Page 46 of Finding Haven
Myskiniscrawlingwith the incessant need to wash away the evidence of the last few hours. I’m desperate to get home and shower. Desperate to see her. But I need time to let the shadows dissipate, and I don’t know what kind of mindset I’ll be in by the time I get home.
This was always the issue I had with Tiffany. She expected me to be able to leave everything behind the moment I walked through the door. That’s not always easy to do when you’ve seen the things I have. Watching a man’s limp body fall to the floor as the life drains from his eyes and brain matter paints the wall behind him isn’t something I can wipe from my memory as though it never happened.
Deciding not to rush the drive home, I abide by the posted speed limits on the highway and even veer off down a few side streets despite adding time to the route. I need the extra time to get my head on straight, and I refuse to bring home the demons threatening to consume my soul. My shadow is a tangled mess when I pull into the driveway. The powerful, energetic sound of rock music pours over me as I take a minute to pull in deep, measured breaths before I cut the engine and climb out of the car.
My footsteps falter when I reach the front door, my body hesitating to open it and cross the threshold. Memories of Tiffany’s cruelty thenight I lost Ryan trickle through the cracks of my mind. I know the woman waiting for me on the other side of this door is nothing like the one I left behind in Hartridge, but my body braces for impact all the same.
Drawing in a deep breath, I pull air into my lungs until they ache from the force of it, and then I let it all go as I open the door. I kick off my shoes and take slow, measured steps into the open space of the living room and kitchen. Upbeat pop music is playing through the wall-mounted television with a Spotify playlist titled “Quinn’s Vibes” loaded on the screen.
Turning my head, I find Quinn in the kitchen. She’s singing at the top of her lungs, wearing nothing but a t-shirt and panties. I watch her hips sway to the beat of the music as she wipes down the counters, her honey-blonde hair pulled up into a messy knot on top of her head. I’m blessed with a glimpse of her ass as she stretches an arm up to put a bowl away in one of the higher cabinets, her shirt rising just enough to tease me.
Fuck if that isn’t a damn good sight to come home to.
Reveling in the heavenly sight before me, I lean a shoulder against the wall and cross one foot over the other, perfectly content to spend the rest of the night soaking in her energy. I’m only granted a few more moments of her little show before she spins around to wipe down the island’s marble counter. Her eyes lift to mine, and she lets out a loud gasp as she jumps back, her hand pressed over her mouth. I watch as realization settles over her face, her hand lowering to rest against her chest as she begins to laugh.
The sound is a sweet melody, washing over my body and chasing away any remnants of shadow clinging to my soul. “Hey there, Sugar. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She continues to laugh, and it brings a smile to my face. “Then why the heck didn’t you say anything when you walked in?” she asks, tossing the wipes into the trash before moving over to the kitchen sink to wash her hands.
“And miss the show?” I tease, pressing off from my stance against the wall and crossing the room to her. My arms wrap around her waist as I pull her body against mine, her back to my chest.
She dries her hands on a towel and then spins to face me, her arms looping around my shoulders. “Well, I’m glad I could entertain you.” She leans up, pressing her lips to mine. The kiss is short and sweet and exactly the kind of greeting I need after a day like today. “How was—” She pauses, her eyes dropping from mine.
Bringing a hand up, I tilt her chin until her gaze meets mine. “What is it, baby?”
Her bottom lip catches between her teeth. “Am I allowed to ask how your day was when you were doing something for your other job?”
“The Phoenix Legion,” I tell her.
“The what?”
“My other job. It’s with The Phoenix Legion. And you can always ask.” She knows what the organization does, but until now, I’ve never told her the name. A weight I didn’t realize I was carrying lifts from my shoulders with the shared information.
She fights back a laugh. “That name is a bit much, don’t you think?”
I chuckle. “Maybe, but it’s fitting. The phoenix symbolizes resurrection. They’re consumed by the fire only to rise from the ashes. The Legion rescues people from terrible situations and gives them a chance to start over.”
She nods and runs a hand through my hair, pushing the dark curls back from my forehead. “How was your day? Can I do anything for you? I made dinner, but I wasn’t sure if you’d be hungry or when you’d be home, so I just put it in the fridge when it was done.”
How is she so perfect for me?And to think that a dozen different things could’ve prevented us from meeting. If I hadn’t lost Ryan, I probably would have never left Hartridge. Which means I wouldn’t have moved to Haven Beach, started work at the Elysian Suites, or joined the Legion. I wouldn’t have been in the hotel to go down to the bar that night and remove Quinn’s date from the premises. I wouldn’t have stumbled upon her Frisk account. Even if I did, I wouldn’t have first been introduced to her as Quinn and been able to connect the dots.
“You made dinner for me?” I ask.
“I did, but it’s not much. I went through your fridge and pantry and found everything I needed to make chicken alfredo. I baked the chicken breasts and broccoli in the oven and used the heavy cream and a few different cheeses I found in the fridge to make the alfredo sauce. I added a ton of garlic and some pepper to the sauce, too. I wasn’t sure if you’d want it with pasta or if you’d just want the sauce poured over the chicken and broccoli. That’s how I eat mine,” she says with a shrug.
I must be smiling like an idiot because her cheeks redden with a deep blush. I can’t believe she went through all that trouble just to have something ready for me when I got home.
“You have no idea how much this means to me, Sugar. It smells amazing in here,” I say, sliding my hand to the nape of her neck as I press a kiss to her forehead. “I’m gonna go take a shower and wash the day away. Did you eat already?”
She nods. “A little bit ago.”
“Good girl.” My arm around her waist tightens as I lower my mouth to hers. “Why don’t you find something for us to watch? I want you in my bed when I get out of the shower.”
As much as I wanted to hastily scrub away the sweat and grime from my body, I needed to be sure that no traces of blood remained before I joined Quinn in bed. Coming home to her immediately soothed my soul and brought a sense of comfort I hadn’t realized I was missing. My life in Hartridge almost feels like it belongs to an entirely different person. I’m not the same man I was back then.
Emerging from the shower, I wrap a towel around my waist and brace my hands against the counter, examining the man in the mirror. The taut, muscled abdomen inked with the large phoenix tattoo up one side of his torso, the sharp lines of his jaw, and the black curls that hang over his forehead, refusing to be tamed no matter what he does, are all familiar. It’s the eyes staring back at me that I don’t recognize.
Those eyes are somehow deeper and warmer than I’ve ever seen in my reflection. They belong to a man worthy of love and compassion. A man who has walked through fire, been engulfed by the flames, and nearly hadhis soul devoured, only to crawl his way out of the ashes to fight another day.
