Break in the Storm (WeHo Book 2)

by Sherryl Hancock

  “Well, you know that my brother and sister are really attached to you.”

  Quinn grinned. “Yeah, I’m finding myself pretty attached to them too.”

  Erin nodded, then gave Quinn a sideway glance. “And I am too.”

  Quinn caught the odd tone in Erin’s voice and glanced over at the young woman.

  “Okay…” Quinn said, her tone leading.

  Erin looked back at her for a long moment, then shrugged, looking out the window. “I guess you could call it a crush.”

  “A wot?” Quinn replied, her tone sharper than she’d meant it to be.

  Erin winced at the tone, then looked over at Quinn. “A crush,” she said timidly.

  Quinn looked back at the girl, having come to a red light. “Okay, well, you know that I’m way too old for you, and in love with your cousin, right?”

  Erin nodded, biting her lip.

  “Okay,” Quinn said, her tone more gentle, “you’ll find the right one for you, Erin. You just have to make sure you know who you are and what you want.”

  Erin nodded again. They arrived at the gym a few minutes later.

  On the drive home, Erin sat with her head back on the seat, she was exhausted. She’d told Quinn she wanted to get into the kind of shape she was in, she’d had no idea how hard Quinn worked at the body she had. She did now, and she was beyond exhausted!

  Quinn grinned at the girl’s posture, she had told her to slow down a few times, but she’d insisted and trying to keep up. Quinn pulled out of the parking lot. A few minutes down the road she glanced in her rearview and saw it again, the black SUV that had been following them earlier in the day. At least she thought it might be. As she drove, she kept tabs on the SUV; she noticed it would drop back for a while, and then get closer again.

  She took a couple of turns to see if the SUV would remain with her, and it did. Erin lifted her head after a few turns and looked over at Quinn, seeing her looking in the rearview mirror again.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  Quinn glanced at her. “Well, I think we’re being followed.”

  At that point the SUV turned off the street. She narrowed her eyes, but didn’t stop looking. After a few minutes and at another stop light she caught sight of the nose of the SUV on a side street.

  “There you are little fucker,” Quinn muttered. “Think you’re slick…”

  “What do we do?” Erin asked, looking worried.

  “Well,” Quinn said, watching as the vehicle pulled onto the main road again, “now we’re gonna draw him in closer…”

  “Closer?” Erin asked, looking alarmed.

  “Just to get a plate number, Erin, nothing to worry about.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “Can you take it down for me?” Quinn asked.

  “Sure,” Erin said, pulling out her phone, “whenever you’re ready.”

  Quinn read off the numbers and letters. Erin put them in her phone.

  When they got back to the house, Quinn went out into the backyard and made some calls. When she hung up, she had Mackie working with Joe Sinclair to get the plate run. Sitting down she pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a deep drag.

  “Everything okay?” Xandy asked, walking out onto the patio.

  Quinn glanced back at her, smiling. “Yeah, I’m working on it.”

  Xandy nodded, knowing that if Quinn was handling the problem, it would get handled and she didn’t need to press further.

  “The kids are down for the night,” Xandy said. “Erin wants to talk to her mom now.”

  Quinn widened her eyes slightly, but nodded moving to stand.

  “No, we’re coming out here,” Xandy said to forestall her.

  “Okay,” Quinn said, nodding.

  Xandy, Erin and Sarah came outside. Xandy handed Quinn a beer from the fridge as she moved past her. Quinn grinned; she figured this was Xandy’s way of trying to help calm her nerves.

  “So what’s going on?” Sarah asked, looking worried.

  Quinn looked at Erin who looked completely nervous, then she looked at Xandy and she looked equally nervous. Up to me to start then, Quinn thought to herself.

  “Sarah, Erin has something she needs to talk to you about,” she said, looking over at Erin again.

  With that Quinn sat back, smoking her cigarette, but when Erin didn’t start she prompted, “Go ahead Erin, it’s okay.”

  Erin looked over at Quinn, not looking very sure of that at all.

  “Oh my God, you’re not pregnant are you?” Sarah asked, her biggest fear coming to bare.

  Erin laughed. “No, Mom, I’m just gay.”

  She said it so casually that it took a few seconds for the words to sink in. Quinn was sure she could hear it click in Sarah’s head.

  “You’re what?” Sarah asked, the shock evident on her face.

  “You heard me Mom,” Erin said, her look direct, ready for a fight.

  Sarah nodded. She had heard her, she’d just hoped she’d heard her wrong. She looked over at Quinn and then at Xandy.

  “You both knew,” she said, her tone holding a note of accusation.

  Quinn nodded, her look unchanged.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” Sarah asked, feeling betrayed.

  Quinn shook her head. “Not our place to tell you that.”

  “You’re other adults!” Sarah responded, her voice raising.

  Quinn looked back at Sarah, her emerald-green eyes very bright in the dying afternoon sunlight. “Your daughter needed to tell you when she was ready.”

  Sarah looked back at Quinn, struggling with the shock, but also remembering that she’d seen so much good in Quinn. She knew it wasn’t fair to blame Quinn and Xandy for her relationship with her daughter; they hadn’t been close for years. Maybe that’s why this had happened. Erin had been attached to Quinn from the beginning, just like Elly and Bobby had been.

  Finally she nodded, blowing her breath out. “It’s me, I know that.”

  Quinn’s look was very circumspect. “What’s you?” she asked Sarah.

  “It’s my fault,” Sarah explained.

  Quinn grinned. “No, Sarah, it’s not anyone’s fault,” she said, her voice emphasizing the word “fault.”

  “It’s who your daughter is,” she said, as she glanced at Erin.

  “And there’s nothing wrong with that,” Xandy added, reaching over to touch Sarah’s arm.

  Sarah looked at both of them, indecision clear on her face.

  “This is all so much to take in,” Sarah said, sighing. “I just don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head remorsefully.

  “It’s a lot,” Quinn agreed, but her look pointed, “but you should know that in the event you can’t handle this about Erin.” Quinn looked over at the girl, then back at her mother. “We’ve offered her a place to stay.”

  “Here?” Sarah said, her tone shocked.

  “Yes, here,” Quinn said, grinning, wanting to say where else? but knowing it wouldn’t be in the least bit productive to provoke Sarah. She wanted to help Erin, not make it impossible for her to stay with her mother.

  “So you have it all planned out,” Sarah said, her tone cold suddenly.

  “No,” Quinn said, her tone still mild. “We’re trying to help you understand, but at the same time we’re trying to help Erin.”

  “And you were pretty clear early on how you felt about gay people,” Xandy put in.

  “Yeah, Mom, and they haven’t even heard all the shit you used to say,” Erin said, her voice strident.

  Quinn reached over putting her hand on Erin’s arm, trying to tell her, don’t antagonize her right now. Erin seemed to get the message, because she dropped her eyes from her mother’s.

  Sarah noticed the gesture and seeing Erin’s reaction only irritated her more.

  “Of course, I’m the bad guy here right?” Sarah snapped, standing up, wanting to get away from this whole conversation.

  “No,” Quinn said, her voice reasoning, “we’re j
ust trying to make you understand how important this is and that what you say right now isn’t something you can take back later.”

  Sarah’s eyes went to Quinn, her look angry, but she was met with Quinn’s unshakably calm look. She wanted to scream, she wanted this not to be happening, but she knew she had no control over it. She clenched and unclenched her fists in a gesture of futility.

  Quinn and Xandy exchanged a look, somehow communicating without speaking. Quinn looked over at Erin.

  “Tell her the rest.”

  Erin looked at her, confused at first, and then with Quinn’s look, she suddenly understood. She started to shake her head; she didn’t want her mother to know that.

  “Erin, tell her,” Quinn said again, her tone stronger now.

  Erin shook her head again.

  “Tell her, or I will,” Quinn said, stronger still.

  Erin’s eyes widened at Quinn’s tone as well as what she’d said. Quinn gave her a narrowed look and Erin knew what she was doing.

  Turning to her mother Erin said, “I knew that telling you was going to do this,” she said, her voice sad, “and I just couldn’t face it…I seriously thought about giving up.” She shrugging, her face reflected the pain of that admission.

  “Oh Erin…” Sarah said, tears in her eyes instantly.

  “And that is why we are determined to help your daughter,” Quinn said.

  Sarah looked at Quinn and then at Xandy who nodded in agreement. Sarah herself nodded too, sitting down, her eyes going back to her daughter.

  “Okay,” she said. “Okay.” She reached out to touch her daughter’s hand. “I love you, and I will always love you, no matter what. We will figure this out.”

  Quinn smiled at Sarah. “Great answer Mom,” she said winking.

  Sarah and Erin went inside to continue talking, Xandy and Quinn stayed outside while Quinn finished her cigarette.

  “So how do you think that went?” Xandy asked.

  “Good, better than I expected, actually.”

  “Me too,” Xandy said.

  “You should know, that your cousin said she has a crush on me,” Quinn said, grinning.

  “She what!” Xandy exclaimed sharply.

  Quinn laughed.

  “She can’t have you,” Xandy told her.

  “Really?” Quinn asked, her look wry.

  Xandy opened her mouth to respond, then saw the twinkle in Quinn’s eyes. “You brat!”

  Quinn laughed again, lighting another cigarette. “She also asked me about sex,” she told Xandy, giving her a wink.

  “Oh my God!” Xandy said, “I’m so sorry!”

  Quinn grinned. “It’s okay, Xan, she doesn’t have any way of knowing, and it ain’t like they address this kind of thing on those after school specials or anything.”

  “Well, that’s true,” Xandy said. “What did she ask you?”

  “About who initiates sex,” she said. “She wanted to know if butch women are always the initiators. I told her no, and that I’ve met femme women who are more aggressive about sex than any butch I’ve ever met…” She let her voice trail off, and then she added, “she asked if you initiate sex.”

  “What?” Xandy exclaimed again. “What did you tell her?”

  “I told her you’ve always got yer hands all over me,” Quinn said, with a wink.

  “You did not!”

  Quinn chuckled. “I told her that a true butch never kisses and tells.”

  “That’s more like it,” Xandy said, then canted her head. “So you’re a true butch?”

  “Oh yeah,”

  “And that would make me…” Xandy said, her voice trailing off.

  “Very, very, femme,” Quinn said.

  “Very, very huh?” Xandy asked with a grin.

  “I’d add another very, but I haven’t seen you around spiders yet,” Quinn said, winking at her.

  “I hate spiders!” Xandy said with a shudder.

  “Add another very, got it,”

  Xandy gave her a narrowed look, and then laughed.

  The next day Quinn talked to Mackie. The vehicle that had been following her had been tracked back to a company, and Mackie was trying to get more information. Quinn didn’t see the vehicle that day as she, Xandy, and Erin went to West Hollywood. Erin had wanted to see the area that was considered “gay” in LA. They had lunch, did people watching, much like Xandy and Quinn had done months before.

  Xandy found herself very proud to be holding Quinn’s hand at the restaurant and she didn’t care who saw it. The publicity she’d received from the Kansas concert had been very supportive and well-received. There’d been some negative comments too, but not from anywhere surprising. BJ told her that her presales were through the roof. It made Xandy happy to know that her relationship with Quinn was not only not bad for her career, but actually seemed to be helping it. She’d told Quinn honestly, though, that if it had been bad for her career, she wouldn’t have cared.

  “I’d rather be with you, than be famous for anything,” she’d told Quinn.

  They were sitting at an outside café watching people pass by, when they were interrupted.

  “Well, well…” said a woman’s voice from behind them.

  Quinn winced, knowing exactly who it was before she even turned her head. Xandy turned around to see Valerie standing there, her hands on her hips. Valerie wore black leather from head to toe, and spiked heels. Her long hair was pulled back in a braid. When Quinn did turn her head she merely grinned and raised an eyebrow.

  “Oh, hi Val,” she said, casually.

  “Hi, Quinn,” Valerie said, making Quinn’s name somehow sound like a cuss word. Her cold eyes skipped over to Xandy. “Xandy,” she said, her tone flat, and then gestured to Erin, “And I don’t know who you are,” she said dismissively.

  “Pretend you have manners,” Quinn said, her tone even.

  “Fuck you, Quinn,” Valerie shot back, her look openly hostile.

  “Watch it…” Quinn cautioned, her eyes narrowing.

  “So tough…” Valerie sighed.

  Quinn just looked back at Valerie, refusing to rise to her bait. Instead, Quinn leaned back in her chair, her green eyes looking up at Valerie as if she was a waitress who had just interrupted their meal.

  Valerie knew Quinn’s style well, and she knew that Quinn was waiting her out. Somehow she just couldn’t stop herself.

  “Why haven’t you bothered to call me back?” she asked angrily.

  “What was there to say?” Quinn asked, turning in her chair to face her and purposely putting herself slightly in front of Xandy, protectively.

  “Quinn…” Xandy said from behind her, wanting to keep anything from escalating. Unfortunately that was exactly what escalated things.

  “You stay the fuck out of this!” Valerie screeched, shocking people around them. She also made the mistake of taking a step toward Xandy.

  Like a flash Quinn was out of her chair and in front of Valerie, blocking her path, her eyes flashing green fire suddenly.

  “Back up,” Quinn said, her tone far from mild now. When Valerie didn’t do so immediately, Quinn took a menacing step toward her, causing Valerie to back up involuntarily, her chin coming up.

  “What’re you gonna do?” Valerie asked her tone snide. “You won’t hit me.”

  “Don’t gotta hit ya, babe,” Quinn said, her tone still low and threatening.

  She was satisfied to see true fear flash in Valerie’s brown eyes, but she quickly recovered.

  “That would hurt your white knight image, Quinn, you don’t want that.”

  “Like I fucking care,” Quinn said, her words measured and uttered in practically a growl.

  “You’d do that to protect her?” Valerie asked, her voice breaking on the last word, tears glazing her eyes suddenly.

  Quinn narrowed her eyes slightly. She knew Valerie was a consummate actress who knew her weakness for crying women. Her lips curled into a disgusted grin as she shook her head, turning away. That’s
when Valerie’s hand lashed out raking her neck. Quinn’s hand came up just as quickly, grabbing her wrist and stopped her from doing any further damage. They were eye to eye then, and even as Quinn’s eyes blazed in controlled fury, she could read excitement in Valerie’s eyes.

  Dropping Valerie’s hand, she turned and stepped back to the table, not looking at her again. It looked like she’d dismissed Valerie, but when Valerie launched herself at her, Quinn quickly spun around grabbing Valerie’s hands. In one swift movement shed she put Valerie’s back against her chest, holding both of her wrists. Valerie struggled, screaming in frustration, and Quinn simply applied pressure to her wrists until she subsided.

  “Now,” Quinn said, lowering her head so her lips were right at Valerie’s ear, “get out of here before I put you on the floor.” This time there was no mistaking the threat, and Valerie knew Quinn meant it.

  Quinn let her go, and stepped back, ensuring that Valerie wouldn’t be able to wheel on her again. Valerie left the restaurant with no further comment. People around them looked at Quinn as she sat down.

  “Oh babe…” Xandy said reaching out to touch her neck where Valerie had managed to draw blood, again.

  “Every damned time!” Quinn said, touching at the blood, shaking her head. Then she glanced over at Erin. “See? Women are sometimes like that.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” Erin said, still wide-eyed from the confrontation.

  Quinn laughed at that, as did Xandy.

  John Machiavelli was sat in his office when his phone rang.

  Mackie,” he answered. “Yeah what’d ya got? Who? Wait, go back who?” Mackie asked then, listening closely. “He about five ten, blond hair? Son of a fucking bitch! Okay thanks!” he said and hung up.

  Minutes later he hung up and grabbed his jacket, heading out the door, even as he dialed Quinn’s cell phone number.

  Quinn, Xandy and Erin were on their way back to the house when Quinn’s phone rang. She was still going over the scene at the café in her head. Picking up her phone she glanced around to see if there were any cops, and that’s when she caught sight of the black SUV again.

  “Quinn, it’s Mackie. It’s Jason that’s been following you, you need to—”