13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter thirteen
Peter
My mind spun with everything that had happened today, and I wasn’t upset when Phil offered to take Quinn home.
I never minded driving her anywhere, but I needed the silence after work.
To further settle myself after parking in the garage, I walked a long, meandering path around Lukas and Quinn’s property.
While I kept an eye out for anything that looked out of place, I also loved the reset I got walking in the crisp fall air.
When I finally came inside, Quinn was on the phone, pacing in the living room.
“I know you’re her twin. No one is denying that.
” She let out a heavy sigh. “Lukas, do you want me to answer that honestly or say what I think is going to make you feel better?” Quinn glanced up at the ceiling and then rolled her eyes before continuing.
“He’s been there all day, every day, per your request. Wasn’t it you who told him you wanted him on Lianne’s team…
that you wanted the best for her?” She locked eyes with me and mimed screaming, silently telling me her level of frustration.
I pointed to myself and gestured to the basement, but she shook her head.
“Peter just walked in. Do you need to talk to him about this?… No?” She rolled her eyes again.
“Okay, hun… Yep, I’ll let him know you’ll call later…
I love you, too.” She ended the call and, phone still in hand, put her hands on her head and let out a frustrated groan.
“Oh, my god. I don’t even know what to do with this man anymore. ”
When I clocked the tears rimming her eyes, I realized how close she was to her breaking point. “Would a hug help?”
Quinn took a deep breath and let it out slowly, using the side of her index fingers to wipe under eyes. “Actually? Yes. Please.”
I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. She immediately rested the top of her head against my chest and grabbed the side of my shirt, fisting the fabric. After taking a couple more measured breaths, her shoulders shook. Quinn was crying.
Shit.
This woman prided herself on looking strong in front of everyone. The fact she was allowing herself to ‘break’ and be vulnerable in front of me showed how much trust we had built between us. I pulled her closer and rubbed her back gently.
Cole came upstairs, giving me a concerned look when he saw me holding Quinn. When I shook my head and mouthed the word ‘later,’ he nodded and silently went back to the basement.
We stood there for several minutes before Quinn let out a deep breath and stood straight again. “Thank you.”
“For the hug? Any time.”
She put her hands on her hips and stared at the floor for a moment before looking at my face again. “For being here… for both me and Lukas. I know there is no normal way to grieve, especially when his brother keeps doing stupid shit, but this man is going to drive me insane.”
“Do you want a safe place to vent, or a sounding board and problem-solving brainstorming session?”
A small smile appeared on her face. “Both? Want some whiskey?”
“I can do one drink.” After the terror and chaos of dealing with her insane ex and the anxious fallout from his actions, Quinn had asked me to be her drinking buddy when shit hits the fan to keep her from going overboard.
She’d never had more than one drink at any time, but I was happy to be her accountability partner.
She nodded, the tension returning to her face, especially since she clenched her jaw. “Thanks.”
I nodded. “Of course. Here or downstairs?”
Quinn glanced at the basement door. “Downstairs. Can we have popcorn?”
Interesting request. “Absolutely.”
A few minutes later we settled on the basement couch, each with a small glass with whiskey in hand and a bowl of popcorn between us. I held off on turning on the TV, wanting a few answers first. “So, why the dramatic-looking phone call?”
Quinn took a sip and leaned her head back against the couch. “Lukas was butt-hurt that he wasn’t the first person to find out Ryan officially asked Ellen to be his girlfriend.”
My eyebrows shot up. That was not at all the conversation topic I’d been expecting. “He did? When?”
She nodded and grinned. “Yep. And today at lunch.”
I narrowed my eyes at Quinn. “How did Lukas find out last? He and Ryan are close.”
“He wasn’t the last person to know, but he also wasn’t the first. Apparently, Lianne and Ben found out a minute before he did.
” Quinn rolled her eyes. “That wasn’t the part that got his panties in a bunch.
Seeing Ryan that happy apparently had Lianne jumping and cheering and the happiest Lukas had seen her in weeks, if not months. ”
I took a sip and studied her. “So, what set off Lukas, then? I know he’s been worried about Lianne. Wouldn’t he have been ecstatic to see her in such a good mood?”
“You’d think that, right?” Quinn let out yet another deep sigh. “While they were eating lunch, Lianne told Ryan that she was having someone important over for dinner and that she needed her guy to be there with her.”
“Okay?” Where is this going?
“After Ben teased her about him being her guy, she clarified that she needed her work guy, and was referring specifically to Ryan, not Lukas. And while he knew damn well Lianne wanted him there, too, he took it as an insult that he wasn’t her guy.
” Quinn rolled her eyes and grumbled something about insecure boys before going on.
“He finally realized… or got confirmation… or whatever that, aside from Ben, he’s not the most important person in her day-to-day life at the moment. That’s when you walked in.”
I let out a long breath as I thought about what she said.
“Yeah, he’s always prided himself on being Lianne’s right-hand and go-to person.
It’s always been them against the world, so I can see how jarring it would be for her to default to someone other than him or Ben.
” I took another sip, savoring the smokiness of the whiskey for a moment.
“Why the tears earlier, though? That’s not your usual reaction to stress. ”
Quinn nodded and looked over at me. “It’s getting harder and harder to pick up Lukas and convince him he’s not getting kicked out and replaced.
He chose to distance himself from the family business and then doubled down when he bought a house and moved out here.
But it’s different with Liam out of the picture…
well, not out of the picture, but you know what I mean. ”
I nodded.
“Now that Lynette and Lianne are running the show, he’s spiraling. He put himself in the middle of so many arguments and protected Lianne from family business stuff for so many years. He’s having a hell of a time accepting she’s willingly and voluntarily diving into the deep end of it.”
I nodded again. “Lianne never made it a secret she wanted as far away from Agosti business, but from the information I’ve gathered, it was more that she wanted nothing to do with Liam.
” I smirked and shook my head. “I know Chelsea feels the same way. I still can’t believe she hauled off and punched Liam before Lianne’s wedding.
I’ve never seen that woman so pissed in my entire time knowing her. ”
Quinn chuckled. “Borce showed me the footage later. She has a hell of a right hook. I was so proud of her. I still am.” She let out a sigh and took a handful of popcorn. “Is it too much to want one regular night where nothing happens, no one is pissed, and I can sit in peace?”
“Not at all.” I picked up the remote and turned on the TV. “You want to watch one of those crime investigation shows and point out all the ways they are doing things wrong?”
She nodded, grinning. “Absolutely, bonus points if there’s a mafia family involved.”
“Let’s see what I can find.”
It took me a minute, but I found a show about criminal profilers who worked for the FBI. I personally loved the behavior analysis they brought to the investigations. Ten minutes into the episode, I was shaking my head. “That’s not how it looks when someone gets shot.”
Quinn chuckled at my comment. “You’re right. The props or special effects department really messed that up. That’s not at all what blood or brain goo looks like.”
I glanced over. “This doesn’t feel like it was the most relaxing choice.”
She smiled and looked at me. “It will be if you let me shit talk about it without getting pedantic.”
“Deal.”
Eventually, the episode ended, and Quinn stood up. “Well, it’s been another emotionally draining day. I’m going to make a sandwich and soak in a bath. If Lukas can’t get a hold of me, that’s where I’ll be… If I’m not passed out asleep in bed.”
I nodded. “Sounds like an excellent plan. Are you going to do a face mask and all that, too?” Ever since she moved into the house, Quinn made a concerted effort to take better care of herself, and more specifically, her mental health.
She intentionally set aside time to relax every week, and it had proved to help her significantly.
“I am. Might even do a hand or foot mask, too.”
“Now you’re just getting extra fancy.”
She snickered. “Someone has to be. Night, Peter.”
Quinn went upstairs, and after finishing the popcorn, I cleaned up and headed to my room.
I stretched out on my bed and let out a sigh. My thoughts drifted back to this Hummingbird person, and how they were alone, when a thought hit me.
Peter:
Ryan almost immediately called me. “How classified?”
“You didn’t have to call immediately. It’s a non-emergency question.”
“I’m on the phone now, Peter. Talk to me.”
I let out a tense sigh and leaned forward. “It’s bird related.”
He let out a tense hum. “Hold on a sec.” There was a rustling of fabric, some murmured words, and the click of a door closing. “What’s your question?”
“Do you and the others have a way of contacting Lynette’s favorite bird?”
“We do. It’s a double encrypted texting app. Didn’t Lynette add you to it?”