Page 74 of Broken Dreams

Quinn looks more relaxed as she sighs happily, and Callum smirks.

“You two blew this up to be so much bigger than it needed to be, but I get it,” he says as we get into the SUV. “Now let’s get this paperwork to the clerk’s office to make you officially Kellys.”

The adrenaline that hits my veins almost makes me dizzy as I clutch Quinn’s hand. Scooting over to sit in the middle seat, we hold each other up as our alphas drive. There’s still a lot of obstacles to cross and I know Bret is probably looking for us, but right now the world feels shiny and exciting for the first time in a long while.

DUNCAN

My ass is falling asleep in this chair as I wait for Quinn to get her hair done, and I’m not annoyed in the least. I’m catching up on work emails and texts, while Linus catches a nap on my shoulder and Callum works.

Callum brings in the bulk of our income, unless I’m setting up a job to remove someone from the playing field of life. I’m a semi-retired assassin, and also provide security for different types of jobs. A year and a half ago, our guards were flipped by an alpha at a party at our house and two omegas were kidnapped.

I purged them all, and started from scratch to rebuild my company. I won’t have disloyal men working for me or weak ones that will hurt those they’re meant to protect. Needless to say, jobs are beginning to build slowly as I find people to test out these new employees.

I’ve never wanted to die from embarrassment and anger more than the night we announced that we’d been betrayed. Never again will I allow that to happen.

So I’m touching base now with the guards who are working after also having fired my secretary and hiring manager. If I want something done, I’ll do it my damn self. I’m finding that while it’s more legwork, there’s a satisfaction to knowing my employees are connected to me in a way they wouldn’t be if there was a middle man communicating with them.

Linus’ gentle breathing is adorable as he naps with his head on my shoulder, a reminder of how anxious he was today. I think that it’ll continue to crop up, because I can see that he puts a good front up when he thinks he needs to.

The thing is, I don’t believe he knows he’s doing this, which means when the anxiety rips off his facade, it’s that much more shocking to him. Callum and I are going to need to watch him closely. Quinn isn’t the only one overwhelmed by their reemergence into the world.

A text comes through on my phone, and I curse under my breath when I see who it is.

“What is it?” Callum asks absently, putting his own phone down once he sees the snarl on my face. “We’ve already done thissong and dance recently, Duncan. Open whatever it is and tell me.”

My snarl relaxes slightly, and I’m reminded of why he should have been born first. Sometimes, I overreact. However, this is not one of those times because Hudson Hughes is currently texting me.

Hudson Hughes:

If you found my daughter, would you tell me? There are whispers you are taking an omega, and there’s only one person you’d ever want.

“Bastard,” I mutter. “Hudson wants to know if we have his daughter. God only knows how he knows fuck all about anything.”

“One of his businesses is in the communications industry,” Callum groans, his head dropping back. “Our house is in a dead zone. Drones will get spotty service over our house. Rock didn’t know that when he sic’d his sons on us.”

I know all of that, and yet, somehow one of the assholes we’ve been hoping to keep this information from found out. I read the text out to Callum, waiting to see what I should respond back. I need feedback here, because I’m one step away from telling Hudson to go fuck himself with a rusty pole.

“A little help here,” I rasp.

“Baby steps,” Callum cautions. “His daughter has been gone for twenty years, I doubt he’s grasping at straws. He knows something in order to pop up with that as a topic of conversation when it’s been almost a year since we’ve last spoken to him.”

“True,” I grunt, leaving Hudson on read for now. “It’s so out of the blue. We’ve also been to several places in the city and haven’t been overly covert about it.”

“Answer him, tell him that it’s a pretty big leap to presume we have somehow found his daughter after twenty years of being missing,” my brother says.

Oh well, may as well shove at the bull. It’s what Callum and I do best.

Hudson:

I see that you read this. Don’t avoid me!

Another text message pops up, and I sigh heavily. That’s fucking awesome.

Dad:

Why is Hudson yelling at me? Did you really find Quinn Hughes?

No, I found Quinn Kelly, thank you very much. If Hudson has a contact at the courthouse, it’s possible someone may have alerted him. I’m still doubtful of that, though.

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