Kade always wanted me to bring him back to my place. As an Omega, every cell in my body wanted to have him in my space too. I wouldn’t have let him leave until his scent was ingrained in every inch of my house. Like he did to my soul.
But I couldn’t let that happen.
For both of our sakes.
There are too many secrets hidden inside, and I would have spilled every one of them to him if his body was tangled with mine, in my own bed.
Even knowing I made the right choice by keeping him at arm’s length, it doesn’t make me feel any better. It’s not like you can mend a broken heart by walking from one side of the city to the other.
The security guard is already standing up when I start entering the access code to the front entrance, hiding my cheek from him.
“Did you have a nice evening, Quinn?” he asks when I get closer.
“It’s always nice to be home. Quiet night?” I go to move to the next sliding door, waiting for him to unlock it, but he places a familiar-looking envelope on the top of his desk.
“Another letter arrived.”
Pasting on a smile, I turn to face him, and he gives me a smile in return as he buzzes me through. The high-level security available here should bring me a sense of peace, but it doesn’t. Tonight, I’m seeing the illusion I’ve been living with vicious clarity. I might now be older and have my career, but I feel more unprepared than ever.
Inside my apartment, I keep the lights off; the sparkling skyline is bright enough anyway. Like always, the view beckons me closer. There’s something soothing about the constant flow of movement from high above.
Tonight, the view doesn’t bring the sense of freedom it usually does. My chest aches with the vastness of the skyline, the freedom so close anyone can touch it. And I know the reason for the tension.
It’s the bite on my hand.
It’s Kade, but it’s not him too.
It’s the message in the envelope.
It’s what happens if I refuse.
I don’t need to open today’s envelope to know what it says; the countdown to my wedding is a timer that accompanies me wherever I go. And time is nearly up.
Usually that brings me a glimmer of happiness, knowing I’m one step closer to facing Victor again, but not tonight. Tonight, I’m completely empty, and disillusioned, and unable to see anything good in the world.
Chapter Four
QUINN
After nearly a month of pretending the world is a happy place and successfully dodging Kade, I’ve made a promise to enjoy my first weekend off.
I spent the morning scrubbing the house from top to bottom, to burn off the lingering energy of not actually working. It’s weird, but my brain needs time to switch off. After a coffee out and grabbing a few premade meals, so I don’t have to cook, I had plans of checking my bank account and doing my budget. It’s dull, but again, my brain needed the numbing garnered from the process, but everything changed when I walked into the bathroom and the only thing I saw was the tub.
After an insanely long hot soak in a bubble bath, I climbed into bed. I wondered if going to bed at three in the afternoon was a bad idea, but the blankets spoke to me. Climbing under the fresh linen, smelling the faint hints of the scented bath oil, my eyes shut as soon as my head hit the pillow.
The sound of heavy rain against my window pulls me from a dreamless sleep. Rolling over to face the window, I notice my phone is glowing. Adrenaline floods my body, making my heart leap out of my chest.
Only one person has this number.
Four missed calls have my throat closing. I hit the call button as I bound out of bed, racing to my closet. She picks up before the first ring tone finishes.
“Is everything okay?” My voice sounds like a wild screech even to me.
“Yes and no.”
“Just the no, then.”
“He’s sick.”
