Quinn
SO MANY RED FLAGS
“I should go.”
Panic runs through me as Jordyn moves through her enormous kitchen, grabbing bowls and silverware out of cabinets and ingredients out of the refrigerator.
“What? Why would you go?”
I narrow my eyes at my new friend. “You didn’t tell me Xander was coming. Or thatany of themwere coming. I thought we were going to have a girls’ night.”
Jordyn freezes and looks at me in genuine horror. “Oh my God, Quinn. I’m sorry. I thought you would want Xander here. I got the impression you really like him. I can send them away, and we can totally just have a girls’ night.”
She looks around like she isn’t sure what to do. For a second, I’m worried she might cry. “Shit, I’m so bad at this. I don’t have friends, really.”
“It’s okay. I do like Xander, but we agreed last night was a one-time thing. It’s probably not a good idea for me to be friends with you, but I don’t have any girlfriends, either, and you’re so fun and kind. I don’t want him to feel like I’m invading his space.”
We stare at each other for a second before Jordyn comes over and wraps her arms around me. Even though I’m pretty sure we’re close to the same age, I find it comforting to hug her back. Jordyn might be a wildcard, but I get the feeling that she’d burn the world down for the people she cares about.
When we release each other, I look into a bowl of sliced carrots that look a little sad. Not a speck of seasoning to be found. My only hope is that there’s real butter on them.
“Is there anything you want me to do to these?”
Her eyes drop to the bowl, and then she gives me a sheepish smile. “They are from a frozen bag. I don’t really know how to cook, but I’ve made our housekeepers start taking weekends off. Cash does okay on the steaks, so don’t worry, we won’t totally starve.”
I smile and let out a sigh of relief. It’s obvious from her designer clothes and my thrift store Vans that we come from two completely different worlds, but there’s something about Jordyn I connect with. She’s real. And that’s so hard to find in Las Vegas.
“I like to cook. I can season these up a bit if you’d like.”
Jordyn flashes me a big grin. “Girl, you can do whatever you want to any of this. I just put it all in bowls from store-bought containers and hope for the best. I’ll make us a fresh round of drinks, and you can do your thing.”
Laughing, I follow her as she starts showing me where all the spices are before she mixes up some cocktails.
By the time I finish the last side dish, I’ve mostly forgotten that Xander and the other Savage brothers are here. At least until the four of them walk into the kitchen, filling up the large space.
“Something smells delicious,” Xander says as he comes to stand near me at the island while I stir the rosemary and honey-glazed carrots. His voice is low, and when I look up at him, hischest pressed against my shoulder slightly, I get the slight whiff of whiskey on his breath.
A scent that I get a little too frequently from him. Before tonight, I can’t remember the last time I drank. I know it’s a me thing, but I’ve always stuck with the rule of not drinking more than once a week. I never want to take the chance of becoming dependent on it like my mom was. I never want to be like her. Never want to live like that by choice.
My refusal to drink or party frequently was a problem for Jason. He told me I was a prude. That I needed to grow up. What I wanted to say but never did was that I had to grow up when I was five because my mom was hooked on crack, which started out as a problem with alcohol and then escalated from there.
I know enough about addiction to know I can’t control what anyone else does. I can only decide who I surround myself with. It’s something I truly need to think about when it comes to Xander. I don’t know if he has a problem, but I do know I’ve smelled whiskey on him more than I haven’t.
He brushes his hand over my arm and startles me. I look up at him and search his face for answers that I don’t find. God, he’s so beautiful. Not in a typical, societal sense. He’s dark and tortured and broken in a way I don’t understand. I want to, though.
“I didn’t know you were going to be here,” I whisper so only he can hear me, while Jordyn and the other guys talk about when they should pull the steaks off the grill.
“It’s not your fault. It’s my meddling sister-in-law,” he replies with an eyeroll. “I didn’t like that you left your apartment without telling me.”
My mouth drops open. Is he serious?Heleft.
“How was I supposed to tell you I was leaving? Should I have sent you a message via Morse code? I don’t have your number, Xander.”
For a man I want to understand, I also kind of want to kick him sometimes.
Xander moves behind me and puts his hands on either side of my waist, boxing me in against the counter. His entire family is in the room, though they don’t seem to be paying any attention to us, thankfully.
Then he leans down so his mouth is hovering near my ear. “You’d better watch how you talk to Daddy. I don’t think you want to be sitting on a hot, sore ass while you eat dinner.”
