Chapter 25
Reid
When the elevator doors glide open, I’m not surprised to find Mace barring my way into the offices.
We occupy two floors of the high rise we own, but this level is strictly reserved for our inner circle, and the single elevator is exclusive for our use.
No one comes here except by invitation, and Mace is alerted to everyone who steps into this particular elevator.
“Sorry. Not happening,” he says in his usual non-apologetic tone. He’s not looking at me. He’s looking at the woman who’s holding my hand so tight that her fingernails are going to leave dents in my palm.
“That’s OK,” Quinn says. “I don’t want to gatecrash.”
“She’s just here to say hello,” I add. “And to remind you that she’s a human being with feelings, not a data set on a computer screen.”
It had been a joint decision to come into the office together, and neither of us were under the illusion that Quinn would get an enthusiastic welcome. Levi is waiting downstairs, and he’s going to take her straight back to the hotel while I settle in for round two with my brothers.
“I’m well aware of who Jade Holloway is,” replies Mace.
Quinn’s fingernails dig deeper. “Have you had any luck searching for Blake yet?”
“I’m still working my way back.”
“Working back?” she repeats. “Looking into Blake’s past, or mine?”
Mace shrugs. The fucker’s been wasting time trying to dig up dirt on Quinn.
“Thanks for telling me you hacked into her phone,” I tell him. “Hopefully it still works after being left out on the hotel balcony all night.”
Mace doesn’t look fazed. “It still works.”
I hate my brother sometimes, especially when he has that smug grin on his face. It’s sparked plenty of fights between us, and I’m contemplating starting a fresh one when Ash and Hunter round the corner.
“We weren’t expecting you, Quinn,” Ash says diplomatically.
“Yeah, Mace has relayed that message loud and clear,” I say to save Quinn the humiliation of being told she isn’t welcome a second time.
“I didn’t think there’d be any harm in saying hello, but I can see it’s making you all uncomfortable.”
“It’s not that,” Ash says. “It’s simply a matter of managing risks that protect you as well as us. Once Ilya gets the message that you’re not able to gain access to us, or our premises, it limits his ability to use you for whatever nefarious scheme he’s dreaming up.”
“That makes sense,” Quinn agrees. She turns to me. “I’ll go.”
“Go?” comes a woman’s voice. “Where are you going?”
Maddie has appeared from the corridor, and she’s quickly followed by Lily.
“I knew something was going on when Mace raced out of the office,” says Lily. She looks to Quinn and smiles. “Usually, his only exercise is wheeling his chair from one side of his desk to the other.”
“That’s a bit harsh,” Maddie says. “He must hit his ten thousand steps a day just from stalking you.”
“Have you two finished?” Mace asked.
Maddie and Lily do a synchronized eye roll and step in front of their husbands. Even Ash is forced to take a back seat as the two women zero in on Quinn.
“Since no one’s going to introduce us,” says Maddie. “Lily is married to Mace, and I’m Hunter’s wife, Maddie. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The sound of Quinn swallowing a lump in her throat is loud enough for us all to hear. “It’s lovely to meet you too. Even if it’s only a brief hello and goodbye.”
“Do you have to go?” asks Lily. “If you want to hang around until these guys finish their meeting, you could come into our office.”
“Sorry, Lily,” says Hunter. “I think we’ve already established that’s not a good idea.”
“And they made a very good argument,” Quinn adds. “It’s fine, I have other things to do anyway.” She looks to me. “There was that other issue I needed to sort out.”
I have no clue what she’s talking about, but then she looks pointedly down at my groin. Finally, I get it. Family planning.
“Yeah, that’s a thought,” I say. I like that, amongst the chaos, we have every-day shit to deal with.
“Actually, I wonder…” Quinn says, turning to Maddie and Lily. “You might be able to help.”
There’s a sudden shift in the atmosphere, and Mace inches closer to his wife. Hunter does the same with Maddie. One comment from Quinn and they’re acting like it’s an immediate threat. I don’t know how I’m ever going to have a rational conversation with them if they’re this paranoid.
Quinn notices the intense scrutiny from my brothers, and blushes. “Sorry, maybe another time. It’s a bit…” Her free hand flutters in front of her. “Personal.”
“Ooh, that sounds intriguing,” Maddie says, eyes sparkling. She turns to Hunter. “If Quinn can’t stay here and chat, we’ll take her out for coffee and cake.”
“And gossip,” Lily adds.
Mace’s face is like thunder. “Not a good idea.”
Lily nudges him. “You’re right, it isn’t.
It’s a great idea,” she says. “Have you forgotten how your family welcomed me straightaway when you dragged me into your craziness? Quinn deserves more than all your scowls.” When Mace doesn’t soften, she huffs out a breath.
“We’ll only go across the road to Ruby’s, and we’ll take Simon with us. ”
Simon is the man-mountain Mace recruited as Lily’s private bodyguard. His job is to shadow her on the rare occasions that Mace lets her out of his sight.
“Levi’s downstairs. He can go too,” I add, longing to make this happen for Quinn. I won’t let my brothers isolate her.
“I’m only going to agree if we put a team outside the door,” Hunter says. He’s just as unhappy as Mace, but he’s not brave enough to revoke the invitation his own wife made.
We all look to Ash for the final verdict. His eyes are firmly on Quinn, and she’s holding his gaze. “You have an hour to be interrogated by my sisters-in-law. We’re too busy to spare our men for any longer.”
“Thank you,” she says. “I don’t want to put anyone else at risk. And I truly mean that.”
He nods once and heads back towards our offices.
While Hunter and Mace issue instructions to their wives, I pull Quinn to one side. “I’m sorry about this.”
Quinn is trying to be nonchalant, but I see the tears in her eyes.
Without warning, she slams her body against mine, her hands slipping beneath my suit jacket so she can wrap her arms around me.
I’m carrying a weapon, and for a split second, I imagine her disarming me.
I hate myself for thinking it, but she’s been on edge since we got back to Chicago.
My brothers’ paranoia must be contagious.
“I’m sorry for all the trouble I’m causing,” she whispers.
“Don’t be sorry. Just be safe.”
Her cheek is pressed to my chest when she mumbles something I don’t think I was meant to hear. I lean closer, a stupid grin on my face.
“Did you just say you loved me, Viper?”
She tips her head upwards, eyes shining. “You must have misheard.”
I arch an eyebrow. “Then mishear this. I love you too.”
“Is there any point going through this again?” I ask. “While you’re busy ostracizing Quinn, know that you’ll be pushing me away too. Wherever she goes, I go.”
I’m seated at the conference table that takes up the central position in our shared office. Ash and Hunter are directly opposite me, as is Jake. I’m hoping he won’t be as closed minded, and can come up with a plan to neutralize any influence Ilya might have over Quinn.
Mace has the seat next to me, although he’s barely present at all.
He has a tablet propped up on the table, his phone in his hand and an earpiece so he’s in direct contact with Simon.
The information relayed so far is that the three women have taken a window seat at Ruby’s.
Simon and Levi are at the next table, and one of our vehicles is parked directly in front of the coffee shop.
“Do you have a solution?” Ash asks me.
I’m tempted to reply with a snarky comment about treating Quinn like someone in need of our help, instead of a contagion, but this is Ash. “You made a big deal about Mace and I giving up our apartment and moving back to the house because it’s safer. Why can’t we take Quinn back home too?”
“You know why. Ilya would love to cause mayhem at the heart of our organization. The house and these offices are out of bounds,” he says. “And to be clear, I don’t ever want a repeat of earlier. Quinn doesn’t enter our private space without full agreement.”
I shrug. “Yeah, well, I’m sorry if I put you in a difficult position. It was a spur of the moment decision.”
“Who suggested it?” asks Hunter, glancing at me briefly before his gaze flicks back to Mace. Neither of them will relax until Maddie and Lily are back in the office.
“She asked to come along for the drive, and I was the one who invited her up here,” I say. I don’t add that she hadn’t wanted to let go of my hand.
Hunter waits for Mace to confirm that’s his understanding too. Quinn’s phone was in her purse, so of course he was listening in.
“Seemed to me like she was fishing for an invite.”
“Firstly, stop listening into our conversations,” I say, making a grab for his phone to see if he’s tapping into Quinn’s cell right now.
When Mace extends his arm to keep it out of reach, I don’t give him the satisfaction of entering into a tussle.
I’ve made my point. “And secondly, you’re fucking wrong about our conversation.
You heard what you wanted to hear. Your opinion is hardly objective. ”
“Neither is yours,” he hits back. “And I’m not logged into Quinn’s phone, I can access Lily’s.”
“You still do that?”
“It makes her feel safe,” he tells me. “And Lily has nothing to hide.”
“So, Jake,” Ash says, cutting off our bickering. “Since you seem to be the only other adult in the room, how feasible would it be to maintain the present security detail at the hotel?”
“For how long?”
Ash shrugs. “Until we deem it safe to accept Quinn.”