by K. Sterling
“Why haven’t you asked her out?” Roman said suggestively and Quinn’s nose scrunched.
“I would if it wasn’t for Jayce. I spend most of my free time looking for him, mostly at night. It would be way too complicated right now and it wouldn’t be fair to her,” he explained and Roman patted his mouth as he yawned.
“You can continue to watch the house but it’s a dead end. Our next clue may turn up at the next party but the owner of the house won’t be involved in whatever shady scheme that’s at hand here,” Roman advised but Quinn raised a shoulder.
“I still have to take the kids to the park, it might as well be this one. I like hanging out with Jenna and you never know, sometimes the little things make the biggest difference. You never know when a little piece of information could come in handy,” he said and Roman raised a brow.
“Have you learned anything that might help you find your brother?” He asked gently and Quinn shook his head.
“No, but I learned a lot about you,” he said distantly as he stared past Jenna and Annabel.
“That was a waste of time, unfortunately,” Roman said but Quinn shook his head again.
“I wanted to believe Jayce. He told me you fell in love and it was the most magical night of his life. Jayce said ‘If I don’t come back, we ran away together and we’re living happily ever after.’ I didn’t worry until the fourth day,” Quinn said. “The only times we’ve ever gone more than seventy-two hours without talking is when he’s in jail or rehab. All I had was your name and that house. I watched and learned the house’s routine so I knew when it was being prepared for another party. I figured out who was permanent staff and how to blend in with the hired footmen and the “entertainment”. The club kids and the rent boys knew Jayce but no one knew what happened to him. All they remembered was that he was super hyped about seeing you. They had a lot to say about you though,” Quinn said then shook his head slightly. Roman cringed as he glanced at the playground. Annabel decided she wanted braids and Jenna was patiently pulling out the pigtail she’d just fixed.
“Would it help if I just apologized for all of it?” Roman offered sheepishly and Quinn waved it off.
“It wasn’t all bad. You’re brutally honest and you’re known for your integrity. Which are both strange qualities to find in a thief,” he said and Roman snorted.
“Not at all. I’m not a petty crook, I specialize in acquiring the impossible and the priceless. Discretion is laced into everything I do from my clients to my accomplices to my buyers… I’m respected and tolerated despite being a thief because of my reputation. A thief who lies is just a conman. Nobody likes a conman. I’m a specialist and it’s my profession, I can’t remember the last time I stole something for myself, that wasn’t commissioned.” He paused and his eyes flicked upwards as he scanned his memory then shook his head. “It’s been more than a decade. I make enough stealing for other people, I can buy anything I want. It’s about the challenge, the thrill and the accomplishment. Being a sleazy liar would take the fun out of it,” Roman explained.
“People say the same things about rock climbing. Except the part about being a sleazy liar. Have you ever considered rock climbing?” Quinn asked and Roman grinned.
“I’m very good at climbing, I practice regularly,” he said and Quinn was quiet for several moments as he watched Jenna.
“They talk about you like you’re a god. You find a mortal man and dazzle him for a night but you never fall in love. None of them mean anything to you. Jayce believed it was real and I wanted it to be real for him. I needed it to be real because you were all I had. It took less than two minutes in that tent for me to see it wasn’t real, it was a drug induced Pretty Woman hallucination/fantasy. He wasn’t special, not to you. None of us are,” he said. Roman started to tell him he was wrong but stopped as Jenna stood and wiped her brow dramatically as she left Annabel.
“What’s this?” She asked as she pointed and Quinn glared at Roman out of the corner of his eye.
“You wouldn’t know who this sweet girl belongs to, would you?” Roman asked as he flashed her his most devastating smile. Her head bounced drunkenly as she blushed and fussed with the lace trim on her camisole and the buttons on her cardigan.
“Sure…” She said then looked at the dog and shook her head quickly as she turned an even deeper shade of pink. “I mean, no! I don’t know,” she added quickly and Roman winked at Quinn.
“There you have it,” Quinn said firmly as he silently threatened Roman. “Neither of us know anything about the dog.”
“My apologies,” Roman said as he bowed and Jenna moaned sympathetically.
“It’s no trouble!” She said. “I hope you find the owner,” she added and Quinn looked even more irritated.
“He’ll make sure the dog is returned to her owner,” he predicted and Roman smiled.
“Of course, I won’t rest until they’re reunited.”
“Good luck with that,” Quinn ordered and Jenna blinked back and forth at them.
“Should I help?” She offered as she leaned and looked at the dog and Roman considered offering her the leash and sending her on a hunt but Quinn pointed at him hard until she turned and glanced at them.
“I’m sure I can manage. Have a delightful afternoon,” Roman said then tapped his brow and searched the park as he wandered off, leaving Quinn fuming and Jenna confused.
Chapter 5
“Thank you, Mrs. K!” Quinn said as he waved then put the lemons in his messenger bag. “I’ll bring you a jar of custard,” he promised as he pushed the door open then searched the road. His neck stretched as he watched the hedges on the corner and looked for feet under the lorry across the street.
“Something wrong, Quinn?” Mrs. Kurtner asked from behind the counter and Quinn shook his head.
“Nope! Just wondering if it’s going to rain tonight,” he said then quickly jumped out before she trapped him again. He looked around quickly then jogged to his door as he pulled his keys from his pocket. He checked again just to be sure then unlocked it and slipped inside.
“Quinn!” Jenna said as she hopped off the steps to Quinn’s landing and he pressed his back against the door as he almost jumped out of his skin. “I’m sorry, did I scare you?” She asked as she hugged a book against her chest and he laughed as he shook his head.
“They’ve got a cat upstairs and it likes to sneak around down here and scare the hell out of me,” he said. Camilla was the spawn of Satan but Quinn was jumping at shadows because of a taller, tailless incarnation of the Devil.
“Don’t you own the building?” Jenna asked as her fingernails beat thoughtfully against the book. His eyes followed them and her cleavage swelled as she sighed. She leaned back against the basement door invitingly and Quinn was a little too warm as her tongue slid across her lips.
“The cat’s been here longer than I have and we don’t have mice so I’d just be a monster if I made them get rid of her,” he said as he strolled closer. He tapped his keys against his palm nervously and raised a brow. “Were you passing by or did you need something?” He asked slowly and she jumped.
“Sorry. I skipped straight to the flirting portion of my visit,” she whispered and Quinn hummed as he tucked a curl behind her ear.
“I noticed and I was enjoying it,” he said and she stared at his lips as she swayed toward him.
“Me too,” she sighed and Quinn ducked and tweaked her nose to help her focus. It wrinkled adorably as she scrunched her face and Quinn wanted to kiss her. “I hope it’s not too forward but I asked Mrs. Whittacombe for your address. I tried to catch you before you left but then I decided I could deliver it and do a little of the flirting you just witnessed,” she explained and Quinn nodded.
“It’s fine,” he said as he fixed the pendant on her necklace. The tiny J was upside down and he always fixed it when it wasn’t straight. He loved the way she held her breath as his fingers traced her collarbone. “What did you bring
me?” He asked as his fingers trailed a little lower.
“Just anything you want, really,” she said and a weak groan rattled in Quinn’s throat as his body tightened and a tingling warmth spread in his groin.
“That’s…” He cleared his throat and she shook her head to clear it.
“A book!” She said and his head pulled back as she held it up. “I brought you a book,” she declared proudly as she pushed it against his chest. “I knew I’d get there eventually,” she confided and Quinn gasped as he looked down at the ancient copy of In Quest of Spices. He immediately fell in love with the cover. It was a faded sage green leather with a faint trace of the gold leaf borders and lettering. The spine was cracked and most of the letters were gone. “The Q’s still there, that’s why it caught my eye,” Jenna said as she pointed. “I spotted it while I was on Charing Cross Road and I obviously had to make sure it found its way to you,” she added and Quinn caught her hand and held onto it as he stared at the Q.
“This is one of the most beautiful things anyone’s ever given me,” he said. He looked at her and his stomach flipped and soft, swirling joy spread in his chest as he reached for her waist. “Jenna, I…” He paused and his conscience kicked in right when Jenna rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his. Quinn grabbed her waist as his tongue thrust between her lips and the sweetest little moan slipped from her throat. Her tongue swirled around his invitingly as she stepped into him and Quinn groaned as he angled his head and kissed her deeper. His fingers spread and gripped and the curve of her hip was full and soft. She was so lush and sweet and Quinn pulled her closer as his hand slid around and splayed against the small of her back. He pulled his lips free to ask if she’d like to come inside for a cup of coffee or tea and maybe other things when he remembered what might be inside. Roman was making a habit of appearing in Quinn’s flat whenever it suited him. He spent the last week tiptoeing through doors and looking in closets and behind furniture each time he entered a room. It was stressing him out. “I’m really sorry,” Quinn whimpered as he set her away from him and she looked stunned and a little disoriented.
“I came on too strong,” she murmured to herself and Quinn shook his head.
“No. Your approach was perfect,” he insisted and she brightened.
“Excellent! I didn’t really have a plan and I got a little carried away. I’ve been dying to do that for a while but we’re always working and with the kids,” she said quickly and Quinn’s lips pulled tight as he fixed the collar of her cardigan and she trembled.
“Your timing is really bad,” he whispered.
“Why?” She asked timidly and Quinn hissed as he looked at his watch.
“I have to go,” he lied then offered her a wince. “I would invite you in but I’m just dropping off my bag and leaving,” he said and she jumped and her face turned red.
“Oh! You have other plans,” she said as she pulled her cardigan tight. “It’s Friday and you would probably have something tonight with someone…” She bit down on her lip and Quinn shushed her as he caught her chin.
“I have a lot of work to do around here,” he said and she relaxed. “As you know, it’s my Saturday off this weekend so I’m getting some of the bigger jobs done. But I promised one of my tenants I’d be by tonight. One of his heaters is out and it’s getting really nasty at night,” he babbled. He hated how easily the lies rolled off his tongue but she looked so crushed and he really, really wanted to invite her in and find out if her skin would taste as good as it smelled. Jenna was utterly perfect in every way. Quinn loved that she knew how to laugh at herself and liked making other people laugh more than laughing at them. She was smart and stylish and she could talk to anyone. As far as Quinn could tell, she had never met a stranger and would give anyone the shirt off her back. And Quinn spent quite a bit of time imagining Jenna topless. And bottomless. She was smart, kind and she made him laugh and she had a body that made Quinn sweat. Petite curvy girls were his weakness and Jenna had the tiniest waist and the fullest, roundest ass and he’d spent most of their hour at the park imagining his head between her thighs. You have got to stop. “I don’t have anything with anyone, I just don’t have a lot of time right now,” he said gently and clearly. If he wasn’t afraid Roman was waiting to scare the piss out of him or if he wasn’t dressing like a male escort and going to sex parties and clubs to look for his hooker/addict brother, Quinn would have a lot of time for Jenna. He wanted to invite her in and make her a cup of tea and listen to her read poetry as he worshipped the creamy perfection of her thighs and her luscious breasts. They rose and pushed against her top and Quinn forced his eyes to Jenna’s face. Unfortunately, they stopped at her lips. He heard something fall in his apartment and shut his eyes. She did not deserve to get pulled into his flaming wreck of a life.
“Don’t you ever take a night off?” She asked softly and Quinn sighed as he pressed his lips to hers then stepped back.
“I’m hoping my brother will get back soon and start picking up some of the slack around here,” he said as he cocked his head toward the door and her lip pushed out but it was playful as she followed him.
“I didn’t know you had a brother,” she said and Quinn smiled despite the burning in his chest and stomach as panic flared. It happened every time he thought of Jayce. Not knowing where he was hurt like having an organ missing.
“We’re twins,” he said and she grabbed his arm for support.
“There are two of you?” She cried in distress and Quinn’s smile became brittle and wider. It wasn’t like that for Quinn and Jayce. They weren’t identical, like two models of the same television. They were identical like bookends. Televisions worked fine separately, they weren’t made to work together. Bookends were the same but one didn’t work without the other, they became something different and less functional when you lost one.
“Sort of,” Quinn said as he reached for the door. “I hate sending you away but I want to make sure you get home safe. Can I get you a cab?”
“I’ve got my sister’s car. I was running late this morning so she let me borrow it,” Jenna said but she narrowed her eyes at him. She was a London girl and stubbornly independent. “Can I get you a cab?” She mimicked in a deep and terrible American accent.
“Have a great weekend,” Quinn laughed as he tipped her chin back so he could kiss her once more. He brushed his lips against hers and let them cling for just a moment and she whined. “I can’t wait to see you on Monday,” he added and she sighed.
“Same, I guess,” she said then waved her keys at him as she hopped down the steps and onto the sidewalk. He raised his hand and watched as she dashed across the street and ducked into a little BMW. Quinn hugged the book against his chest and felt miserable as she drove away. For once in his life, he wanted to do something good for himself. For once in his life, he wanted to have a life. He dropped out of college because Jayce got in over his head in New York City and needed him. Quinn was feeling comfortable in a decent job and stable enough to ask women on real dates when Jayce went off the rails again. Their grandmother died and left them the house in London and Quinn, in blind naivety, thought starting over in England was just what Jayce needed. He was so tired of starting over every three or four years because Jayce owed too many people money or had another close call and needed to be revived with Narcan again.
“What about me, Jayce?” He asked then snorted. “Maybe it’s time you asked him, after you get him back.” He shut the door and glared at his flat. He wasn’t sure if Roman was going to help or hurt their cause. He was also curious as to what was motivating Roman. It was pretty clear he didn’t care about Jayce. He was interested in fucking Quinn but he was going through a lot of trouble to get laid. Roman could find someone just like Quinn with the snap of his fingers. He was making things more complicated and confusing the hell out of Quinn. “No more of this,” he decided as he stomped up the two steps to his landing and unlocked his door. He pushed it open and leaned in cautiously
and his lips twisted as he looked at the book on the floor. “Jack does that when he wants attention too,” he said as he shut the door. He took the bag of lemons out of his bag and hung it on the hook. He set the book on the counter and dropped the lemons in the bowl on the table as he wandered into the living room.
“Christian Singles: where souls meet for eternity. Start your free trial today and see who God has in store for you!” Roman declared and Quinn whipped around.
“Stop doing that,” he said as he pointed. Roman held his hands up and took a few steps back. “It was cute the first six times but it’s getting old and it’s kind of rude,” Quinn said and Roman’s brows rose.
“I’m sorry, I thought you wanted me to help you,” he said and Quinn nodded.
“I did,” he stated then bent to pick up the book.
“Did?” Roman asked as he went to the couch and unbuttoned his coat as he sat. He was severely dressed in a fitted black suit, black shirt and black tie. Quinn wondered if it was a family aesthetic as he recalled Darius as Roman reclined then crossed his legs and stretched an arm along the back of the couch.
“I did, until you turned out to be a…” Quinn waved the book at Roman then grinned. “A vampire,” he said and Roman’s eyes flicked upwards.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” he said and Quinn chuckled as he put the book on the shelf.
“You slip through cracks like smoke and scare the shit out of people. You’re always in the shadows and you sneak around people when you’re in public. And you dress like a vampire,” he noted and Roman rubbed his chin as he considered then held up a finger.
“Or, I could be a thief,” he said. “Sneaking around and not being seen is what we’re known for,” he added and Quinn hissed as he pushed his hand through his hair.
“That’s a very valid point but still not the kind of person you go to to fix problems.”