by Parker, Ali
“I know, but it’s not you who keeps making shitty choices. It’s me. Why do I do this over and over? Why am I drawn to these God-awful people?”
I stopped mixing my protein packed pancake batter and went over to her. “You have a good heart, Nancy. You believe that people are better than what they are. That’s all. You’re an optimist. The world needs more people like you.”
“And less people like Kyle.”
“Yes, Kyle’s are the worst.”
Nancy chuckled, and my heart grew lighter. I went about finishing up the pancakes as she plunged the coffee. After a minute, she poured us each a mug and fixed mine just how I liked it: with a splash of vanilla almond milk.
Then we took our plates, coffees, and the maple syrup from the fridge to the kitchen table and gorged ourselves on the chocolatey goodness I had prepared.
“I swear, these taste better every time you make them,” Nancy said through a mouthful of food.
“I try something new every time.”
She nodded. “And this time?”
“I added a bit of cinnamon.”
“It’s yummy,” Nancy said, taking another bite. I’d earned her stamp of approval.
“What do you want to do today?”
Nancy shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Is Kyle working?”
Nancy shook her head.
“Damn. We could have gone and gotten your stuff the hell out of there. Like ripping a band aid off. All in one shot, done.”
“It’s okay.” Nancy smiled as she dragged a bite of pancake through the syrup on her plate. “There’s plenty of time to go get my things. I’d like to go grocery shopping and stock up on some food for the week. And maybe we could go see a movie or something tonight? I’d like a good distraction.”
“Consider it done,” I said.
After we finished eating, we took our dishes and put them in the sink. The only thing I didn’t like about my apartment was that it didn’t have a damn dishwasher. Well, that and it also had a teeny, tiny little balcony, which was good for absolutely nothing. I couldn’t even fit a grill out there, let alone a chair or two. I had some herbs and a couple flower pots out there in the summertime, but in the winter, it was never used.
Nancy turned on the sink and started filling up one side with hot soapy water. “I’ll do the dishes. You shower. Then we’ll switch.”
“Deal,” I said.
I could hear her humming to herself as she washed the dishes, and I walked to the back of my apartment where my bedroom was. I picked out the clothes I would change into after my shower: a pair of black jeans, a bralette, and my favorite band tee. I was pulling my oversized shirt off over my head when someone knocked on the door.
“I’ll get it!” Nancy called down the hall at me.
The water turned off. Nancy’s heels struck the laminate as she crossed the kitchen and went to the door. I heard it open. And then I heard her scream.
I tugged my shirt back down and raced to the kitchen, where I found Nancy retreating behind the island as Kyle, red faced and furious, followed her inside.
He shot a dark look at me as I stopped at the mouth of the hallway.
Kyle was a big dude. He was at least six feet tall, maybe even a couple inches taller than that, with broad shoulders, thick legs, and equally thick arms. The slow way he blinked suggested he might still be intoxicated, and so did the redness lining his brown eyes.
His gaze slid from me to Nancy. “Fucking bitches.”
I stood up as straight as I could manage and forced myself to relax. “Kyle, you need to leave. Right now.”
He snarled at me like a rabid dog. “I’ll leave once I get what’s mine.”
“Nancy isn’t yours.” My mind was spinning a mile a minute. How were we going to get out of this one? Kyle was the definition of unreasonable. He’d lay hands on a woman without batting an eyelash; I was sure of it. There was no doubt in my mind that he’d done it numerous times before.
There was also no doubt in my mind that if he got Nancy alone, he’d beat the shit out of her.
And that wasn’t fucking happening.
“Kyle,” I said again. This time, my voice sounded venomous. He looked up at me, and I pointed at the door. “Leave.”
He started laughing. The bastard actually started laughing at me. “You think you can tell me what to do, tough girl? Do you? You may ride a motorcycle, and you may talk a big game, but we both know deep down, you’re just a scared little girl. What are you overcompensating for, princess? Daddy issues?”
I didn’t indulge him. Instead, I moved and planted myself between him and Nancy.
Nancy whimpered behind me. “Quinn…”
I didn’t look back at her. I wasn’t going to take my eyes off the threat.
Kyle swayed on the spot. He was drunk as a skunk. Then he pointed a thick finger at me. “Get the hell out of my way, or I’ll go through you to get to her. Don’t think I won’t do it.”
“I know you’ll do it, you piece of shit,” I said. But Quinn Connolly takes shit from no one.
He went after me. Nancy screamed my name.
Kyle grabbed my wrist and yanked me roughly toward him. Dumb ass. I used my elbow and drove it right into his gut. He grunted, doubled over, and clutched at his stomach as I drove my elbow down into his back.
Then he punched me in the hip and knocked me right on my ass. I landed heavily and slammed my shoulder into the corner of the kitchen island. That really fucking hurt.
He was hissing and spitting at me as he straightened up. I was snarling back, full of fury, as he loomed over me. The fucker was going to kick me.
Then someone was yelling down the hall that they had called the police.
Kyle froze with his right leg wound back. His lips peeled back off his teeth when he looked back down at me. “You got lucky.”
And then he bolted out the door.
Nancy scrambled out from behind the island to slam the door closed. She locked the handle and deadbolt before pressing her back against it and glancing over at me. “Quinn. Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I can’t believe—”
“I’m fine,” I said a little breathlessly. I held my aching hip as I got to my feet. I had to use the edge of the counter for support.
Then the waterworks started. Nancy started sobbing as I went over to her. I gently nudged her out of the way of the door and then held her by the shoulders. “Listen. I’m fine. Go have a hot shower. I’m going to talk to the neighbor and find out if he actually did call the police.”
“Then what?” Nancy sniffled as she dragged the back of her hand across her nose.
“Then we figure out what our next move is. Kyle isn’t going to throw in the towel that easy. He’s going to try again.”
Nancy covered her face with her hands. I wasn’t sure if she was hiding from the guilt, shame, or embarrassment. Maybe all three.
I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly. “It’s going to be fine. I promise. I’ve dealt with guys like this before.”
That was only sort of true. The last time I’d had dealings with men as violent and cruel as Kyle, I’d had men who were equally as fierce to back me up. But they all left. Or were killed. I’d been on my own for six months.
Six long months of wondering what I did wrong. Of wondering why, after losing my brother, I had to lose everyone else, too.
Chapter 5
Rhys
Liam rolled the end of his pool cue in the blue chalk before bending down and lining up his shot to sink a solid. He and Owen were playing against Aiden and me, who were in the lead by only a couple points.
Liam took his shot and sank the red solid in a corner pocket. He straightened up, gave Aiden and me a smug smile, and walked around the table to scout out his next shot.
I went to the table we’d claimed near the pool table and took a few mouthfuls of beer. Aiden joined me and ate a cold French fry from the basket that had been sitting on the table for at least an hour. He made a f
ace at it and then went back in for a couple more.
“Are you gonna eat any of these?” he asked as he popped another fry in his mouth.
I shook my head.
“Are you sure?”
“Have at ‘em, man. They’re all yours.”
Liam finished his turn, and I stepped up to take my shot. I sank my first one but missed my second, and Owen took my place at the edge of the table. He missed.
Aiden shoveled a few more fries into his mouth before he lined up his own shot. He sank the last four balls we had on the table, and then he sank the eight ball and used his pool cue as a staff and leaned upon it. He gave a dramatic bow with a flourish of his hand. “That’s how it’s done, gentlemen.”
Owen scowled. “All right, all right.”
We all went back to our table and ordered another round of beers and some baskets of food. Angie’s bar had cheap appetizer nights on Tuesdays, so we ordered another basket of fries, some wings, salt and pepper dry ribs, and potato skins.
Angie delivered the grub to our table in person. “You boys are going to keep me in business if this damn economy crashes, you know.”
“We’ve got your back, Angie.” Liam smiled. Liam had other interests at stake. He had a thing for Angie’s oldest daughter, Brooklyn, a sweet, shy, cute blonde girl with big lips and wide-set eyes. She reminded me of a deer. “We’ll keep coming back if you keep serving this delicious stuff.”
Angie beamed at all of us and told us she’d bring over a pitcher of beer on the house.
“She wouldn’t be giving us free shit all the time if she knew you and her sweet innocent Brooklyn had been sucking face in the storage closet,” Owen muttered.
“Dude!” Liam hissed. “Shut the fuck up. I don’t want anyone hearing you.”
Owen rolled his eyes and slumped back in his chair. “Dude? I’ve walked by that door while the two of you were in there and heard plenty. Me saying it out loud is the least of your worries.”
Liam turned bright pink. “We haven’t had—”
Owen held up his hand. “Don’t care. All I’m saying is I’ve heard that girl in there, and she sure sounds like she’s having a good time with you. There’s no way her momma hasn’t caught on to what’s going on between the two of you.”
Liam turned to look at me with wide eyes. “Is he fucking with me or not?”
I shrugged. “Next time you bring Brooklyn into the storage closet, I’ll make sure to walk by. Nice and slow.”
Liam swatted at me. “Fuck you too, asshole.”
I laughed and so did Owen. Aiden just shook his head at all of us.
When Liam’s face returned to its normal color, he nodded at the pool table. “You guys up for another round after we eat?”
“Hell yeah,” I said.
Owen nodded. “Yeah, I can’t leave without kicking Rhys’s ass at least once.”
“Good luck,” I said, draining the last of my beer.
As soon as I’d put it down, Angie came back with our new pitcher. She topped up my glass and put it down in the middle of the table. “Your food will be out in just a minute. Anything else I can get you boys?”
Owen nodded and leaned forward. “Is Brooklyn working today?”
Liam turned pink again and shot Owen a menacing look.
“No, not today,” Angie said. “She has one of her night classes today. She doesn’t work Tuesday or Thursday nights.”
Owen sighed. “Shame.”
Angie smiled. “I’ll tell her you all say hello.”
“Do that,” Owen said.
Angie waddled off, and all of us looked at Liam, who was trying his best not to make eye contact with any of us. I nudged him with my boot. “Cat got your tongue, Romeo?”
He buried his face in his hands. “I never should have hooked up with her.”
“Oh, come on, you don’t mean that,” Owen said.
“Oh. I mean it.”
Owen clicked his tongue. “I’m sure she’s glad you did. I mean, just on the sounds alone, I’d say—”
“All right!” Liam cried. We all cracked up, and he scowled at us as he finished the last quarter of his beer and filled his glass again with the fresh stuff. “Sometimes, I wonder why the hell I even hang around with you clowns. Brooklyn’s a nice girl. I don’t like you talking about her like that. She’s—she’s a lady.”
Owen looked at me over the rim of his beer glass as he tilted it back to drain the last few mouthfuls. When he put it down, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “You’re a strange kid, Liam.”
“Why?” Liam asked.
Owen shrugged. “You don’t belong with our sort. You should have gone into business. Or medicine. I don’t know. Something other than this life would have suited you better.”
“But I like this life,” Liam said.
I clapped him on the back. “And we like having you. Ignore Owen. He’s just sour that he wasn’t the one with his tongue in Brooklyn’s mouth.”
Owen topped up his beer glass. “I won’t deny that. She’s cute as hell.”
After hazing poor Liam for another five minutes or so, our food arrived. The kid was grateful that we could all stuff our faces, rather than make him suffer through more conversation about Brooklyn.
When we were done eating, we went back to playing pool. We set up another game, and Owen started us off with a good wide break. Then it went from there.
I was standing with my back to the bar when Aiden, who was standing on the opposite side of the pool table, looked over my shoulder and narrowed his eyes as if in recognition. Then they widened, and he said, “Holy shit. Quinn’s here.”
“What?” I asked sharply as I turned around.
It didn’t take me long to spot her. In fact, my eyes were drawn to her like she was a magnet and I was a compass needle.
She was sitting on one of the barstools and had her back to us. I didn’t need to see her face to know it was her. Her hair was pulled up in a long, high, sleek ponytail. She was wearing dark black jeans, black ankle boots covered in silver studs, and a studded black leather jacket. She looked like sin sitting at that bar, sipping on a bottle of beer.
Then she looked over her shoulder to stare right at me.
Her perfect full lips curled in a smile, and she slid off the stool.
“Fuck,” I breathed, and then I was moving toward her.
We wove through bodies in the bar until we reached each other, and once I was in front of her, I had no idea what I was supposed to do.
She took over and hugged me. She hugged me the same way she used to. She lifted onto the balls of her feet and then wrapped her arms around my shoulders to bury her face in the groove of my neck.
I could smell her perfume. Clean and crisp and floral. And her shampoo. Roses, cucumber, and mint. Just like my dream.
When she pulled away, her cheeks were a little pink, but the flush disappeared rather quickly. She straightened out her leather jacket and shifted her weight to her right foot. “Well, I’ll be damned. Rhys Davies in the flesh. It’s been a while.”
“Sure has,” I said. It sounded stupid in my ears. I tried to think of something smart to say. Something that wouldn’t make me look like the blubbering idiot I felt like whenever I was in her presence. She was still smiling at me. “You look good, Quinn.”
“I always look good.”
That couldn’t have been truer. Quinn was the most beautiful woman I’d ever met. She wasn’t your typical beauty, either. She was rough around the edges. The most feminine thing about her were those lips of hers—so full and perfect, especially the dramatic dip of her cupid’s bow. The rest of her was hard. Her eyebrows were sharp and thick, her nose thin and pointed, her cheekbones high. She was all sharp angles, and shadows always made her look a little mysterious. Almost magical. Like she didn’t belong here on this earth with us.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
Quinn opened her mouth to speak, but she was cut off when Aiden sidled over and grabb
ed my shoulder. He tugged me back a step and then went to his little cousin, gathered her up in his arms, and turned in a full circle with her feet dangling off the floor.
She laughed, but I could tell it was forced. It didn’t bubble freely out of her like her genuine laugh did.
He set her down. “Quinn! It’s great to see you! You look…”
“Good?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I was gonna say like a biker.”
“That’s probably ‘cause I have a bike now,” she said.
“What?” Aiden and I both asked in unison.
The leather of her jacket groaned as she folded her arms. “You heard me.”
“Well shit,” Aiden said. “All right then. What the hell are you doing in New York City? You always said this was the place for narcissists and businessmen.”
“I still think that,” Quinn said. Then her hazel eyes shifted to me. They looked almost gold in the dim lighting of the bar. “I came here because I need your help, Rhys.”
Chapter 6
Quinn
I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting when I left Chicago to come find Rhys in New York. Did I think he’d look different? Did I think he’d sweep me off my feet and kiss me right there on the spot?
Did I think things would have changed?
Standing this close to him brought back a whirlwind of steamy memories: Kissing him outside Max’s front door before going inside to have dinner. Fucking him in the backseat of the Impala I sold after Max died. Fooling around in empty movie theatres.
Telling him I loved him.
Now here he was, looking hotter than ever, staring at me. He was wearing the same gray beanie he used to wear in the winter months back in Chicago. His brown hair poked out from underneath it and framed his bright green eyes. Eyes that had seen my soul.
There was nothing in this world I wanted more than Rhys Davies. He knew me better than anyone, and we trusted each other more than we should. I would do anything for him—and I had. I had let him leave when he told me he couldn’t bear to see me anymore. He couldn’t do it to Max.
So, after my brother died, I lost the only man I had ever loved because of the guilt he struggled with every day over Max’s murder.