe once they close for the day, he’ll go to the police station. It’s possible. I have to make sure he doesn’t, that he heads straight home from here.

Doesn’t bother me that I’m away from Quinlan. Doesn’t bother me at all that I can’t inhale the clean scent of her hair. The shampoo we got her that smells nothing like ashes and fire. Not being able to touch her or stare at her while she sleeps, that doesn’t bother me either.

I’m on a mission. I—

Fuck me. Who am I kidding?

My instincts scream to light a fire. My heart aches to be around Quinlan. Curl my body around her in bed.

Of course it bothers me that I’m away from her.

I’ll be with her. I’ll visit her at night.

I might even play. She’s so beautiful while she sleeps.

There’ll be time.

Rex slams a coaster too hard. It crashes on the floor. And my phone buzzes in my pocket.

Rome.

Strange. We’re days from laying the fatal blow on his father’s company. Ruin him and his mother. He’s supposed to be working on the final papers to send to the news reporter.

Rome never lets anyone interrupt him while he’s busy handling sensitive documents.

But this isn’t a voice call. It’s a video call, and that could only mean one thing. He’s with Quinlan. Possibly naked. Maybe railed by the two of them.

My cock throbs. My feet carry me deeper into the dark alley. Back, back, back until no one can see me. I’ll follow up with Rex later. By the looks of it, they have another thirty minutes to close.

I go even deeper, to the back street where my SUV waits. I slip inside the car, my finger swipe across the screen.

“Rome?”

This isn’t my friend’s face on the screen.

She’s there. Taking up every inch of the frame.

Spread eagle on her bed. Naked and bound to the frame.

Her eyes glare at me, accusing. Her lips are swollen. Patches of her skin are black and blue.

Her cunt. Fuck me, her cunt is red and soaked.

I’m a living wire. A bright flame.

My hand grips the phone so tight it could crack.

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