Truth or Consequences
Page 26
Quinn had updated the alarm system a few months ago and hadn’t had any problems until recently. Whatever the problem, he knew Malik would figure it out.
“It’s been years since I’ve had to hack into any of the government’s mainframes,” Wiz said. “They have definitely…” His voice trailed off when they heard a lot of racket at the front of the house - Malik cursing and slamming doors.
What the hell? Quinn rushed out of his office, followed by Wiz. They stopped short when they got to the end of the hall. Malik stood against the wall huffing and puffing with blood oozing from his bottom lip, the sleeve of his jacket ripped, and broken glasses in his hands.
“What the hell happened to you?” Wiz asked.
“She is what happened to me,” he growled and pointed to the family room.
She? Quinn took a few steps forward and glanced in the direction Malik pointed to see a woman sprawled on the sofa.
“I dropped her over there and you can decide what you want to do with her. She’s probably the reason why the alarm sensor is not working. I think she short circuited the damn thing.” Malik slouched and held his side. “Don’t get too close. She’s a wild one. I think she might’ve bruised my ribs.”
Quinn moved closer to the sofa, unable to see the woman’s face. “What did you do to her?”
“I punched her.”
“WHAT? You hit a woman?” Quinn glared at his long time friend.
“What was I supposed to do?” Malik tossed up his hands. “She attacked me with some judo - karate shit.”
“Man, you can be such a jerk sometime. I can’t believe all you could think to do was punch her. She’s half your size.” Wiz shoved past him. “I’ll get some ice.”
Quinn sat on the edge of the sofa and leaned over her. With a finger under her chin, he turned her head slightly not missing the tinted area across her jaw where Malik must’ve hit her. Oh shit. He jerked his hand away.
“Don’t let her size fool you,” Malik said from across the room. “That girl landed some good blows, and she’s quick.”
Quinn couldn’t stop staring at her. It was the woman from the hospital. She looked so much like Alandra that if he didn’t know any better he’d say it was her. He must have shifted just enough to wake her and before he had a chance to react, her hands and arms started moving faster than the speed of light. He dodged an uppercut to his chin and moved just in time of being kneed in the side. “Hey!” Quinn halted her with a death grip on her wrists, his body draped over hers. And then their eyes met. He leaped to his feet and backed away from the sofa.
Holy Mother of… There is no way she can be alive. When the woman rose from the sofa, Quinn took a slow perusal of her body from the top of her head down to the red ballerina-like shoes covering her feet. Behind the long straight reddish hair, green contact lenses, and a thinner body than he remembered, stood the woman he’d vowed to love until the end of time. Alandra - dark olive skin, the flattened nose inherited from her Hispanic father, full lips, and a curvaceous body all from her African American mother. Her mixed race was more apparent than he remembered.
He moved in closer. Despite the minor changes to her appearance he was almost sure it was her, but how was it possible? He had held her bloodied body in his arms. No way could she have survived a bullet to the chest. Never had he been at a loss for words when it came to a beautiful woman, but when the woman was supposed to be dead, words escaped him.
“Q, don’t tell me you know this woman,” Malik roared.
“Keep him away from me,” Alandra said of Malik.
Quinn shook his head in disbelief when she spoke. Her deep velvety voice could have easily belonged to a 1-900 phone sex operator.
“You attacked me!” Malik yelled. “I think you busted up one of my ribs with that judo shit. Who the hell are you anyway?”
The question jolted Quinn out of his coma-like shock. He looked from Malik to Wiz, who had just returned with the ice. “I need you guys to give us a minute.”
Malik shook his head. “No way, man. Not before you tell us who she is.”
Quinn narrowed his eyes at Malik, wishing he’d back off, but in all fairness, Quinn couldn’t be mad at them for wanting some answers. Hell, he wanted some too. He looked over his shoulder at Alandra.
“Why don’t you tell my friends who you really are Ms. Aguilar?”
Alandra tilted her head. “Porque no puedes decirles? Ellos son tus amigos.”
He stiffened as though she had struck him. Yeah, these guys were his friends and sure he could tell them who she was, but he was still trying to process her actually being alive, and in his house! The last thing he wanted to do was play games. Feeling his patience wane, he said as calmly as he could. “I want you to tell them.”
Her hands slammed on her hips and she huffed, “My name is Velvet Aguilar.”
With one-step, Quinn was in her face. “Tell them who the hell you really are!”
She jumped at his tone, and Quinn felt Wiz and Malik jolt to attention.
“Come on, Q,” Wiz stepped closer, his hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh?”
Quinn ignored the question, his eyes trained on Alandra. A few seconds passed with them staring at each other.
“Fine. My name is Alandra Pargas-Hamilton … Quinn’s wife.
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