Chapter Thirty-Five
QUINN
I t hadn’t taken as long as I expected. By the time I entered Landon’s room, it felt impossible that it wasn’t morning yet. That not even twenty-four hours had passed since he’d kissed me and sworn he was mine. That just over an hour had gone by since I found out that was a lie.
And now, it was done.
At least, for me.
Landon felt otherwise. As I entered the room, he paced the floor, dragging a hand through his hair while he listened to whoever was on his phone. His eyes flew to mine, fear flashing quickly before shifting to relief.
“She’s here. I have to go.” He hung up the phone and threw it on the bed, rushing over to me and taking my face in his hands. “Quinn, what?—”
When I winced, he pulled back slightly, but he didn’t let me go. His eyes roved over every inch of me, cataloging every mark and blow. Something dark and sinister flickered in his gaze when he met mine.
“Who did this?” His voice dropped low and deadly. “Who hurt you?”
I broke his stare, biting my lip and crying out as my teeth dug into where it had split.
“Quinn, tell me.” His grip tightened.
Lifting my chin, I stared him right in the eyes as I told him exactly who I blamed for this pain—the person who caused it. The only soul inside Camelot Court I had given the power to hurt me, and the only person who did.
“You.”
His brow drew in, confusion coloring his face as he shook his head. “What? Quinn, I don’t understand. What happened? What are you talking about?”
“Last night, you told me I’m yours. But that’s not actually true, is it?” I freed myself from his hold, stepping back and putting distance between us. “I was picked as your Maiden. But you had all these rules. You kept putting distance between us. Refusing to take things further. Giving me reasons that I thought meant you—” I drew in a shaky breath. “You’re my Knight, but you didn’t choose me. I mean, it’s what everyone has been telling me, too. I just didn’t understand it.”
He opened his mouth like he wanted to explain, then closed it because he couldn’t.
“I’m not yours at all, am I? I can’t be.”
His face went white.
“I’m here for the King.”
“Who—”
“Vivian. With the help of Inez and Elaine, but this?” I waved a hand over my body—my soaking wet clothes, my tender face and split lip, and my ragged breaths. “This was all Vivian.”
Turning away from him, I began grabbing my things from around the room. I forced myself to keep moving. To stay strong.
But I didn’t feel strong at all.
My voice shook with false bravado, betraying me, too. “I should really thank her. Send her a card or a fruit basket or something.”
“Quinn…”
“A little token of thanks for cluing me in. Finally.”
Something built in my throat, clogging it. Making me feel like I was still under the water. Pressure pressing down on my head, my back, my lungs—it released, and everything rushed up.
Landon stepped toward me, reaching for me.
I slapped his hand away and raced for the bathroom. But I only reached the sink before it all came out. I retched into the basin. Hacking and coughing, my body heaved until nothing came up but air.
Air that wasn’t there when I tried to breathe in.
My stomach clenched, and my lungs burned. I squeezed my eyes shut and forced a breath in through my nose. When I felt relief, I spit out dregs of lake water, catching sight of my reflection and glancing away.
I snatched a towel off the counter.
It was folded so nicely.
It was so clean.
A laugh bubbled out of me.
“Who the fuck has white hand towels?”
Rubbing it on my face, I smeared makeup and tears into the pristine white.
So it was as dirty and used as I felt.
More dry heaves followed.
Landon’s hand touched my back. Soothing circles that only made it all hurt more.
I jerked away from him, snarling, “Don’t touch me.”
Spitting with rage as it coursed through me, I clutched the soiled towel between us like it could ward off evil. Like a stained, defiled cloth would keep him at bay.
Another wave of water rose up from my lungs. I collapsed forward, choking as my stomach twisted. Pain lanced through me, tearing out my guts, trying to expel everything from the last three weeks—the venom he’d laced through me with his lies.
Their lies.
“Get out.”
“Quinn, it’s not what?—”
“Get the fuck out!” My hands slammed into his chest. Driving him back, his anguished amber eyes filled with regret. I hated it. I didn’t want any of it.
I deserved more than all of this.
Grabbing my things as quickly as I could, I shoved everything in my bag. Hunting under the sink, I grabbed another towel, wetting it and washing away the remnants of the whole night.
It came away smeared with blood.
There had been so much blood.
All because of the stupid, fucking prize they wanted. If I had given it away then, I never would’ve?—
I started hyperventilating.
Digging into my clutch, I pulled out my inhaler and used it. But nothing happened—nothing came out. I shook the tiny canister so hard it nearly flew out of my hands. Even though that wouldn’t help.
I mentally counted backwards to the day I filled it.
“No.”
I gasped for breath, feeling my throat constrict. I tried to inhale slowly through my nose. I tried to tell myself it was panic. But my chest grew tighter, and my lungs ached. Scrambling to my feet, I flung open the bathroom door.
Landon’s stare jumped between me and the tiny canister at my feet. I ran out of the bedroom before he could say a word. Before he could stop me.
The door flung wide as I ran through and slammed it behind me.
And, of course, Max chose that moment to step out of his room. Because my life— Lemons.
He took one look at my face, freshly stained with tears, and he blocked my path. Gripping my arms, he opened his big fucking mouth to say god-only-knew-what. Too much. Protectiveness flared in his eyes, but his stare exposed me. His words would reveal?—
Landon’s door opened. I had to get out of there before they started in on each other. As soon as they argued over the state Max had found me in, the hatred between them would only grow. Everything would only get worse.
My head whipped between them, and I lost it. “Just let me fucking go!”
Max’s eyes widened, his hold on me tightening as he searched my face. And for a second, I thought I’d have to claw my way past him.
But then, he nodded. Stepping out of my way, he pinned his dark, hateful gaze on Landon. And while I tore for the stairs, his deep voice echoed down the hall.
“Don’t even try it, Golden Boy.”
“Get the fuck out of my way, Dread.”
“Why bother?” The hatred and hint of smugness in his voice made me wince, even though I’d expected it. “Why go after her when she’s already ruined?”
I couldn’t make out what Landon said in return, but it didn’t matter now. I couldn’t think about the mess I was leaving behind. I forced myself to keep moving forward.
And I didn’t look back when I heard the first punch land.
But I felt the impact of it right in my gut.