Page 67 of The Truths We Seek

Meyer grips her face, his entire body shaking with anger from her confessions. “You don’t get to speak to her, look at her, or even fucking think of her.”

Harper’s whimpers would affect me more if she hadn’t explained just how much information she gave Trent. Or even if she’d explained who else was working with Trent. She swore she didn’t know, but the look she gave me after left me doubting. Meyer obviously didn’t believe her either.

I cross the room and place my hand on his back, feeling his anger radiating from him. “Meyer.”

Like his name on my lips is a release, some of the tension leaves him.

“Let’s go,” I say softly. “She doesn’t have anything else to say to us.”

He shudders as I run my hand down his spine before releasing her and turning to face me. “You’re right. This is a waste of our time. Let’s go.”

“No,” Harper cries, sobs racking her body. “Meyer, please. Don’t leave me here.”

I look back once, seeing the terror shining from her glassy eyes, her cheeks stained with tears, red from his hold on her. Meyer doesn’t give her even that. He escorts me from the building, opens the car door for me, and drives us home without another word.

It’s not like I have any sympathy for her, not after everything, but still, her face haunts me if I think on it too much. She truly did love him and it twisted her into what she became.

I wonder if that’s what happened to Trent. Was he always a monster? Or was he made to be that way?

Shaking my head, I push the thought away. I didn’t ask what happened to Harper. Just like I never asked what happened to Trent. Sometimes I wonder if I even want to know. Mostly, I know that I have enough things that live in my nightmares, and I could probably use the blissful ignorance.

I finish my bowl of ramen in the little restaurant I found on my outing today. Meyer dealt with my inheritance stuff, so I asked Bruno if we could come into the city. I want to get ahead on my Christmas shopping. I got the guys small trinkets for their birthdays because, well, one: I had no idea what to get, and two: buying them gifts with their money felt gross.

So freaking gross.

He didn’t want Ramen, so I told him I’d be fine for ten minutes while he grabbed a sandwich from the deli across the street.

Lo and behold, I’ve been absolutely fine. I haven’t seen him reappear yet, but I basically annihilated my ramen when it appeared. Apparently, shopping for the holidays makes me hungry.

My phone rings as I pay the bill and I smile when I see Tina’s name on the screen. We had to reschedule our girls lunch because Yen is covering for Harper, so I haven’t seen much of her lately.

“Hey Tina!” My grin is wide as I answer, but her crying freezes me in my tracks. “What’s wrong?”

“He... he got... he got in the building, Quinn.” Her words are stuttered and broken, but I make out what she’s saying. “I don’t know what to do. Oh, God. He’s going to kill me.”

“Did you call for Sam or Eric?” I ask as my heart rate picks up. I’m already out of the restaurant looking around for Bruno but I can’t see him.

Fuck.

“They didn’t answer. I think he hurt them. He’s going to get in here. He’s banging down my door.”

Without thinking, I start running toward the apartment building.

Thank God I wore leggings and sneakers today.

It’s not far from here. I can tell the others where I’m going, but I can’t just leave her.

Fuck.

“Tina, I need you to hide. I have to call the guys, but I need you to get somewhere safe.”

She sobs, but I swear I can practically see her nodding. “Okay.”

She’s still crying and I can hear the fear in her voice. It makes me push harder. Thank fuck Bruno put the shopping in the car before lunch.

“I’m in the bedroom closet.”

Cliché, but it works.

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