Chapter 32
August
All movements felt mechanical as August got into the tub after Quinn turned the water off. Thoughts, worries, and pain had suddenly drifted far outside the edges of his mind now that he wasn’t in control of his actions.
Quinn told him to wash his body, and he washed it.
Quinn told him to rinse the shampoo from his hair, and he rinsed it.
Quinn told him to brush his teeth, and he brushed them.
Quinn told him to tilt his head back for a kiss, and he kissed him.
It was the first time he had been at peace inside his own head for nearly twenty-four hours.
August hadn’t realized how loose his body could feel until Quinn ordered him to relax while he stepped out of the bathroom.
He lay limply in the tub, feeling slightly dizzy from the high while he took his time to breathe in deep hauls of oxygen that he desperately needed.
Even when he could hear a female voice talking frantically through Quinn’s phone from the bedroom, he felt nothing. It wasn’t that he didn’t care that she was in distress, but rather that he couldn’t care. Quinn had told him to relax, so that’s what he did.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
“Why are you calling?”
August dragged his eyes open to stare at the dancing shadows on the ceiling. Quinn sounded much more irritated than he had minutes before, which meant he was talking to someone new.
“It’s Quinn Harlow. You knew my parents,” said Quinn. “And whatever your expectations are for this conversation, you might want to lower them.”
August blinked as another female voice began shouting, and he recognized the shrill pitch of his mother’s furious ranting.
The thought of Quinn talking to his mother any other day would have sent him into full-blown panic mode, but he was too tired to do that now.
Besides, Quinn could handle himself.
Quinn let his mother get her point across for several minutes, and then he cleared his throat to silence her.
“Mrs. Snow, I wanted to tell you that I’m recording this conversation, so you understand the gravity of what I’m about to say next.
August will never speak to you again. Not only have you failed him as a mother in the past, but you are also failing him as a mother by harassing him now.
I know about the recordings and the pictures your husband’s friend took of him as a child.
I know that you knew, and you did nothing to protect him from a predator.
I also know that you stood by and watched your husband beat August until he left scars on his back. ”
August had never heard Quinn speak so coldly before, and he was eternally grateful that the full bite of that tone had never been turned on him—not even when he still blamed August for breaking his heart.
“This is what’s going to happen. I will hang up, and you are never going to call August again or contact him in any way.
August is going to file a restraining order against you, and I’m so petty that I’m not going to let him block your number so that if you call, I’ll drag your fucking ass to court.
I know it’s probably too late for him to get justice for the pain you caused him, but at least from this point on, you’ll be out of his life. ”
A pause, followed by Quinn’s low chuckle.
“Aw, Mrs. Snow. Do you really think I’m still using my father’s lawyer and paying for legal advice with his money?
That’s cute. I haven’t spoken to that bastard in years.
I have my own lawyer I pay with my own money.
What August makes is pocket change compared to what’s in my accounts, so don’t try to twist this into something it’s not. ”
Judging by how angry Quinn was, August was glad his mother hadn’t been stupid enough to show up at his house.
Quinn probably would have killed her, and August would be stuck in the bath because he hadn’t been permitted to move.
He would have to listen to his mother’s ugly screams, and that would end up making his migraine worse when he was just beginning to feel better.
The thought had a giggle bubbling in his throat, and it must have been loud enough for Quinn to hear because he popped his head into the room to check on him.
August gave him a little wave, and Quinn flashed him a smile before disappearing again.
“I’m going to end the conversation here because I need to get in contact with my lawyer. I’m also worried about your health because you seem a little hysterical, and I wouldn’t want you to give yourself a heart attack. Take care, Mrs. Snow. Remember what I said, and don’t call.”
August’s eyes were closed again. He didn’t realize they were until he had to open them to watch Quinn walk past the bathroom door and leave the bedroom.
He wasn’t worried about him not coming back.
He wasn’t worried about anything.
“Hey.”
August jolted, splashing himself in the face with water when his arm shot out to grip the edge of the tub.
Quinn shushed him and touched a hand to his head, giving him a moment of physical contact before he pulled away. “I brought more cold water to drink and Advil. We’ll try broth once you’re out of the bath and more awake.”
With Quinn beside him, August felt more anchored in his body. He took the pills and emptied the bottle, surprised at how thirsty he was only after he started drinking.
“We have an hour before we have to leave for our appointment,” said Quinn. He was kneeling at the edge of the tub, brushing his fingers rhythmically through August’s hair at a pace that felt hypnotizing. “How is your head? I noticed that your nose stopped bleeding.”
His head was still throbbing, and there was a sharp pain buzzing behind his right eye, but it no longer felt like someone was kicking him in the face with steel-toed boots.
“The pain is manageable,” said August. “I just need to get in bed and nap until it’s time to leave, if that’s okay?”
August didn’t know what time it was, other than late, because it was dark outside. He was tempted to ask Quinn if they could see the therapist the next morning, but he was supposed to be following orders, so he let it go.
“Napping is good,” said Quinn. “You need to let your brain rest.”
Groaning, August leaned into the touches so that Quinn knew he appreciated them.
“I told Eren that you were sick and taking a week off,” said Quinn. “He said he would let the trainers and whoever else know about the update, but that you’ll probably need to talk to someone tomorrow to clarify.”
That was fair. August hadn’t meant to leave his teammates on a lurch, but he trusted them to keep the show going until he returned.
“I’ll call them tomorrow,” August agreed. “Bed?”
Quinn scoffed and pulled away so he could empty the tub and get a towel. “Harrison was making a stockpile of food for us last time I was down there,” said Quinn. “I know his team is staying the night, but since Jett has to stay at the hotel, I told him to leave once we head out.”
August kept forgetting that Killinger was babysitting him on Niko’s orders. It was the only compromise the kid would agree to short of calling in sick to stay with him, and August refused to let him do that, so Harrison jumped in to save the day.
“It’s funny how Harrison used to be known for having an attitude problem,” August said, chuckling. “Wouldn’t believe it looking at him now.”
Quinn helped steady August until he was wobbling on stiff legs, but he felt well enough to dry himself unassisted. Quinn remained within touching distance, holding out a hand to steady him whenever August leaned too far in one direction, but he felt decently stable.
Quinn left to turn the bedroom light off and was back before August could make it out of the bathroom.
He had turned the hall light on instead, which was still bright, but not blindingly so.
It allowed just enough brightness into the room for August to get dressed in warm, casual clothes before hobbling to the bed.
The Advil and water were starting to kick in, and by the time Quinn joined him under the blankets with chicken and rice soup and saltines, he was beginning to feel like a person again.
Quinn had brought the bucket and set it on the floor within reach, but August didn’t think he would need it. His stomach was no longer clenching anxiously now that Quinn was with him, and once he tasted the food, it was game over.
“Jeez, slow down before I take it from you,” Quinn said, brushing his fingers along August’s jaw with a laugh. “You’re going to make yourself sick if you inhale it like that.”
August stopped with the spoon halfway to his mouth, his mind pondering a thought as he slowly lowered it back into the bowl.
“I can’t believe you’re still here,” said August.
Warm lips pressed to his cheek, and August stared into Quinn’s green eyes. He wished he could tell the man beside him how pretty he looked, even with worry lines etched into his features and tension stiffening his posture.
“Listen, this situation is ten kinds of fucked up,” said Quinn.
He stopped to pry August’s lip out from between his teeth, and August kissed his thumb in thanks before he continued.
“I’m not innocent in all this either, since I had ulterior motives for wanting to sleep with you.
But I’m glad I failed my lousy attempt to become a villain, because it got me to where I am now. With you.”
Yes, because somehow, against all odds, Quinn hadn’t found a match in anyone else. To August, it seemed impossible, but if this was their second chance, then he was going to fight for it.
“Has there been anyone else for you?” August asked.
He had no idea he’d said anything until Quinn answered him with a soft smile.
“Have I had boyfriends? Sure.” Quinn moved August’s bowl from his lap to the side table and motioned for him to lie down.
August did what he was told and shifted onto his side to get comfortable. He wanted to look at Quinn a little longer, but a hand gently covered his eyes, and August was forced to close them.
“Has there ever been anyone else?” August echoed.