Page 104 of Broken Dreams

Sighing, I unplug the curling iron and turn off the light, walking out of the bathroom to grab my clutch and put the mini tablet inside of it. Callum added a service plan to this one so I can text him throughout the night. Everything we can do to keep the lines of communication open, is being done. I can also record conversations to send to Callum as evidence.

Adding in lipstick to fix it as needed, I zip up the clutch, placing it underneath my arm as I leave my nest to walk downstairs. Hearing the front door close from the hallway, I cringe. I really will sit down with Linus when I get back. I need to talk to him about how sometimes I’m going to have to do difficult and dangerous things.

He’s going to need to get used to it. I won’t cower in fear.

Stepping off the last stair, I smile at my mom who probably heard my heels. Wiggling my fingers at her in greeting, I watch her wring her hands.

“Duncan reminded Linus and I that you’ll be fine, it’s just hard to know you’re going back into the house I just escaped from,” she says.

I nod to show I acknowledge her worries, and then the doorbell rings. Checking the monitor by the front door, I see it’s Adira and another man whose name is Evan. I was told that he’s a beta and Cian’s driver, meant to help in case things went pear shaped.

Something tells me we’ll be really fucked if he needs to step in. While he looks like the boy next door, there’s an intensity to his caramel gaze that’s almost unsettling. Evan is very aware tonight could go badly.

“Ready, Quinn?” he asks, waiting to see if I need to grab anything. My nerves aren’t ready, but that’s not something he can fix.

Nodding, I wave goodbye to my mother, whose lips are tightly pressed together. I’m sure she’s holding back a lot.

“I love you, Quinnie,” she finally says. “If your father provokes you, stab him.”

Evan hides a smile as I incline my head to show that I heard her. There’s nothing quite like an omega scorned. Don’t fuck with their children.

Stepping out the door, I watch as my mother shuts it behind me, listening to the deadbolts slide home. I know that after we leave, Callum will arm the alarms from the road because he’s watching the camera as Duncan drives. This was all explained to me earlier today, since I was worried about leaving my mother home alone.

Callum also showed her how to work the safe room on the first floor for extra security purposes. Not one person said it may be overkill. There’s no such thing when dealing with someone who would sell his own daughter for success.

“It’s going to be fine,” Adira mutters under her breath as if convincing both of us. I simply continue to walk to the car, because there’s no way to know that.

The only way out is through, and no one can convince me otherwise.

Evan opens the back door for the two of us, and Adira slides in before I do.

“Hello, Quinn,” Cian says as the door shuts. Leaning forward, I nod at him as the light fades in the car. Pulling out the tablet, I fire it up so I can maintain a conversation as necessary.

“Hi,”I reply.

“I’ll be damned,” he mutters. “Those Kelly boys can do anything.”

My lips twitch in response, because they really can. There’s nothing those two can’t do if they put their minds to it. They found me, after all.

The car ride is filled with Cian going through our plan.

“Do not go anywhere without someone, please,” he says. “Buddy system to use the bathroom. Too much shit happens in the simple trip to piss.”

Adira makes a sound of amusement, but nods to agree.

“I’m going to make sure that I sit next to you,” she adds. “I don’t trust anyone right now.”

“We should be bookends,” Cian says. “It’s a show of power, but fuck it. We are clearly backing you, Quinn. We may as well be loud about it in our actions. The senior members need to know that you’re protected. Some of them are assholes.”

“Is Theo Finnegan coming tonight?” Adira asks. “I really dislike that man. Are we sure he has nothing to do with the disappearance of his daughter?”

“Daughter?”I ask. The chances that I’ll know who she is are slim, but I still hate the idea that other girls are going missing.

“Yes, I worked for his son, and he once mentioned his sister,” she says. “She was fourteen when she disappeared.”

My skin explodes in goose flesh as I shudder in revulsion. God, I wouldn’t wish what happened to me to happen to anyone.

“Do you know her name?”I ask. Something inside of me wants to help, which means it’ll gnaw at me until I figure out how I can.

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