Chapter 34 Quinn
Quinn
Two weeks later
“Hey sweetie,” my mom’s voice came through the phone.
“You don’t need to keep calling and checking in. I’m fine.”
“But—”
“The flight is booked, Mom. You can’t convince me to change my mind.
” I taped another box shut and puffed hair out of my face that had fallen out of my bun.
It was a hot June day, I’d opened the windows early this morning to let the fresh air in but hadn’t closed them before the sun had started streaming through.
Now the apartment felt like a sauna. I really regretted not investing in an air conditioner.
“I just don’t understand why you don’t come straight here. We’re very centrally located.” I smiled, we had this conversation a lot the last week.
“Mom. I’m going to travel around Italy on my own for ten days and then I’ll be with you. I want to do it this way.” I pushed the box out of my way and looked around.
Everything in my apartment was packed up and ready for the movers who were coming tomorrow before my flight.
Packing had been a little slow since with my cast off, my wrist still felt a little tender, but I’d gotten it done.
Everything would be moved to a storage unit.
I didn’t want this apartment anymore so I figured I would sort it out when I came back.
“And you have your ride to the airport sorted?” She’d been worrying about me since I’d called her last Tuesday and told her I wanted to come see her, that I wanted to get out of here and get some space. She agreed immediately and I booked my one-way ticket.
I was going to come back. I was.
I just didn’t know when.
I was going to travel along the coast, see Amalfi and spend a few days in Capri.
I’d always wanted to travel more but I'd made excuses not to, so now that I had no job it was the perfect time. I’d called Edward a few days ago about a position with the foundation.
He was thrilled to hear from me and had no problem waiting until I was at my mom’s in Italy for us to discuss details.
It felt odd to be working at the foundation that Theo set up for his mom, but when I brought up being worried about a conflict of interest, Edward assured me that Theo didn’t control the foundation.
He didn’t know that we’d broken up so he thought my concern was because we were still together, but it was a good enough answer for me.
I’d done a lot of thinking, working at the foundation was exactly what I wanted. I wanted to help people, make a difference in their lives and maybe help them see a little light in their darkest time. Doing that every day, well that was the most excited I’d been about work maybe ever.
Everything I was doing felt like moving toward a fresh start. Even though my head and heart still hurt.
“Yes, Mom,” I said as someone knocked on my door, aggressively. “I’ve gotta go.”
“Okay honey, I’m really excited to see you.”
I frowned as someone continued pounding.
“Me too, Mom. Love you.” I hung up and pulled the door open. Asher’s hand was lifted in the air, ready to continue knocking. “You know, two weeks isn’t a lot—” The look on his face stopped me from continuing.
Because I knew whatever he was about to say was going to matter.
“Theo’s dad died last night.”
“What?” I asked as my chest tightened.
“Dropped dead from a heart attack yesterday.” I knew the concern on Asher’s face wasn’t for Warren Kane. He hated the man. It was the fact that regardless of his relationship with Warren, Theo had now lost both his parents.
“Where?”
“At his estate in New York.”
I squeezed my eyes closed, knowing my decision was already made.
“When do you leave?” I stepped back to let him in the door.
“Plane is waiting, the guys are meeting me there. Theo should be landing in New York any minute.”
“I’m coming with you.” He gave a single nod, like it wasn’t even a question. He must have assumed that this would be the outcome of his visit.
“Your name’s already on the flight manifest. Pack a bag.”
“Shit!” I turned, sprinting to my room. “I have all my toiletries ready to go but I packed all my nice clothes.”
I started throwing things out of my suitcase, shoving only the essentials in my carry-on. Underwear, some sweats, socks, and a few bras. I wouldn’t need all the clothes that I’d packed for where we were going.
“What the fuck is all this?”
I looked over my shoulder to see him staring at all my boxes.
“I’m not moving,” I said as I grabbed my passport, wallet and keys off my counter. He looked at me with an eyebrow raised skeptically. “Well, I am moving. But just to a new place. Focus, though. The problem is I have no funeral appropriate clothing.” I came to stand in front of him.
“The service is tomorrow. You’ll have time to pick something up later today.”
“That’s fast,” I muttered as I shoved the last thing I needed in my purse. I wasn’t overly surprised Theo wanted it over with.
“Where?”
“Huh?” I asked.
“Where are you moving?” I could hear the hurt in his voice from me not telling him. I locked the door and we went down to the waiting car out front.
“I don’t know yet. I was supposed to be flying to Italy tomorrow.” I turned to look at him. “I was going to call you, I promise.” He didn’t say anything, just sat there watching me in his classic intense, Asher way.
“Did you get kicked out of the apartment?”
I smiled, he didn’t. “No. I just… didn’t want to be there anymore. It doesn’t feel like home so I’m going to try and find somewhere that does.” I looked out the window.
I didn’t have to explain to him that it was because my home left me in the middle of the night with no intention of coming back.
Shaking off my discomfort, I pulled out my phone so I could cancel my movers. They informed me they would still have to charge me because of the short notice, the first of many things this decision would likely cost me.
We made good time and cleared the private airfield security quickly. The plane was waiting on the tarmac, and we hurried from the car up the steps to the Knight Enterprises jet.
“How did Knight get to New York?” I asked as we were greeted by the attendant.
“He left the plane with us. He had another company to use, they were able to get a flight together quickly.”
Before I could respond I was crushed against someone’s chest. “Hi, Quinn,” Noah muttered from above me, his arms tightening a little more before he pulled back, resting his hands on my shoulders. “I’m pissed as hell at you.”
“Please. Don’t start with me now.”
Asher spoke from behind me at the same time. “Leave her alone.”
He pushed Noah’s hands off of me.
“Noah…” Will warned.
“No. You’ve been all ‘give her time,’ ‘don’t bother her.’ It’s a bunch of shit. She’s our friend too and she doesn’t get to shut us out because Theo wasn’t man enough to—”
“Stop it.” I cut Noah off as he looked down at me instead of at Asher.
“I am sorry.” I looked at Will, Oli, and Jaxson who had all closed in while Noah was ranting.
“I shouldn’t have cut you guys out like I did.
I haven’t been handling this all very well.
And I’m sorry.” Noah’s face softened instantly as the tears sprang in my eyes.
“Damn it, Q. Fine, I’ll forgive you but don’t do it again, okay?”
I nodded as he winked, putting an arm over my shoulder and moved me to one of the empty seats. He was easy to get along with and quick to forgive, I liked that about him.
The plane taxied quickly and everyone tried to keep me engaged in conversation, but they stopped when I gave one-word responses and didn’t track the conversation well, asking them to repeat themselves a couple times.
Sitting on the plane, I was starting to doubt that I should be there.
When I heard about Theo’s dad the first thing I could think about was that he shouldn’t be alone.
That regardless of all the shit between us, I needed to be there for him.
That my heart was with him and that was where I needed to be.
But as we got closer and closer, I wasn’t sure he was going to want me there. He wouldn’t have been alone, he would have everyone else on this plane. They were his family. And he had made it very clear that he didn’t want me.
I sat there worrying and getting more anxious with each passing minute. By the time we landed I had bit my lip so hard it was bleeding. The men stood, starting to get ready to disembark.
Another perk of flying private, you didn't have to wait so long to unload the plane.
“Quinn?” Asher asked from his seat beside me.
“Why did I come?” I turned to look at him for the first time since we took off.
“Because he needs you,” Asher answered, like it was so simple.
I was already shaking my head. “He has all of you.”
“But he needs you, Q,” Will emphasized.
“What if he doesn’t want me here?”
“You don’t have to worry about that.” Noah waved off my concern from where he was standing.
“What’s the plan?” Oli asked, trying to stop me from overthinking.
“I need to buy a dress,” I said as I stood up. I still wasn’t sure if I should be here, but I at least had to get off the plane.
“Knight wanted to get out of the estate.” My eyes bugged out as I looked at Asher. “We’ll meet him at a bar near our hotel. He’ll head back to the estate tonight and we’ll drive out tomorrow for the service.”
I let out a breath. If I knew what bar they were going to then I would be able to avoid him.
At least for tonight.
“He doesn’t want us out there tonight,” Noah assured me.
“You can get a dress while we’re out,” Asher said as we started down the stairs.
“You could come with us,” Jaxson offered as I glared at his absurd comment. I didn’t bother responding as we split up and climbed into the two waiting SUVs on the tarmac.
Before I knew it, we were pulling up outside The Plaza Hotel. A man pulled the door of the car open for me and offered me his hand so I could step out. I looked up at the large white hotel as our stuff was grabbed out of the trunks by staff.