Chapter Nine
Elodie stared at her plate. New York strip steak, roasted potatoes, and asparagus. It had been delivered the following day after her date with Oz. The card read “ Enjoy” in a bold, masculine script. And nothing else. Elodie was completely torn about what to make of it.
When she’d awoken the next morning after their date, she was alone. She had no idea when Oz slipped out of her apartment. She hadn’t expected him to stay and join her for breakfast. But after their intimate night, she’d assumed he’d leave a note, maybe his card or a number to reach him.
Nothing.
She’d tried calling the number Saylor had given her, but it was no longer in service. It confirmed her suspicions. They’d had a one-night stand. That was all, and while disappointed, she was willing to accept reality. Then the food arrived. It was beyond confusing. Or maybe that was Oz’s MO. Instead of the obligatory flowers or chocolates the next day, Oz sent dinner.
Elodie rolled her eyes, grabbed her fork, and popped a chunk of steak into her mouth. She muffled her moan and pressed the phone to her ear.
“Ghosting you is a douche move, but gotta say I like the idea of a farewell steak sendoff,” Madalyn said, and Elodie smiled.
Elodie grabbed her wine and took a small sip before setting down the glass. She’d been on the phone with her best friend for the last thirty minutes. Elodie hadn’t brought up the date, but Madalyn had handed her a hard interrogation. Then Elodie unleashed, sparing no detail.
“Did you want there to be more?” Madalyn asked.
Elodie sighed. She wasn’t actively looking for a partner. She’d become resigned to never fully settling down with anyone. The thought of getting close to another person, only to lose them, haunted her. When she’d gotten back into the dating pool after her mother’s passing, she’d had every intention of keeping it casual. Nothing long term and no commitments. So why the hell am I freaking out and disappointed that he didn’t call?
She dropped her elbow to the table and planted her face in her hand. She was a walking contradiction.
“Was the sex that good?”
Yes! Earth-shattering, mind-blowing, and the best she’d ever had. And something more. Protected? She felt safe with him from the first night when he ordered Dalton to take his hands off her. Then having security watch her table at the club. Even on their date, he stayed close when they were walking through the parking lot. It was Oz who insisted on walking her to her door even though the car was parked fifteen feet away. And they’d had a connection. It was in the way he’d looked at her, touched her. He made her feel as if she was the only person in the room, and he was intently listening when she spoke.
“I don’t know, I just felt a connection.”
Madalyn burst out laughing. “Well yeah, it sounds like you two connected .”
Elodie smirked, shaking her head. “You know what I mean. It was just different. He’s the first man I’ve been with that after the sex I wasn’t looking for an exit plan.”
“Well, could you? Weren’t you handcuffed?”
Elodie groaned. “I’m not going to share anything with you if you keep bringing it up at the worst times.”
“Elle, I’m jealous. You’ve got a guy tying you to the bed, meanwhile at casa Reynolds, I can’t get my man to fuck me.” There was a long stretch of silence then a soft hum. “Hmmm, do you think Chris would handcuff me to the bed? ’Cause I’m not gonna lie, it sounds kinda hot.”
It was very hot, and sexy, and all of his domineering traits had hit her hard. Elodie’d had adventurous sex in the past. Or so she’d thought. But nothing like with Oz. He’d been in control the entire night, and while she was a little embarrassed to admit it, she got off on it. It was a release of not only power but responsibility.
She’d carried so much on her own shoulders for so long, it was a welcome relief for him to come in and take care of her needs. And fuck, he did!
“I hate that I’m obsessing over this.” Elodie groaned, looking at her plate once again. Why make such a kind gesture if he had no plans of seeing her again? It didn’t make sense.
That’s a fucking asshole!
“Well, look at it this way. There are worse things to obsess over than mind-blowing sex. At least it distracted you from Julian and his bullshit lawsuit.”
Well, it had. Until her best friend brought it up. She had a mediation court date in another week, which she wasn’t prepared for. While her lawyer seemed nice enough, and she could afford him, he didn’t seem very confident in her or the case. To make matters worse, Julian had been calling her several times a day since the confrontation at the X-Lounge. Elodie ignored them but grew increasingly aggravated, which only added to her stress.
I just need a fucking break!
****
The last seventy-two hours had been hectic, to say the least. Oz had personally met with the deputy, alongside Nash and Ace. He hadn’t been able to provide more information in their quest to find Karl. It seemed he was hiding out. He said he’d stay in direct contact with the deputy, but Oz had the sneaking suspicion Karl was officially on the run.
Oz’s car pulled up in front of the familiar house. He didn’t wait for security to open the door. He got out and walked up the massive grand staircase. Obnoxious. Oz had expensive taste, but Rogue’s was on another level. Classy was not part of his brother’s make up.
He didn’t bother knocking, and walked inside. Rogue knew to expect him, and he’d noticed Trey’s car parked out front. Oz was careful to keep his brothers out of the meeting since it involved Killcreek. They were already dealing with enough. He didn’t need the added stress of Rogue and Ace in the same room.
Oz was a few feet inside the foyer when he glanced over to see a shadow near the living room. Quinn walked down the hallway and looked up. Her eyes widened, and she dropped her chin to her chest. She quickly tried to retreat through the doorway. Oz narrowed his gaze, sighing. This was a ritual since Quinn had joined the family, and Oz had reached his limit with her.
“Quinn,” Oz said, and he watched her poke her head out through the opening. She offered a jittery smile and an awkward wave. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed this was who Rogue chose to settle down with. It wasn’t a dig at Quinn. If anything, it was geared more as an insult to Rogue. Two people couldn’t be any more opposite than his brother and his new bride.
“Oh hey, I didn’t see you,” she said, creeping slowly into the foyer. Quinn kept her distance at about fifteen feet away. She dug her hands into her back pockets and shifted on her heels.
Bullshit.
“No?” He arched his brow. “Even after making direct eye contact, you didn’t see me?”
Oz didn’t bother waiting for an answer. He lifted his hand and curled his finger, calling her closer. Quinn’s steps were slow and cautious.
“Come with me,” he said and walked into the living room. He had no doubt she would follow but keep a safe distance. He sat on the couch and looked up at her. When she reached the edge of the opposite couch, he pointed to it. Without hesitation she sat down, tucking her hands underneath her thighs.
Quinn was always nervous in his presence. Oz understood. For a short while, he’d given her reason not to trust him. But they’d moved beyond that. Or so he’d thought.
He waved his hand between them. “This has to stop.”
She pressed her hand over her chest and widened her eyes. “Me?”
“I’m in your house, and you’re running every time our paths cross.”
She glanced around the room, avoiding eye contact. “Well, it’s Rogue’s house.”
Oz narrowed his gaze. “The ring on your left finger says it’s yours as well.”
The corner of her mouth curled when she looked down at her left hand. The diamond was so large, it was almost blinding when it caught the light right. Over the top and obnoxious. Definitely handpicked by Rogue.
“What is the issue, Quinn?”
She parted her lips and shook her head.
Oz immediately held up his hand, silencing her. “Nothing I despise more than liars, Quinn.”
She clamped her lips, and her chest rose as she peered at her feet. Contrary to what most people believed, Oz had patience. He didn’t usually exercise it. He didn’t have to. When Oz wanted answers, he got them. But he recognized the delicate situation with Quinn. He settled on the couch and reached over to the side table. He and his brother didn’t have much in common, but their love of cigars was one of them. Rogue’s set up on the table allowed Oz to kill time while waiting on Quinn. He opened the humidor, and then grabbed a cigar and lighter. He was two puffs in when she finally responded.
“I don’t want to bother you.” Her voice was low and uncertain.
Oz arched his brow. “Have I given any indication that you are?”
She peeked up at him and slowly shrugged.
“Elaborate.”
Quinn flattened her lips.
Oz clenched his jaw. “I said, elaborate.”
“That.” She pointed and quickly tucked her hand under her thigh. “You seem annoyed by me.”
I am. But not for any other reason than her reluctance to find ease with him. Quinn had found her place in the Underground, but she always kept Oz at a safe distance.
“I wouldn’t be if you answered the question.”
“You intimidate me,” she blurted, and Oz resisted the urge to smile. Not many people would be so forthcoming or admit to weakness.
“I intimidate everybody.” Oz placed his cigar in the ashtray and straightened in his seat. That move alone had Quinn tensing. For Christ’s sake. “How can we rectify this?”
Quinn seemed to pep up, and she shifted in her seat with a bright smile.
Oz clenched his jaw. I’m going to regret this.
“Maybe if we got know each other better? We could ask each other questions and…”
Abso-fucking-lutely not! “No.”
“Okay,” she whispered, and he eyed her demeanor. Her shoulders sagged, and she seemed to shrink before his eyes. It was ironic. Had he approached Rogue with the same line of questioning, his brother would have unleashed every thought going through his mind and not accepted defeat. They were so different which sparked his next question.
“Why Rogue?”
She raised her brows. “What do you mean?”
“What is it about Rogue that you love?”
Her eyes glinted. “A lot of things.”
“Such as?”
She chuckled and grasped the edge of the couch. “He’s got a big heart. Though I know he doesn’t show it often to everyone. But I see it all the time. He listens to me. Like really hears me when I speak. Never had that before.” Her voice trailed off. “I feel safe with him. Loved. He’s unintentionally funny and…”
Oz scoffed. “That’s not humor. He’s arrogant, crass, and rude.”
She shrugged with a small smile playing on her lips. “It’s still funny.”
And there it was. Quinn saw Rogue very differently than anyone else. Not only did she accept his brother for who he was, Quinn appreciated it and embraced him.
“You know that saying, ‘when someone shows you who they are, believe them?’”
Oz was familiar, though he wasn’t sure where Quinn was going with it.
? “I think it’s true for most people.” She paused, tucking her hands under her thighs and staring at the carpet. “But sometimes people show you what they want you to see. It’s a shield to protect themselves. And I think if you look really hard and see behind what they’re showing, you might see something different. I’m not blind to what Rogue shows the world.” She peeked up. “But I get the real him.”
Oz took a deep drag from his cigar, staring back at his brother’s wife. She immediately darted her eyes around the room before settling on the carpet once again. If he’d chosen a woman for Rogue, it wouldn’t have been Quinn. And I would’ve been wrong.
She tapped her foot and peered up through her lashes. “Do you want to share anything with me?”
No.
His face must’ve said it all because she lost her smile and tension marred her forehead.
He never gave anyone anything personal about him. But for her? “I have a cat.”
Her eyes widened. “You do?”
Trust me, Quinn, nobody is more fucking surprised than I am. “Yes. It was a stray who wandered onto my property, and I kept it.”
It was a half-truth. The asshole won’t leave. Fucking cats.
“So, you’re an animal lover too?”
Hardly. “No.”
She knitted her brows briefly then recovered quickly and scooted to the edge of the couch.
“Does he have a name?”
There was a gleam in her eyes. It was probably the first time Quinn let her guard down in front of him.
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
He could’ve easily answered. It would have been the right thing to do. But Oz always had a hidden agenda, and this was no different.
“No.”
Quinn blinked and cocked her head. “You’re not going to tell me?”
“No. But he wears a collar with his name on it. If you accept the offer to come over with Rogue, then you can read it for yourself.”
Oz had bestowed an open invitation to his home to both Dahlia and Quinn. It was his way of showing acceptance. Dahlia took full advantage. Quinn did not.
Her gaze softened, and she slowly nodded but didn’t say a word. Unlike Dahlia, who’d embraced all of them wholeheartedly, Quinn was hesitant. Two different women, opposite pasts, and very unique connections to the Underground. Quinn was still finding her way into their family. It wasn’t much, but this was his olive branch.
“What the fuck is going on?”
Rogue was standing in the doorway. His brother darted his gaze between him and Quinn. Trey stepped up next to him and cocked his brow. Oz was sure it was a sight. He’d never been alone in a room with Quinn, just the two of them.
“We were just chatting.” Quinn jumped up from the couch and rushed to Rogue. She grabbed his waist and lifted on her toes, kissing him. “I’m going to get something to eat.” Just before she disappeared past the wall, she looked over her shoulder and smiled directly at Oz.
“I really want to meet your cat.”
Oz narrowed his gaze, and lowered his chin. It was progress.
Rogue stalked through the room, taking Quinn’s abandoned seat. He clasped his hands on his lap, eyeing Oz.
“You getting a little soft for my woman?”
Oz steeled his features. The word soft had never been in his vocabulary. “No.”
Trey smirked, taking a seat next to Rogue. “Not a bad thing, Oz. Especially when it comes to family.”
And that’s exactly who Quinn was…family. Since the arrival of Dahlia, they’d all been trying to navigate their new family. It had been foreign territory for all of them.
“How’d it go?” Trey asked.
“We got the recordings,” Oz said and gave them a complete rundown of their current situation. It wasn’t ideal with Karl’s whereabouts unknown, but at least they had the damning evidence in their possession.
“Now what?” Rogue asked.
Oz stood and buttoned his jacket. “We find Karl. I’ll be in touch.”
He started through the room when Rogue called his name. Oz glanced over his shoulder.
“Not gonna stay for a fucking drink?”
Oz glanced down at his watch. He was already running behind.
“No. I’m having dinner with Camille.” The meetings were few and far between for his former young protégé. But he’d been insistent on them. Camille might no longer be a part of the Underground, but Oz was very much invested in her.
He gave a short wave and walked out the door.