Page 29 of Crossing Quinn

“Oh, the poor little thing.” Mami held out her arms. “I’ll take care of you.”

Clio jumped into my mother’s arms and transformed into a carbon copy of me when I was a toddler.

“Aren’t you a clever baby,” Mami crooned, stroking her silver tresses.

A loud crackling sizzle sounded as the energy barrier reformed, trapping me in the cell. I spun around and gave Quinn the one-finger salute.

“Tsk-tsk. Naughty girls don’t get chocolate.”

I pulled out my last thermite grenade. “Think you can take it from me in hand-to-hand combat?”

Quinn crossed his arms and grinned. “Without breaking a sweat.”

“If I can keep you from taking it from me, we go back to Qeeturah and look for my father.”

“Deal.”

Sucker. “You have a place where we can settle who’s the baddest of the bad?”

“The cargo bay is empty.”

A chunk of brain matter slid down the front of his battle suit. “Please shower and change first.”

“As my lady commands.” Quinn strolled off chuckling. “Baddest of the bad.”

“You won’t be laughing for long,” I mumbled.

Her eyes wide with fear, my mother asked, “Has something happened to Lysis?”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “I don’t know.”

“But you’re psychically linked.” A single tear rolled down her cheek.

“Dolon stunned and then gassed me. My abilities aren’t at full strength.”

“Please, find him. I can’t live without him.”

Clio linked her chubby arms around Mami. “No cry, Geema.”

My mother kissed her cheek. “You are such a good baby.”

“Me is.”

Mami focused her watery gaze on me. “Are you going to look for your father or not?”

Sometimes keeping my mother safe and happy was a thankless job. Summoning every ounce of power I had, I reached out with my mind. “Papa? Papa?” I sensed a presence just out of range, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t quite touch it.

“Need some help?”The brush of Quinn’s mind against mine sent shivers coursing through my body. I could feel the hot water pounding his naked flesh.

“I don’t want to interfere with your much-needed shower.”

“I’m good at multitasking.”Quinn’s big hands slowly stroked his body.

It was almost like he was caressing me. I heard my shallow, ragged breaths. His touch was making me burn, want, need. I shook my head to clear it. The bastard was using his psychic abilities to beguile me. “Stop it!”

“Stop what?”There was a sensual note in Quinn’s voice. “This?” He psychically used his teeth and tongue to nip and lave my neck, sending little darts of fire cascading through me.

“You’re trying to seduce me.”My voice was a hoarse whisper.

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