Page 97 of Savage Suit
I shook my head. “Have you?”
“Not yet. I’m visiting her first thing in the morning.” The words sounded ominous.
“Do you need me to come with you?” I had long ago conditioned myself to be Quinn’s support whenever and however she needed.
She gave me a dark look. “Do youwantto come with me?” she challenged. “The only thing I need you to do is to be happy. Do something for yourself. Whether it is grieving or throwing shit or running fucking naked in Times Square. If it is discovering the truth and agreeing with me that Daddy was a selfish, murderous motherfucker. Or if you hate what he did or understand his reasons.Whatever, Ryan, as long as you do you.”
“Quinn—”
“No, fuckQuinn. She’s not listening.I’mnot listening. I’m not listening to a fucking coward.”
“Get out.” The words didn’t come out angry or loud. They were colder than I’d ever been to my sister. Whether she spoke the truth didn’t matter. I’d had enough. “If you can’t recognize that I’ve tried to do my best by you, then fuck you. I don’t ever have to talk to you again. Maybe I haven’t always made the right choices in how I handle situations or what I say to you, but my goal has always been to see that you’re happy and safe and loved.”
“Stay in your feelings, big sister. Easier than opening your eyes and admitting the truth.”
“What fucking truth?” I yelled. “I live in truth.”
“No, you live in perfection. It’s too much for you to admit you fucked Noah. You almost had an apoplectic fit thinking you’d had a one-night stand.”
“What does that have to do with anything? Fuck all,” I fumed. “It isn’t even applicable since it didn’t happen. If it had? I’d find a fucking way to live with myself. Don’t you think it would be a little hypocritical of me to celebrate sleeping with a stranger when I’ve asked you to consider what you do?”
Quinn covered her face and screamed.
It was so loud and sudden that both Reid and I jumped. Recovering quickly, he tried to take her in to his arms, but she wasn’t having it. She shoved him away.
“I’m done,” she snarled, stomping forward and gazing wildly around. She bent next to the sofa. When she stood again, she had her panties in her hand. “For someone so smart, you’re the stupidest chick I’ve ever met, Ryan.”
Glaring at me, she put her thong on. Reid made his way to her, gathering clothing as he did so. He held out her bra, and she snatched it from him.
“Whether cobwebs grow from your pussy, or you attach an open for business sign to it, has no fucking bearing onme,” Quinn growled. “What the fuck is wrong with you? I’m a grown fucking woman. I’ve said this before so let me reiterate: my pitching pussy has nothing to do with you. I enjoy fucking. Again, nothing to do with you. No moral shortcomings. No failing Mama. It’s who I am.” She pulled on her jeans. “You want to know how you are failing me? By not being a fucking friend to me. By not engaging in girl talk and sharing secrets. You inevitably turn into a preachy bitch. Well, guess what, Ryan? I’m sick of it.”
She finished dressing at the same time as Reid. Once she put on her shoes and snatched her purse from the coffee table, I opened the door. When I walked into my place, closed the door, and flipped on the light, I’d been met with Quinn and Reid, and I’d froze. Since then, I hadn’t moved, which served me well.
Without looking at me, Quinn stalked out of my apartment. Reid paused. He smelled of sex and alcohol. More than anything, though, he was playing with my sister’s emotions. I didn’t want to hear anything he had to say.
“Go—”
“She has a lot on her mind, Ryan,” he interrupted. “There are things—” He hesitated. “She has just found out about one of my relationships.”
“Yeah. Megan. Your live-in girlfriend.”
“It isn’t what you think.”
“It’s exactly what I think, asshole.”
He glanced away, then met my gaze. “I can’t change your mind. This isn’t about Megan, but someone in my life Quinn hadn’t connected to me before. It has changed a lot between us. She doesn’t want you to be disappointed in her.”
“Earlier, she didn’t give a fuck how I feel about her.”
“Going on the offensive is her defense. She’s using what’s at her disposal to feed her fury with you before the opposite happens.”
“What do you mean? Ingrid Warrington’s words stirred Quinn’s anger toward me.”
“That woman’s revelations devastated Quinn,” Reid agreed. “But she’s also scared of our secret and concerned about you and your reaction.”
“Talking in riddles isn’t helping.”
He glanced into the hallway. “I’m not the person you think I am.”
