Page 6 of Quinlan

“He still does.Sheis Quinlan.” I stand a little taller. My heart gets this strange, warm and fuzzy feeling. Weird. “Rex’s new sister.”

“Isn’t he too old to have a baby sister?” Rome’s face twists. “What is he like? Twenty-three?”

“His dad’s new wife wanted a baby,” I repeat Rex’s words, the ones he said to Maeve. I overheard them one night. He actually sounded happy, the bastard. “Anyway,sheis real. Quinlan is real. When Rex came back from his weekend there, he said we’re out. He wants Quinlan and her parents to visit him at his place and he doesn’t trust us little shits around her. So, bye, bye fuckers.”

Quinlan. Repeating her name, even in my own head, is like saying God’s name. I whispered it a million times last night. Each time, it tasted just as sweet.

I haven’t even seen the baby, and I love her. Thanks to her, Jagger, Laurel, and I are getting out of that hellhole.

She’ll be fine. The way Rex talked about her, he loves her. He’ll be nice to her.

To my savior.

I’ll keep an eye on her anyway. To protect her.

Because I can’t help it.

Hell, maybe I’ll use her as part of my revenge against Rex one of these days.

No.

Or maybe I will? I could. I won’t hurt her. I’ll give her everything, but Rex won’t have her and that will hurt him. He’ll suffer before I kill him.

Yes.

I snatch the notebook from Liam, shoving it in my backpack. I’ll add that part there over lunch break.

“You’re getting a new foster home and that’s it.” The look on Liam’s face is his thinking look. “What if they move you out of Chicago? Or to another part of town? What if the next one’s worse?”

“Worse than cutting me?” I smirk, slinging my backpack over my shoulder. “They’ll go onto the list. And about schools, don’t worry. I’ll find a way to stay. I’m not going anywhere.”

I’ll suck up to teachers, social care workers, whoever I need. I’ll convince them to keep me here.

I’m staying right here next to my brothers. Next to Jagger and Laurel.

For life.

And in the meantime, I’ll watch over Quinlan.

When she’s older, I’ll even thank her. I’ll spoil her.

Then I’ll get back at the Palmers through her.

CHAPTER ONE

Quinlan

Twenty-three years later-present day

Late evenings are myfavorite time to hang out at Maeve’s. The café where my older half-brother, Rex, works as the shift manager.

Not that I like it here, period, but he does. Says he needs to watch over his baby sister instead of having me hole up in my apartment doing who knows what.

Whatever. I compromise by visiting him in the evenings, when it’s nicer.

Quieter.

The overhead lights cast a warm glow over the old oak wood floors and the round, mostly abandoned tables. Most of its clients work in the offices in Chicago’s financial district. Most of them are already home. The café stays open late anyway.

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