Page 146 of Quinlan

“Lie next to me,” she pleads, reaching her hand out to my arm. “We can be together here. The bed is big enough for the both of us, and I want you here. Don’t leave. Please, don’t leave.”

Thisplease. This comfort.

There’s no denying her. I lie down. She’s pliant and soft, letting me pull her to her side so she’s facing me. Our hands reach, searching. Legs cross one on top of the other.

“Liam.”

Her fingers massage my scalp, running through my hair. It’s more than a sweet caress. It’s her, helping me to get out of the burning closet, dragging me away from danger. Her palm presses to my scar next, and that’s it.

Water. I feel them splashing on my burning face like the water in my parents’ shower.

Here, I don’t need to fumble for the valve. Here, Quinlan does it for me.

“Yes?” One word. That’s all I have for her.

“You were supposed to ask if I still wanted to leave before you untied me.”

Sweet Quinlan. Attempting to diffuse the situation with a smile and banter.

Her affection does something to me. Nudges in the right direction, distancing me from the fire.

“You…” Fuck, I hate that I’m choked up. She’s supposed to trust me. To be able to count on me. Clearing my throat comes out as a groan, and Quinlan flinches. Good. If I scare her, I can’t be this traumatized person. “You had a nightmare. You were terrified even when you woke up. We’re not monsters. We’re not—”

Them.

“We’re not.”

“No. I see it. I get it. And I know someone put you through hell. Not just Damien.” Her nose nuzzles mine when she shakes her head. “I’m here for you. You can talk to me, if that helps.”

Does she want me to talk about why we took her? Why I’m here, frozen and cold while my insides crumple? Burn into ashes?

“What do you mean?”

“Tell me what happened to you.” Quinlan talks faster than it would take me to slip open my Zippo’s lid.

Her palm on my cheek is so fucking distracting. So arousing. I’m hard when I shouldn’t be. I’m inhaling fresh air. Quinlan’s scent.

“Hey.” It’s when she says this word that I hear her. Really hear her. The lilt in her voice. The remnants of the nightmare are there. “Show me yours, I’ll show you mine?”

Our scars, she means. The ones on the inside.

“Why would you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Share anything with me.” My fingers are at her chin, squeezing, tipping it up. I want to believe what she says. Except too much shit has happened to me that I can’t do that. Besides—“You said you were leaving. Is this your way of telling me you won’t?”

She huffs, scowling. “Glad to see you’re all better. Feel free to leave now.”

But her hand is still on my cheek. And I’m a broken man.

“That came out wrong. I don’t…” I need this more than I realized. I still sound mad as hell. I hope to fuck my words make up for it. “Say you’ll stay.”

Her gray eyes study me. Whatever she finds there, it looks like it pleases her.

“Give me one good reason.” A smile teases her lips. A cautious one. She’ll give me hell if I keep acting like a prick, that much is obvious. “And I might.”

“If you think we’re sparing Rex…” My panic has gone up in smoke. I’m safe here. I’m never letting go. Even after we’ll kill Rex, even when she resents us for it, we’re keeping her. “Better think again, little flame. He’s a dead man, and you’re ours.”

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