Page 28 of Chasing Temptation
She looks unsure of herself and I hate it. Reaching out, I take her hand in mine. “I’ll follow you anywhere, Quinn.”
“I thought you might say that. Come on then, the sooner we get this over with the sooner we can head home.”
Home.I’ve called a few places home in my life, but I can honestly say that this is the first time I feel like I really have one. It doesn’t matter that the flat we’re going back to is someone else’s; all that matters is that she’s going to be by my side.
We load Lauren’s car, but the second Quinn puts an address into the SatNav I know exactly where she’s going.
I stay quiet as she drives the relatively short journey back to her old house.
“I always hated this house,” she murmurs as she pulls the car to a stop in the driveway beside the two cars still parked out the front. “It’s cold. Unwelcoming. Kind of fitting, I guess.”
“Do you own it?”
“No, it’s a school property. Dad ensured we got the best one—well besides his.”
“It’s a nice house.”
“Is it?”
I don’t respond. She doesn’t need me to.
Eventually she climbs from the car and I follow her towards the front door.
There’s a little key lock that she quickly opens to reveal a key. She sucks in a large breath before lifting it to the lock. Stepping up closer behind her, I press my hand into the small of her back in support and she unlocks the door.
We step inside in silence and I follow her as she pokes her head into every room. I’ve no idea if she’s come here because she needs to get stuff or what, but she can have all the time she needs.
I didn’t pay any attention to the interior of this place the last time I was here aside from the dark room Quinn had been locked up in, but it’s exactly as I’d have imagined from everything she’s told me about her previous life. Everything is just so. It’s all clearly expensive and has its place. It reminds me of my parents’ house, and I hate it.
I follow behind her, taking everything in and fighting the memories from my childhood that keep threatening to pop up. Nothing I ever did in that house was good enough. I was always made to feel like a failure and a disappointment—two things I’d quite happily never feel again.
“Joe, are you okay?” Quinn asks, turning and coming a stop in front of me. She reaches out and takes both my hands in hers.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I be? I should be the one asking you that question. Being back here must be—” I trail off, not really knowing the right word to use.
“It’s...closure. This part of my life is over. But you look like you’re about to throw up.”
“I’m fine.” She eyes me curiously, but, obviously not wanting to spend any more time here than necessary, she doesn’t question me.
Before she takes a step up onto the stairs, she sucks in a huge breath.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“I do.” Squaring her shoulders, she begins to climb and I keep right behind her.
Ignoring most of the doors, she stops at one and pushes it open.
The room is an office, much like the one I saw through the window at the school, with a huge mahogany desk and leather chair sitting behind. It’s nothing but pretentious. I can’t imagine for a second that Quinn ever worked in here.
She walks behind the desk and takes a seat before looking up at me. “Can you get into this?”
Not knowing what she means, I follow her lead until I’m staring at the same drawers she is.
“It’s locked,” she adds, just in case I hadn’t already figured that out.
“So you think I’m capable of breaking and entering?” I raise an eyebrow at her in accusation.
“How did you get in here to find me in the first place?”
