Page 29 of The Lynx and the Llama
“Yes, Erika,” he told her, sparing barely a glance in her direction. “This was my entire purpose for being here, and this detainee isn’t slipping through our fingers again.”
Erika watched as Quinn left with Zagan. A heaviness grew within her chest that she’d never felt before, and then a flood of tears sprang from her eyes.
No goodbye?
If she’d known this would be the last time she’d ever see Quinn, she wouldn’t have run out on him at the hotel last night.
12
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Stan. Carol and I did what you asked. Zagan is in custody. Sure, we didn’t get Zagan’s other two goons, but you are practically foaming at the mouth and telling me I should be back at the SHIT right now?”
“Because you tasked yourself with catching Zagan, but your actual assignment was BS! Bonafide Security provides protection for the royals at SHIT!”
“I did provide them protection,” he objected. “I took the biggest threat straight out of there.”
“Well, you need to get your ass back there, because they can’t be short a guard.”
“Carol can handle it,” Quinn said with a shrug. He’d tried hard to forget Erika over the long flight back to FUCN’A, and the idea of going back there to face her again seemed insurmountable. Plus, he’d rather stay where he was and assist in whatever interrogation might take place with Zagan. Because seriously that bastard was his to book!
“No, she can’t, because she’s going to be busy being a bride.”
“What?”
“They’re getting married once the SHIT ends.”
Now everything was starting to make more sense. Carol needed the extra time to prepare for her wedding, and who was he to be selfish and get in the way of Carol’s happiness? All Quinn could do was smile at Stan’s assignment. Carol deserved such happiness. Suddenly, his heart felt lighter, and he could admit to himself that the idea of returning appealed. He missed his Erika.
His Erika?
Wait…
What?
At what point did she become his? She was her own person and told him that in spades when she ran from his hotel room. He was still kicking himself in the ass about that. She deserved nothing but his best, and he’d misread her signals in the worst way. He’d let her down in the worst way, too.
Did I really fuck up? Or was it what she said that night? Did she really get scared about us? About her heart shattering once he left?
He sucked in a breath and raked his hair with a hand.
No. Erika was scared. She wouldn’t lie about that. She was so forthright with her opinions, so if I fucked up, she’d tell me…
A smile broadened his face as he thought about flying back to Marathi.
I can’t wait to see her!
But…
Will she want to see me?
His head spun with such questions all the way back to Marathi. Carol, who greeted him at the airport, immediately sensed his issue.
“Stop overanalyzing, Quinn! Erika is head over heels in love with you,” Carol said as she patted Quinn on the shoulder. “She just doesn’t know it yet.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I’ve never seen her as happy as she’s been with you.”
“I’ve never known happiness until I met her.”
