“Good morning, my son,” Tobias murmured against Adam’s hair. Licking his lips, he made an admonishing face at Adam before shaking his head and settling the toddler on a hip. “Did you even get any of your breakfast into your mouth?”
“Yes, Daddy.” Adam’s bright grin faded around the edges, eyebrows puckering over the bridge of his nose. “Mama not eat.”
“Is that so?”
“Mama sick?”
“Mama’s medicine makes her feel sick is all,” Tobias said as he scooped Elise from Meghan’s arms and cuddled her on his opposite side. A sly look sent Quinn’s way preceded the wicked smile that pulled at his lips. “It will be better soon.”
“Don’t lie to him.” Quinn startled, uncertain where the venom of her response came from. Bewildered grays met the sudden narrowing of twilit evergreen, hands attempting to wring the life from each other as her shoulders rounded under Tobias’ stare.
“Take them outside to play, Meghan.” The order was delivered in clipped, cool tones as he handed off the children. A flick of his fingers sent Curtis away.
Quinn didn’t miss the baleful glare Curtis sent her way before he shut the door with practiced ease behind him. The sounds of her children pouting and fussing, Meghan’s soft promises of Quinn’s arrival soon enough were all lost behind the thick walls within moments.
She was alone, stranded in the quiet with him.
“Is something wrong, little bird?”
Something dangerous lurked in the smooth velvet of his voice, but she couldn’t grasp what it was he wanted of her. Under the weight of his stare the heat became violent. It burned through her veins, searing her thoughts into nothingness as he brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. Somewhere deep inside, a cold pit fought against it, valiant until the end, but it gave her no strength to resist.
Why should she want to deny him? Quinn mumbled a quiet plea, an apology that morphed into something desperate as his hands settled onto her shoulders. He didn’t even have to push her down. Sinking to her knees, Quinn tipped her head back to stare up the long line of his body, eyes wet with some memory she couldn’t grasp. It hammered around her skull, screaming its outrage and pain, but she couldn’t place any of it.
She just knew it was wrong. As if she had done this before, hated it just as much, and had been just as helpless to stop it.
“Please, not here,” she whispered, even as her hands reached for him. Delicate fingers plucked his belt free, the grating sound of the zipper loud in her ears as she kneeled up to nuzzle his stomach just as he liked.
“No one would dare interrupt us, little bird. Now, give me that pretty mouth, hm? I have business in the city to attend to, and I wouldn’t leave you wanting.”
Tears spilled over her lashes as she leaned in, careful of his fine clothes as she took him into her mouth. The awful feeling of déjà vu died with a sudden violence at her first taste.
It didn’t take him long to spill down her throat, his groans and low murmurs of praise urging her on as she swallowed it all. Not until she was gasping, clinging to his thighs did he release the grip in her hair. Smoothing back the disheveled tangle he’d made of her long curls, Tobias crouched to take her into his arms, encircling her with the strength of his body as he doted on her.
“There now, that’s better isn’t it?” His smile was lazy and indulgent as he pressed it against her cheek.
“Don’t go,” Quinn whispered, burrowing into his chest. The chill still slithered through her, crackling through her spine and up into her teeth until she shivered. Something was wrong, but she couldn’t say what. All she knew was that some instinct understood only Tobias could make it right. Her thoughts were grinding forward, the easy feeling of just moments ago already dissipating as the taste of chilies and chocolate faded from her tongue.
“None of that, sweetness. I’ll be home for dinner, and you’ll have a full day with our little ones.”
“He needs other kids to play with.”
“In time, perhaps.”
The argument was becoming old even though she’d mentioned Adam’s need to socialize with children his own age just last week. There had been a multitude of excuses, from not wanting to take him from Quinn for any length of time to suggestions that it would be more a detriment than advantage. The one time she felt Tobias told her the truth was when he snapped at her insistence, telling her she had no idea what was out in the world for her little boy.
It wasn’t just bullies and scrapes he was talking about.
There were the quiet conversations between him and Curtis, words cut off as soon as he sensed Quinn was listening. Mentions of Mr. Rey and Mr. Beaumont, warehouses, and deliveries. Things she wasn’t supposed to know about, both before she’d ever known the name Tobias Kahler and now. There had always been housing available for the workers of Wicked, free of monetary obligations but with the implication of strings attached. The apartments were located close to the docks, deep in the warehouse district.
Quinn knew those warrens well. She grew up there while working for Alton more than she had within the city’s glittering lights. It was a rat’s nest of illegal goods, sex trafficking, and all manner of evils. A prime place for someone to control the import and export of so many things. Alton had attempted to rule over an empire of trash, but Tobias lorded over an entire city. If there was one thing she had learned under Lee’s thumb, it was that even the loftiest position didn’t mind if their money was dirty.
To be that worried over his son, there had to be more of a reason than the fact Tobias was the ruling Alpha of Alderbrook.
Which meant that Gerry could have stolen her away for any number of reasons. It was Tobias’ fault the disgusting male had ever set eyes on her. It had been his dealings with the psychotic Alpha to find Grace that brought him into this house. He was the reason she’d been taken, such awful things happening…
Tobias growled low in his throat, capturing her mouth in a kiss that stole her breath and swept away all of her thoughts. Invading her senses with tongue and teeth, his hands became rough as they pawed at her. Digging their way under her shirt and loose skirt, he gripped her flesh hard enough Quinn whined.
It wasn’t in pain.
