“Sable, Charlotte, perhaps Tilly should be removed?” It was more of an order than a request, and Aunt Charlotte quickly ushered Tilly, who was now crying, from the room.
Ava looked uncomfortable, and I saw her raise her hand. George’s attention snapped to her, and she flinched. “I think Ishould be removed too. This isn’t for me . . . It’s private, I don’t think I should be here.”
“Stay.” The whisper was Quinn’s.
Aunt Charlotte came back in, closing the doors firmly behind her. She sat beside Sable, who was staring fixedly at the tablecloth.
I watched George look at Onyx, who had put his fork down, and then he turned to look at Quinn.
“From your reaction, I think there may be something you need to tell me?”
I heard Quinn take a deep breath, and then she squared her shoulders and looked up at her dad. “I had a miscarriage last year.” Her voice was steady, matter-of-fact, her face a blank mask. “I fell down some stairs and knocked myself out. When I came to, I was in the hospital, and I had lost the ba— it.”
“Quinn.” My mom reached out to her, but Quinn was fully focused on her dad.
“I didn’t tell you because there was nothing to tell.” She wet her lips quickly. “I was going to tell you, and had it not occurred, I was coming home to tell you.” Her eyes flicked to Anne, who had a hand pressed to her mouth. “Both of you.”
“Pregnant?” her dad asked. His face was stern, but I saw his confusion as if he had mistaken what she said.
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
Quinn flicked her hand dismissively. “It doesn’t matter, does it?”
“Answer me.”
“It was mine.” I met and held his angry glare. “The baby was mine.”
I heard my mom gasp, my dad curse, and I heardhimchuckle. I was off my feet and launching myself at my brother, much to the horror of my family. As the two of us punched the shit out of each other, I felt hands pulling at us, trying to separate us.
“Enough!”
Startled at the scream, both Onyx and I stopped to look at Anne, who stood over us and a broken dish at her feet.
“You’re not helping,” she shouted angrily. “Now get up, shut up, and sit the fuck down.”
The whole room stared at her in shock. Anne was one of the meekest women I had ever met.
Slowly, I picked myself up off the floor, wincing at the pain in my hand. I may as well have chopped the fucker off. My eyes searched the room, and I saw Ava standing by the door.
“She’s gone.”
I hurried to the door, but George grabbed my arm, stopping me. “No. Not you.”
“With all due respect, sir, you either knock me out now or get the hell out of my way. I’m not leaving her alone. Jett and Ash can tell you what you need to know.” He moved forward, and I shoved past him. “I’ll let you beat the crap out of me later,” I said as I ran out of the room, leaving chaos behind me.
Running to her house, I climbed the stairs two at a time. She was curled up on her bed, her eyes fixed on the wall as silent tears ran down her face. Kicking off my boots, I climbed onto the bed behind her and pulled her close. She didn’t resist.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered in her ear as I wrapped my arms around her.
“Tilly hates me,” she whispered.
“She’s eight, she doesn’t know what she’s saying,” I assured her.
“Why would he tell her?”
“I’m so pissed at him, I am, but even Onyx wouldn’t tell Tilly this. She must have heard him talking to someone.”
