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While everyone else was focused on the blonde in the hospital bed, my attention hadn’t strayed far from her unusually quiet best friend. In all my interactions with Quin, she’d always had something to say. It was one of the things about her that both drove me insane and made me wonder what she was hiding. Her little snarky attitude was a mask, used to keep the spotlight from shining on her. My question was why? What was going on behind those gorgeous green eyes?
It shouldn’t matter. I should be keeping my distance, but the more I tried to stay away, the greater the desire was to reach out and drag her to my side. Even before our night together, I’d felt the pull and it pissed me the hell off. She was my opposite in every way imaginable, yet we matched perfectly.
Unfortunately, my soul was littered with far too many demons to let hopes of a future blossom. It wasn’t that I didn’t want what my brothers had found, because I did…desperately. I just didn’t think there was a great love story in the cards for me. Not after what had happened, or rather, what didn’t happen to me.
Five years ago, I was captured, along with three other of my fellow soldiers, while we’d been on a mission in Afghanistan. We were the best of the best—Army Rangers—yet we were blindsided by the betrayal of one of our own.
The insurgents wanted information; however, we were trained to withstand anything. I was fully prepared to endure whatever abuse they threw my way, except that’s not what occurred. For three long days, I was forced to watch as my teammates were tortured and beaten to shit in front of me, while I was left without a single mark on my body, except the ones on my wrists from where I struggled against the restraints.
Guilt ate away at me then and it continued to do so now. I refused to talk to anyone after we were rescued, even my own family. There was no way I wanted them to know how cowardly I felt. How I’d wished for the scars to cover my body instead of invading my mind.
“Yes!” Emory screeched.
Damn.
The room erupted in cheers as the newly engaged couple shared a kiss. Only Luc would have the audacity to slide a diamond ring on the finger of his unconscious girlfriend and end up getting the answer to a question he didn’t truly ask.Lucky bastard.
“What the hell’s going on with you lately?” Gabe nudged my arm.
“Nothing,” I grunted.
“Bullshit, but I’m here when you’re ready to talk.”
He was the oldest, which meant he’d known me the longest and as such, was quite adept at reading my moods. I wasn’t ready to spill the beans; didn’t know if I ever would, but knowing my brothers had my back made life a little easier to deal with.
Looking around the room, I paused once again on my fiery beauty. There were dark circles, skillfully hidden beneath a thin layer of makeup, under her eyes. She looked exhausted, more than usual, and given the fact she worked three jobs, I feared something more serious was at play.
As the celebration in the room began to wind down, I noticed Quin quietly slip out the door. On instinct, I followed. Maybe it wasn’t the best decision, but this girl had me tied in knots whether I wanted to admit it or not.
“Quin,” I called after her.
“Not now, Alec.”
She didn’t miss a beat as she pushed through the doors leading to the outside world. I picked up my pace, reaching her side in a few steps. Placing my hand on her elbow, I slowed her progression, while at the same time, turned her to face me. I was not expecting to see wetness gathered at the edges of her lashes, nor the pain etched across her gorgeous face.
“Firefly, what’s wrong?”
“I can’t do this with you right now,” she begged. “Please, just let me go.”
The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Something was terribly wrong and despite the desperation in her plea, I had this overwhelming need to find out what it was. To help her in any way I could.
“Tell me.”
“I’m pregnant.”
Words escaped me.
Pregnant.
She pulled out of my grasp and ran across the parking lot before I had time to react.
Holy shit.
By the time my feet caught up with my brain, her shitty car was racing out of the parking lot, leaving me standing there wondering what the fuck had just happened. I had no idea where she lived, so I couldn’t give chase, not yet at least. But I had a warehouse full of resources at my disposal, and my baby brother was one of the best hackers in the country.
I was going to be a dad.
How was Quin handling the news? Did she have morning sickness? Was she eating enough? Jesus, I was going to go crazy until I was able to sit down and talk with her. There were so many things to consider; where we’d live, when we’d tell our parents.
