“You shouldn’t waste your time,” Rebecca said into the babbling din, still not looking at Quinn.
“What?”
“Don’t waste your time finding things to mourn. She sure as hells wouldn’t have.”
“How do you know what I’m thinking?” Quinn sniffed, pulling her knees up to hug her legs. The defensive posture giving it all away as she struggled to maintain the derisive tone.
“Been there, done that. Evil is evil, Mrs. Kahler,” Rebecca said, pitching her voice low enough not to disturb the kids from their play. “No matter what else they might have been, they were always evil.”
“You don’t understand—”
“I do. She was keen on telling all three of us how important she was, how little you mattered.” A growl edged into Rebecca’s tone, one she was quick to stifle. “Kids need their mother.”
“I didn’t have one.”
“How’d that turn out for you?” One brow raised high, Rebecca’s lips tipped up into a smirk.
“Mama, help me!” Adam rushed to Quinn, throwing his arms around her neck to nuzzle her cheek. “Becky makes it huge.”
“Becky…?” Quinn unfurled, rising to her knees and shuffling over to Adam’s tower to begin placing more blocks on top.
“He had a little trouble with it.” Rebecca’s shoulders twitched with an indifferent shrug, but her eyes warmed to rich umber, dancing with mirth as she slid a glance at Adam.
Rebecca didn’t encourage any further conversation after that, remaining silent and still by the door. At some point Quinn even stopped glancing at the Alpha, the gnawing worry of the stronger dynamic fading fast as she played with Adam and Elise. For the first time in too long, she was whole and well and nothing would ruin this for her.
Nothing wouldeverkeep her from this again.
Somehow that thought led her to Tobias. The man who had ruined her life, broken her to his will had now become a piece of a puzzle she no longer wished to destroy. He wasn’t gentle or kind, never once made her feel like an equal, but somewhere along the way her hatred and fear transformed. Mutated into things she’d never felt before.
She thought she’d loved before, even Alton with his rules and punishments. None of it even began to compare to the emotions bombarding her daily. A match in the deepest, darkest hole, they flared bright for a second before fading into nothingness.
Tobias was so very different. A beacon in the night, safe harbor that exacted a price, he refused to let her go. Refused to leave her no matter how she fought and cursed him. Came for her, saved her. Loved her in his own strange ways though he was as terrible at showing it as she was.
When Rebecca straightened, pulling away from the door to face it with a hand dipping under the loose folds of her jacket, Quinn’s heart began to race.
Pulling Adam and Elise closer, she grit her teeth and turned her back to the door, protecting them with her body as she waited for what new surprise would come barreling through.
Relief sluiced down her spine, making her lightheaded and weak when Tobias came in, his dark scowl a welcomed sight. She even managed a shaky smile when his narrowed gaze slipped over her before centering on Rebecca. Bristling with challenge, he crowded the other Alpha out of the room. Closing the door with precision, the quiet click of the latch loud as a gun report.
“Are you all right?”
“You keep asking me that.”
“When I believe your answer, I’ll stop.”
“We’re fine. You startled me is all. Bit ominous when the Alpha guarding the door gets antsy, you know?” Quinn ruffled Elise’s hair, letting her toddle off to attack Tobias’ shins as Adam went back to his blocks.
Tobias grunted in reply, lifting Elise to nuzzle her cheek. Making her giggle and squirm as his rough stubble tickled her. Coming further into the room, he set Elise down and sent her back to play with a light pat to her rump. Ambling over to Quinn, he looked at her with the dark sweep of his brows tight over the bridge of his nose.
“What’s wrong?” Not thinking, she reached for his hand. Wrapping her fingers around his and tugging him down, insistent until he settled on the rug beside her. He looked so out of place with a dark suit fashioned for board rooms and high society rather than a nursery, clashing with the primary colored plastics and vivid decorations.
“It will take some time. I’ll put you and the children somewhere safe until—”
“We’re not going anywhere,” Quinn hissed, angling a smile at Adam when his head swung around at her vehemence.
“You can’t stay here, little bird,” he murmured against her ear, taking far more care to keep their conversation between them. “It smells of blood and death downstairs and I’ll not have them anywhere near that.”
“Then you’re coming with us.” Quinn nodded once, decision made as she climbed to her feet and picked a stiff path through the scattered toys towards the closet. “We’ll all go.”
