“Shh,” Stella demands as we both look back to the other two.
“That’s not my fault. I told you not to fall in love with me.”
“So, you can fall for me, but I can’t for you?”
“Yes! ’Cause I can control my feelings!”
He’s shaking with anger, and I can’t help myself. I lean in. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. If you love him, be with him.”
“Fuck off,” Emery snaps, her eyes wild.
“Well, hot damn,” I say, a bit offended, and Stella nods.
“Very touchy subject, these two.”
Quinn doesn’t even chance a glance at us or acknowledge anything we’ve said. His eyes are only on Emery, his heart on his sleeve. “Fine. Keep playing these games. But know this, Emery Elaine Brooks… No one, and I mean no one, will make love to you the way I do. Worship your body the way it’s meant to be worshiped. Good luck trying to come with anyone else.” She glares, and I’m unsure if she’s breathing as he backs away. His gaze then falls on me, and he shrugs. “I’m sure you’re a capable fuck, but she’s mine.”
“I am no one’s, Quinn. No one’s,” Emery bites out.
I hadn’t even noticed how close they had gotten, his lips so near to hers, they could kiss at any moment. “Lies.”
“It’s not a fucking lie. I belong to only myself.”
Man, I feel like I’m in a romantic drama and they’re about to start fighting or kissing.
Quinn doesn’t even hesitate. “You’ll always be mine. Just as you carry my heart, I carry yours. And guess what?”
Her words come out as a whisper, and she’s unable to back down from the challenge he presents. “What?”
“I’m not giving it back.”
When he kisses her, hard, even my breath catches as Stella sighs deeply. Out of nowhere, though, Emery pulls back from his kiss, wide eyes, rosy face, and slaps the living shit out of Quinn. I’m surprised the nonexistent record didn’t scratch to a halt, with everyone staring at them. I look between them. Quinn is completely unfazed by her display of anger, his chest rising and falling with every breath he takes. Emery is the same, wild-eyed and completely flushed with color.
“You’re absolutely impossible!”
“Am I?”
“Completely!”
“Maybe I am, but it’s all because of you.”
With that, he walks away. And I’ll be honest, even I’m left speechless. I have never seen anything like that. Quinn didn’t care who was around, who saw, who listened, or even if Emery would kill him. He stood there, fighting for her, and she… Well, damn, she just let him walk away. I don’t know if I could do what either of them did. When I hear laughter, I turn to see Stella shaking with it as she hands me another beer. “And you thought you were gonna hook up with her without a hitch, huh?”
My eyes are wide as I ask, “What the fuck just happened?”
“Quinn Adler happened,” Stella says, and Emery glares at her.
“Shut up.”
“Hey, I told you. Once you go Adler, you never go back. Ask our brother.”
I snort at that. Word is Aiden Brooks is head over heels in love with Quinn’s older sister, who unequivocally hates my guts.
“Oh my God, will you shut up?” Emery complains, her eyes a little watery. I know Emery, though. She won’t let those tears fall.
Just then, a piano starts the melody to a fucking banger, “Careless Whisper.” I know it right off the bat, and when I look at the stage, Quinn is there, playing, and then he’s singing.
Holy shit, this kid has one hell of a voice. Those Adlers are a talented bunch.
“He is so unreasonable,” Emery protests, her eyes a fiery gray stare. I didn’t even know gray could spark like that. As much as she follows all those true crime podcasts, I don’t know if I’d make her mad. She probably knows how to hide a body and get away with it. Quinn, though, he gives no fucks. Emery reaches for her purse, grumbling, “I’m gonna have to move. I’ve got to get away from him.”
“I think it’s romantic,” Stella says, and Quinn sings the lyrics from his soul. “Even if the song is kind of a bitch slap.”
“I love this song,” I say, and Stella nods eagerly.
“Same!”
We high-five as Emery gets up. “I never cheated on him.”
“I know,” Stella says, “I think he means how everything played out. Y’all have been doing this dance for years, Em. He loves you.”
“If he loved me, he’d give me space.”
“Or maybe you’re doing it to protect yourself, when he doesn’t care about anyone but you,” her sister lobs back at her.
Emery gives Stella a look that tells her to shut up, but she doesn’t say the words. Instead, she mumbles, “I gotta go.”
“I figured,” I say, holding out my hand. “This wouldn’t have worked anyway, kid. Not with what’s going on with Quinn.”
“Whatever,” she says, moving past my hand and heading toward the door.
“Oh, she’s big mad,” I say, and Stella nods.
“She’s in love with him, and instead of letting it happen, she’s fighting it. Don’t know why.”
I shake my head. “Hey, a girl sings to me, I’m putting a ring on it,” I tease, and Stella laughs.
“Sure you would. We all know the Russian Stallion doesn’t settle down. He needs free rein, which is why you showed up to hook up with my sister.”
I grin at her. “Hey, I didn’t know she was taken by an Adler.”
Stella laughs. “Dimitri, she doesn’t even know that.”
We share a laugh as I watch Quinn’s eyes follow Emery out of the restaurant. He looks so wounded, and I feel for the kid. I’ve never been in love, never even come close to it. To know she doesn’t want anything to do with him, to be smacked square in the face and not care one bit, is mind-blowing. Is he dumb? I know the kid is a genius, but damn, why is he putting himself through this? To just look at someone and know they are worth more than a fuck, that’s magical. That’s insane. And yeah, now that I think of it, I don’t envy the dumbass one bit.
five
Austen
“So, what do you think?”
I smile over at my peepaw as I throw a full-ish suitcase in the back. I drove back to Knoxville to gather the few things I have. I’ve been meaning to go shopping for myself, but I’ve been too engrossed in learning about my future endeavors that I haven’t had time. Plus, I’ve been making sure the girls are good. I think it’s the guilt of leaving when I did. I now put their needs before mine. I’ve also been working on adding to my degree so I can accomplish what Peepaw wants from me. Since he saved me, I want to make him proud. I know I can; I just need to stay focused and trust myself.
“I’m excited. It’s a really great opportunity to be learning from such incredibly knowledgeable people.”
Peepaw nods while he helps me put a box of books in the car. He leans into the bumper as he meets my gaze. “I thought so. There is no one else I’d want you to learn from than the Adlers.” I nod in agreement as he clears his throat. “It’s a pretty impressive complex.”