Chapter 5: QUIN

Five

QUIN

I don't know what I thought would happen when I showed up in Santa Fe. The second I said one wrong word in front of Juliette, she ushered me out of the house and took me to some local place she says her husband goes to discuss "club business".

When I tell her everything, all she does is tell me to act normal. No other reaction to the dead body in my trunk or the steps I had to go through to get my brother into pieces. I went numb throughout the process, but I still had to do it.

I still had to butcher him.

Part of the reason it was so goddamn easy to get to Santa Fe is because I don't think I can close my eyes and fall asleep. I follow Juliette's direction not to give any reaction when we return home. I don't expect to see the giant in her kitchen.

Juliette immediately steps between us, but nothing could block me from seeing Tanner. He looks like… a model. I mean… bigger than a model. He looks like he has the body of a comic book superhero.

I haven't seen many people in a very long time and I definitely haven't been this close to a man as attractive as Tanner. He has a gentle lilt to his accent that drives me crazy too. Juliette grabs my hand and drags me away so we can wait for him to leave.

"Is that your husband's friend?"

"Yeah, another racist biker," Juliette says. "They're talking business but I don't think we should get anyone involved who Hunter doesn't approve of."

"He looks like the type of person who could help move a body."

"Yeah, but I don't know if Hunter trusts him," Juliette explains. "This is serious."

I feel vomit clawing at my throat again.

"Sorry," Juliette says. "I didn't mean to freak you out. Don't worry. We'll get you out of this."

"What if someone reports him missing?"

"Stop," Juliette says. "Let's watch something on TV until they're done talking business."

We have to wait so long that I end up taking a nap and waking up to Juliette and Hunter talking in the kitchen.

"You are the craziest fucking person I have ever met," I hear Hunter saying to her. Ouch. I think he's abusing her until I hear what Juliette shoots back next.

"I'm crazy?" she says. "You're the one who thinks you can hide the fact that you're opening up a strip club from me when you made me do our taxes!"

"You were supposed to drop them off at Tylee's, not mind my damn business."

"You are out of your mind, you ignorant, brain-dead, mean ass, doo-doo farting ass clown."

"What the hell kind of insult is that?"

I hear a loud noise and Juliette squealing. Maybe I should go in there…

Slowly, I pull myself together and wipe the sleep out of my eyes before walking down the narrow condominium hallway to the kitchen where Juliette and Hunter are arguing. Well, I thought they were arguing. Juliette jumps away from him when I walk into the room, but he still has his hands cupping her ass and seemingly no intention of letting her go.

When he looks over at me, I can't help but think how cute they look together.

"Listen. Sorry if we woke you up."

"We?" Juliette says. "You were the one being loud."

Hunter squeezes her butt and glares a little bit. Juliette stifles a squeal and leans lovingly against his chest.

I've never had that with a guy.

I never had the chance.

"You have nothing to worry about, Quin," Hunter says. "That's all you need to know. I'll call a couple of my guys and they'll handle it. You're Juliette's best friend and… well… that makes you family."

It doesn't feel real.

"I don't want to open the trunk again…" I mutter numbly. I feel guilty. Dirty. Scared.

"You don't have to," Hunter says. "All I need is for you and Juliette to stay here and lay low for a few days. We'll handle the situation and burn the vehicle. It'll be your job to keep Juliette out of trouble."

"I do not get into trouble," Juliette says.

Well, we all know that's a lie. But maybe, just maybe, this will all go away.

And everything will be just fine.

And one day, hopefully soon, I can get some sleep…