Page 81 of Broken Dreams

“Do you remember the training Callum and I gave you as a kid?” I ask her. Twisting until her butt is in my lap instead, she reaches out for the pad she left on the ground. Linus appearsamused, while my dick is being pressed against her ass, which is encased by a pair of leggings that should be illegal.

Linus hands Quinn the pad and pen, wearing leggings as well that show off his dick and a white tank top. The universe is trying me today, and I’m not a good enough alpha for this. Fuck my life.

Ducking my head to kiss Quinn’s neck, I murmur, “Thank you for taking care of me.”

Her shiver speaks volumes to me, as her scent fills the air.

“What were you saying?” Linus teases as she huffs. Oh, she’s a cute brat. I love it.

The training didn’t work. I froze.

“I don’t think there’s much you could have done against a group of men so much bigger than you,” Callum says. “The girls and guards as they joined later both stated there were several armed and masked men.”

Quinn drops her head as she nods.

“This time, you’ll have weapons on you wherever you go, including Club Serenity,” Callum says. “There’s a lot I can hide in your hair or along your thigh in the form of a knife. I want to make sure you know how to use it before I arm you so you don’t cut yourself.”

“That would suck,” Linus says.

“You’re learning too,” I say. “You need to be able to protect both yourself and Quinn. You’re the one with her the most outside of us.”

The way his chest puffs up makes me smile. He’s been watching out for her for a long time, even when he couldn’t keep her completely safe.

“So, are we doing this? Telling your dad you’re alive and with us?” I ask.

After paperwork, Quinn insists.

“You got it. Let’s go get that done,” Callum says before Quinn starts furiously writing.

I’m broken. I can’t speak, I’m not the same girl anymore. I don’t know why he’s being so insistent about this. I doubt he will be once you tell him. In fact, after the paperwork you should start with that. ‘I found your daughter, but she’s broken.’

“The fuck I will,” I growl, my hand cuffing her throat, my thumb on her chin as I push her head up to look at me. “You’re not broken, everything works just fine. Speech is overrated, and I almost broke my father’s face several times because he doesn’t know when to shut up.”

“What Duncan is explaining badly is that there’s nothing wrong with you,” Callum says. “Trauma took your voice, you’ll find it when you’re ready, okay?”

Quinn blinks up at me to agree since she can’t move her face, and I kiss her upside down. It’s messy, wild, and exactly what I need. Her chest is heaving for an entirely different reason when I release her.

“Now, let’s do paperwork so I can convince my dick to calm down,” I grunt, helping Quinn up before standing. “I can’t tell you how far out I’ll be able to push this ridiculous party he’ll want to have, but I’ll try to make sure we have a say on where we have it.”

“We could have it here,” Callum says, making a face. “The security agency is filling out well, and we can pull some of our allies to help too.”

Weighing in my mind, I nod. It feels an awful lot like deja vu, but it’s worth a try.

“Yeah, we can do that.”

CHAPTER 17

LINUS

We have our dance gear in a bag, ready for work, and are headed to have a late lunch with Adira. Callum said she’s been climbing the walls to come meet Quinn, and was threatening to drive herself out to the house. Since she can’t operate a car, this is the safer option for all mankind.

I know they’ve been trying to give us time to acclimate, but we’re being thrown into the deep end. It’s time to sink or swim, baby.

“I need to mention something else,” Duncan says tentatively. I get the feeling he does this often. “We’re trying to wrap as much security and protection as possible around you. In true fashion, Hudson wants to have dinner with you before the party with a few of the heads of the families. It’s to make your presence known to the big guys.”

Quinn rolls her eyes, furiously writing something before turning it. Callum reads it out loud, as Duncan is driving.

“They know me,” he murmurs. “Of course they do, but this isn’t about that. Depending on how you decide to proceed with your role in our world, Hudson wants you to be reintroduced to them. You’re not fourteen anymore.”

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