But then, the more he thought about it, the angrier he grew. And the more he seethed, preparing to give me shit about Elaine, the angrier I became as well.
“It’s like you didn’t give a shit if Quinn won.” He scoffed, shaking his head and going back to clean up. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
“Would you have risked it? Losing her?” I snapped at him, my anger rising at his constant attempts to bait me. At knowing Ihadmade it more difficult for her in the end, even if I believed she’d still win. “Would you honestly have risked that if you’d had to choose? Or now, if it came down to it.”
His eyebrows rose, and I cursed under my breath for lashing out when I’d meant to mend.
Max crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “If it meant protecting her? Which, in case you’ve failed to realize, means getting her to the end of this bullshit?” He lifted his chin, his stance wide and unbearably smug. “Yeah, I’d give her up to keep her safe.”
I rolled my eyes, preparing to turn away.
Except he wasn’t done.
“But I wouldn’t expect you to understand,White Knight.” He spat out my nickname and schooled his features into his trademark asshole smirk.
“What the fuck does that mean?”
“Hmm. I don’t know. Maybe ask the monsters in your head.”
I kept my mouth shut.
If I said anything to him, I’d only regret it, and I’d hurt her. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t do that.
He was baiting me. Goading me to react by bringing up my nightmares. And I hated the block in my mind that kept me from correcting him.
I wanted to shut him up once and for all with the truth.
The way he was talking to me—It was like he knew something I didn’t. Like what he’d said was the truth, but I couldn’t remember it.
Turning away from him, I threw the last of the trash in the pile and went to the door. Max followed me until I reached it.
But it wasn’t the first time I’d had to admit defeat. Accept the outcome I’d wanted was a lost cause. And make an impossible choice.
I’d tried to talk to him for her, buthewas impossible.
“I’m running back. Take the golf cart.”
“Sweet dreams,” he taunted.
The door slammed as I walked out.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was right.
But whether it was about last year and what happened to Desi, or about the secret trapped in the dark corners of my mind—memories fighting to come to light—I didn’t know.
And I wasn’t sure what would happen when I found out.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Gathering all my courage, I went in search of Kingston. When he wasn’t in his office, I went upstairs and found him in his room.
After knocking on the door, I heard a loudthumpbefore his voice called out. “Who’s there?”
“It’s me…Um, Quinn. Quinn Everly?”
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head at my response.
“Quinn Everly…” He rolled my name over his tongue as footsteps approached, like it was foreign and he needed to get used to it. When he opened the door, I pursed my lips and rolled my eyes at him. Forgetting for a second that I hadn’t forgiven him because…
