“Some chick he’s babysitting as a favor.”
I made my way into the living room with Quentin and Dash following. Buddy had to go home and get ready for a date with a senior. I shook my head at the kid’s charm and ability to pull girls in any age group.
“Where is she?” I asked Sheldon when I looked around and didn’t see Diana. I was already fisting my car keys thinking she ran.
“She said something about using the shower to take a hoe bath.”
“Isn’t that a bird bath?”
“Not for her kind,” she sneered.
I blew out a breath and then wondered again why Dash had brought her here. From the look in her eyes, I could tell she wanted to stir shit up. She was pissed, and I couldn’t bring myself to care. I cared about Sheldon, but she was the least of my problems. For some reason, she thought she could get away with bossing everyone around. Including me.
“Stop being a royal dick, Dash spat”
“You’re one to talk. Why do you think Willow avoids you?”
The twins began to bicker and hurling insults between them while Quentin and I looked on. It wasn’t uncommon for them to fight. They rarely ever didn’t argue. I assumed it was a twin thing.
Just as I was about to intervene, I heard Di’s shriek of disbelief sound from behind me.
“Quentin?”
The twins stopped arguing immediately while Q and I whipped around to see her standing in the doorway. Her skin was as pale as a ghost. Not even when she told me about nearly being killed an hour ago had she looked so shaken.
My gaze bounced from Quentin to Diana before settling on Quentin’s confused expression. He didn’t seem to know her, but she knew him. She took in his confusion and curled her lip slowly. “What’s the matter? Don’t you recognize your childhood lover?”
“Diana?” Q took a step toward her, but Di quickly retreated. The tension in the room was stifling. My gaze shifted between the two as they stared at each other in anger, confusion, and wonder.
“I take it you two know each other?” Dash asked, stating the obvious while I mentally slapped myself for not making the connection sooner considering who Di’s father was.
“Yeah, we know each other,” Quentin nodded slowly. Anger was brewing in his eyes as they remained fixed on her.
“Mind sharing how?” Sheldon asked and crossed her arms. She shot me an accusatory glance as if I had planned this.
“Keiran, what is she doing here?” Quentin asked without looking away from Di.
“Oh, he didn’t tell you?” She grinned before I could respond. “He’s my new babysitter. You know how Daddy can get into trouble sometimes because of his business.”
“Jeez, is he still—”
“Don’t do that. Don’t pretend you care about what happens to me.”
“Diana—”
“You left. You found happily ever after and left me to pick up the pieces you left behind. Don’t worry. It’s kept me warm at night in all the places it cut me the deepest.”
The silence descending did nothing to help the tension in the room.
“I’ll kill him,” Quentin growled. That declaration was the first time he’d ever acknowledge his past. He’d gotten out before I did, but now I wasn’t so sure his salvation was what it seemed.
Could Mario be dirtier than he seemed? His story of being kicked out of the bureau because of corrupt practices always had a few holes, but I was willing to overlook them until now. I told myself his business wasn’t my concern, but that was before it jumped out at me in my living room and left me feeling like I’d just been caught with my pants around my ankles and my dick in my hand.
“No, you won’t and don’t pretend you care.”
“And why the fuck not?”
“Because he’s still Daddy.”
“Are the Burkin bags and shiny, diamond bracelets worth it?”
Her eyes narrowed to angry slits. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“Enlighten me, Diana. Because the last I checked, your father used you to make money. What am I missing?”
“Try the last ten years!” she growled and stormed out of the living room. Quentin started after her, but the hand I placed on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. I ignored the hostile look he gave me, but after a moment, thought twice about it and took my hand down to rest at my side. Thankfully, he didn’t make for the door again.
“We need to talk.”
“Later.”
“No,” I snapped letting my anger show for the first time since she called his name in shock. “We talk now.”
* * *
Dash left with his sister, and I wasted no time with interrogating Q. We were sitting at the table in the kitchen with shot glasses filled with the hardest liquor I could find.
“What just happened in my living room?”
He took a shot and immediately poured another. “You know most of it.”
“Then start with the part I don’t know.”
“First, tell me why you are still dealing with him, and why you didn’t tell me?”
“Because he is the only way I can find Arthur, and I needed to keep everything as low key as possible.”
Q released a hard breath and took another shot. I pulled the bottle away while giving him a pointed look. I wanted him relaxed, but I didn’t want him drunk before I could get any answers.
I made my way into the living room with Quentin and Dash following. Buddy had to go home and get ready for a date with a senior. I shook my head at the kid’s charm and ability to pull girls in any age group.
“Where is she?” I asked Sheldon when I looked around and didn’t see Diana. I was already fisting my car keys thinking she ran.
“She said something about using the shower to take a hoe bath.”
“Isn’t that a bird bath?”
“Not for her kind,” she sneered.
I blew out a breath and then wondered again why Dash had brought her here. From the look in her eyes, I could tell she wanted to stir shit up. She was pissed, and I couldn’t bring myself to care. I cared about Sheldon, but she was the least of my problems. For some reason, she thought she could get away with bossing everyone around. Including me.
“Stop being a royal dick, Dash spat”
“You’re one to talk. Why do you think Willow avoids you?”
The twins began to bicker and hurling insults between them while Quentin and I looked on. It wasn’t uncommon for them to fight. They rarely ever didn’t argue. I assumed it was a twin thing.
Just as I was about to intervene, I heard Di’s shriek of disbelief sound from behind me.
“Quentin?”
The twins stopped arguing immediately while Q and I whipped around to see her standing in the doorway. Her skin was as pale as a ghost. Not even when she told me about nearly being killed an hour ago had she looked so shaken.
My gaze bounced from Quentin to Diana before settling on Quentin’s confused expression. He didn’t seem to know her, but she knew him. She took in his confusion and curled her lip slowly. “What’s the matter? Don’t you recognize your childhood lover?”
“Diana?” Q took a step toward her, but Di quickly retreated. The tension in the room was stifling. My gaze shifted between the two as they stared at each other in anger, confusion, and wonder.
“I take it you two know each other?” Dash asked, stating the obvious while I mentally slapped myself for not making the connection sooner considering who Di’s father was.
“Yeah, we know each other,” Quentin nodded slowly. Anger was brewing in his eyes as they remained fixed on her.
“Mind sharing how?” Sheldon asked and crossed her arms. She shot me an accusatory glance as if I had planned this.
“Keiran, what is she doing here?” Quentin asked without looking away from Di.
“Oh, he didn’t tell you?” She grinned before I could respond. “He’s my new babysitter. You know how Daddy can get into trouble sometimes because of his business.”
“Jeez, is he still—”
“Don’t do that. Don’t pretend you care about what happens to me.”
“Diana—”
“You left. You found happily ever after and left me to pick up the pieces you left behind. Don’t worry. It’s kept me warm at night in all the places it cut me the deepest.”
The silence descending did nothing to help the tension in the room.
“I’ll kill him,” Quentin growled. That declaration was the first time he’d ever acknowledge his past. He’d gotten out before I did, but now I wasn’t so sure his salvation was what it seemed.
Could Mario be dirtier than he seemed? His story of being kicked out of the bureau because of corrupt practices always had a few holes, but I was willing to overlook them until now. I told myself his business wasn’t my concern, but that was before it jumped out at me in my living room and left me feeling like I’d just been caught with my pants around my ankles and my dick in my hand.
“No, you won’t and don’t pretend you care.”
“And why the fuck not?”
“Because he’s still Daddy.”
“Are the Burkin bags and shiny, diamond bracelets worth it?”
Her eyes narrowed to angry slits. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”
“Enlighten me, Diana. Because the last I checked, your father used you to make money. What am I missing?”
“Try the last ten years!” she growled and stormed out of the living room. Quentin started after her, but the hand I placed on his shoulder stopped him in his tracks. I ignored the hostile look he gave me, but after a moment, thought twice about it and took my hand down to rest at my side. Thankfully, he didn’t make for the door again.
“We need to talk.”
“Later.”
“No,” I snapped letting my anger show for the first time since she called his name in shock. “We talk now.”
* * *
Dash left with his sister, and I wasted no time with interrogating Q. We were sitting at the table in the kitchen with shot glasses filled with the hardest liquor I could find.
“What just happened in my living room?”
He took a shot and immediately poured another. “You know most of it.”
“Then start with the part I don’t know.”
“First, tell me why you are still dealing with him, and why you didn’t tell me?”
“Because he is the only way I can find Arthur, and I needed to keep everything as low key as possible.”
Q released a hard breath and took another shot. I pulled the bottle away while giving him a pointed look. I wanted him relaxed, but I didn’t want him drunk before I could get any answers.
