14. CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Quinlan

My phone rings early in the morning before my alarm.

It’s really early then.

Early means bad news.

My eyes fly open, and I scramble for the bedside table.

A morning from two years ago is a horrible, vivid memory. One year into my move here.

Dad calling me, saying Mom’s sleeping. That she doesn’t respond to him. I don’t know what to do , he’d mumbled.

Rex wouldn’t answer—he mutes his phone when he sleeps. I had to go there by myself, calling 911 on the Uber drive over. I cried and begged the driver to go faster, and she did her best.

By the time I made it, the paramedics were walking out the door. Nothing happened to Mom. She woke up by herself, yawning and telling them how tired she’s been lately. There wasn’t alcohol on her breath, and I counted her pills. Nothing out of order.

That was then, though.

The heart tattoo on my cheek feels like a wound. Or is it that my heart is pounding all over my body, stretching my skin?

“Hello?” I answer without even looking at the caller ID. “Mom?”

“Umm.” A choked laugh greets me. A woman’s. “I hope not?”

I bring the screen up to my eyes, blinking at it. “Ray?”

“Yes.” A sweet chuckle follows. I’m beating myself over not recognizing her sooner. “Not Mom.”

“What’s up?” A few horrifying seconds and I’m already sweating. I drop my head back to the pillow, throwing the duvet off me.

That’s better. The cool air of the room on my body. I needed that. I—

What the hell?

Did I forget to put my panties on after the shower?

“I’m good.” She sounds relaxed.

Definitely not confused, like me.

The duvet rustles on the bed when I throw the rest off me.

Where are my panties?

It’s possible I stripped them in my sleep. I did have a very, very dirty dream.

My horny subconscious brought all the men I’d met over the last week to me at night.

One pair of sapphire blue eyes smirked at me. Tore my T-shirt off my body and bit my nipple so hard I cried.

Inquisitive amber eyes sparked when Liam advanced on me next. He held his Zippo close to his face. The flames flickered across his features before he positioned it between my thighs. Not close enough to burn me. Close enough to make me squirm. The danger felt good. He felt good.

Then the dark, dangerous blues or Rome. His harsh grip on my chin turned into a hand collar. His fingers were a gag, shoved down my throat.

In my dream, they knew each other. In my dream, they used me exactly how I wanted them to. Relieving myself of my panties in real life isn’t that farfetched.

“Quinlan, you there?”

“I am.” My panties aren’t.

They’re nowhere to be found. No soaked, scrunched fabric on my white sheets. Nothing on the floor. Only dampness between my thighs. I throw my feet off the bed and drop to my knees.

Maybe they’re under the bed. I must look hilarious. My ass bare and up, phone pinned between my ear and shoulder as I scour for my panties with my ass out. “Sorry. You were saying?”

Weird. No panties there, either.

For the first time this morning, I realize this whole situation is bizarre.

Even this phone call. My neighbor and I hardly ever talk over the phone. We bump into each other on the elevator and make plans. Or we knock on each other’s doors with wine.

What’s going on here?

“No worries,” she says. “I probably woke you up, and here I am, talking your ear off.”

Could be I’m in the wrong. That I didn’t put on my panties after I showered last night. I had a lot on my mind.

The kiss from Rome, for one. The argument with Rex at Maeve’s, for another.

That’s it. I was confused and heady and frustrated. I worked long hours. The melatonin knocked me out.

My panties were the last thing on my mind.

“You’re good.” I walk over to my dresser to hunt for a pair of underwear. “I’m listening. Shoot.”

“Remember we talked about hanging out?”

“Of course.”

We talked before Liam and Rome happened. A day after mystery man made me dizzy and scared.

“Listen, I know you’re busy, but…” Ray stops. Probably checking if I’m listening.

“A little less busy today.”

Less busy and panicking after the email from the head of HR in BLF Capital. I want to impress them. I will impress them. But they won’t pressure me for fast results. I have some breathing room. I have to clear my head.

I can spare a night with Ray. Her, me, and a bottle of wine. We’d laugh, drink, talk about life. Most importantly, it’ll be just us.

No distracting, confusing men to mess with my sanity.

“Great, because guess who’s going out today? Us.” A car screeches next to her. A man curses. “Hey, Alden, it’s okay. Nothing’s happened. I wasn’t even close to the road.”

Alden, her boyfriend. She mentioned his name months ago. I guess it’s serious.

“Anyway.” Ray clears her throat.

“I thought we were drinking here? I could bring a bottle of red. Or white.”

“No staying in tonight. We’re going out, and that’s final.”

“Um, okay.” I pull on my panties, confused as hell. When I have my sweats on, I head to the bathroom to brush my teeth. “You and me, then? Sure.”

“Us and two others.”

My forehead scrunches as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. At my bed hair and the black circles under my eyes. “Who?”

“Alden, me…” She pauses. “And Hugh.”

“No.” This is beyond rude, this sharp reply.

I don’t care. I’d rather buy a whole case of wine bottles than go out on a double date.

First of all, I don’t have time to date.

Second, these three men I met. They won’t let me be. They take up so much space in my mind and heart. I can’t forget about them. Can’t choose between them.

Bringing another man to the mix?

“No, Ray. No, no, no.”

“No?”

“I don’t—” I stare at my reflection again and see something else. My cheeks are flushed. Lips swollen. I must’ve bit them in my sleep. God, that’s embarrassing. “I’m free for a girls’ night out, not a double date.”

“I would never assume you’d be up for a double date.” A beat of silence. “Unless you asked me to hook you up with someone?”

“Definitely not asking.” I splash some water over my eyes.

“Good. Since this isn’t a double date,” she reassures me. “Thing is, Alden starts his internship next Monday. And I’m pretty sure I landed the job at the law firm. We won’t be able to go out in a while.”

“That’s amazing.” I’m excited for her. So excited.

I remember what it was like for me. The day my business started taking off was the day I could help my family in a way that matters. No more forcing them to call the Crisis Hotline for help. I could afford doctors. Medication. Professionals to look after them.

Getting the job of your dreams while moving toward being financially independent is incredible.

“Thanks, I hope so.” She sucks in a long breath. “So. Please? I haven’t had a fun night out in forever. Join us. Please.”

“Hey,” a man says next to her ear in a playful voice. Has to be Alden. “Our dates don’t count?”

“They do, babe. You get what I mean. With friends.”

Exactly. Friends.

“This isn’t a double date.” It’s crucial that I remind her of this. That she passes along the message to…who? I already forgot his name.

“Not a double date.” I imagine Ray nodding. “Fun night out. You’ll be home early. Swear.”

If that’s the case…okay. Great, even. Excitement bubbles inside me. I haven’t gone out with friends on a fun night out in forever, either. Actually, never. There were too many things to worry over. Not nearly enough money to spend. Rex wouldn’t allow it.

Today is a new day.

“Cool. So, where are we going?”

Ray rattles the address of the place. Says they’ll meet me there at eight.

Then the line goes dead. I drop the phone on the sink and brush my teeth before hopping into the shower.

I have to. My stomach is sticky with sweat, and so are my breasts.

Just goes to show how wrong it is for me to date. My focus is elsewhere instead of on work, where it should be.

No more men for me in the near future.

None. At. All.