Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Quinlan
S alvatore interrogated Veronica about her father and everything she knows about his plans. Apparently he is coming to Chicago. He might even be here now. Luciana’s dad, Giacomo, has asked one of his men to be my bodyguard. His name is Brennan ‘Raziel’ Doyle and he’s the chaplain of the Cimaruta MC. It’s taken a few days to get used to having him around all the time. He jokes that we won’t even notice him most of the time, which makes me laugh because he’s huge. Six foot five and about two hundred and eighty pounds. He doesn’t blend in well.
Everyone’s on edge and I thought of asking my parents to postpone their trip. I had to tell them what’s going on and now they’re coming tomorrow instead of next week. They want to be with me until this thing is over. My siblings will join us in a couple of weeks. For now, Enea Mancini has sent a few of his men to Portwalden to be with them. Which I’m eternally grateful for.
Going to school today was harder too. I felt like I was always looking over my shoulder, waiting for someone to jump out and grab me. Brennan says that won’t happen, but the fear is real. We’re coming up on summer break in a week and he says that will be easier because we’ll be at home.
Tonight we’re going to the show at Luminescence. The plan is that I stick to the back area and only help when the guys need it. I’ll do the same at Jagger’s shows. Stay backstage and enjoy the music from there. Jagger said maybe I should stay home. But there’s no fucking way I’m going to let these assholes force me into hiding.
I’ve also been talking to Veronica and she’s nothing like what I imagined. She’s funny, smart and she keeps telling me how she wished she could’ve raised me. I assured her that I love my life and I’m happy she’ll get to meet my parents.
Jagger walks over to me and wraps his arms around me.
“Thank you for being here with me,” I say as I breathe him in.
“There’s no where else I want to be. I got you, Quinn. And this whole situation will end soon, then we can get on with our lives.”
“I just hate that you have to worry when you’re onstage and when you’re working.”
“I know, baby. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“I remember when I found out about Luciana’s family. The MC life seemed so odd to me, then I met Giovanna and her mafia family. I thought my life is so weird. MCs and mafias, it was like being in a TV show. Now look at me, my birth family is mafia. And not the nice kind like the Mancinis. The shitty kind you see in movies and you cheer when they die.”
I chuckle and hold Quinn tighter.
“That’s just your birth family, it doesn’t mean anything. You’re not part of them.”
Jagger
I’m a little concerned about going to Luminescence tonight. We can’t run background checks on everyone that comes to the show, so it’s kind of nerve wracking. I worry about Quinn coming to our gigs too. But I won’t tell her she can’t go, I tried that and she walked away muttering something under her breath. I took that as a no.
“Marley and Lennon asked if they could get tickets for the show tonight,” I say to her.
“Of course. I’ll text Luciana and ask if she can have them waiting at the door. My mom was saying she wants to go to the show tomorrow night.” Quinn laughs.
I laugh too. “What’s your dad going to do if she does?”
“I have no idea. I think he plans to hang out with Enea and Giacomo. Maybe your dad would like to join them? And your mom can come to the show with us. You know you don’t have to go to the club with me. I know you don’t like the all-male nights.”
“After all this is done, I might not come down as much. But right now I feel like I need to be with you at all times.”
Quinn smiles at me. “Thank you. I love that you want to be with me.”
I scoop her up in my arms and kiss her.
“I love you, and if I could? I would spend every waking moment with you. I know that probably sounds stalkerish.”
“It doesn’t, in fact I feel the exact same way. I used to think that Luciana and Rónán being like this was a little odd. But now that I have you? I totally get it.”
I watch Quinn text Luciana.
“She said their tickets will be at the door. VIP. They just need to show their ID.”
“Awesome. Please thank her for me.”