“Stop it. Just stop it, would you? He dumped me. Today. He says it’s over between us. Does that make you happy? That now I feel like a pile of discarded crap?”
He blinked. “Well, actually, it doesn’t hurt.”
“Glad to help.” I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand. “Janie has taken Thierry and plans on killing him if I don’t show up and take his place.”
His eyebrows went up at that. “She kidnapped Thierry?”
“She has him at an abandoned theater and if I don’t get there soon it’s over. I need you to help me because without you, I have no chance against her. Sure, George has those muscles, but they’re really just for show.”
“So let me get this straight. If I don’t help you rescue your ex, Janie will probably kill him.”
“That’s right.”
“Not exactly seeing the problem.” Then he sighed. “By the way, not that it’ll be any surprise to you, but
I’ve ruled him out as a suspect in the murders. Too many similar murders in too many cities. Not just
Toronto . It’s not him.”
“I already told you that.”
He took another gulp of his beer. “So let me get this straight. He broke up with you, and you still want to rescue him? You’re a lot more noble than I’d be.”
My jaw clenched. “So you’re saying you’re not going to help me.”
“I’m saying that you need to think about things before you go off running haphazardly all over the city.
Janie wants to kill you. From what I’ve overheard around here tonight, Gideon Chase is really interested in finding you, too.”
“Oh, yeah. Didn’t I already tell you that? Old news.”
“No, the subject didn’t come up. You already knew this?” His jaw tensed. “Honestly Sarah. Gideon is an asshole of the first order. Usually funds everything and doesn’t get his hands dirty. His father was way more hands-on, but maybe he’s trying something new.”
I tried to shake off the reminder about Gideon, which was nothing but a distraction now. “I don’t care about that right now. I can’t let Thierry die.”
“Why not?”
“How can you even ask that?” I stared at him for a moment. How could I convince him to help me?
“Listen, Thierry told me something . . . he . . . he thinks you and I should be together.”
“What?”
“You and me. He doesn’t like you, and I know you don’t like him. But he knows you’re a good man. At least, when you’re not being a total pain in the ass like right now.”
His lips twitched. “Compliments will get you anywhere, Sarah.”
I tried to pick my words carefully. “So maybe he’s right. Maybe I did make the wrong choice. Maybe I should be with you. Because you’re wonderful, Quinn. You are. And even if you don’t see it, it’s the absolute truth. I know that you’ll do the right thing, even if it’s difficult. I know you feel guilt about what you did in the past. Thierry saw all that. And he saw how much you wanted to protect me from him.”
“It’s true.”
I crossed my arms. “So, maybe . . . maybe we can make this work. If you want to. I know I’ve been a total bitch and I wouldn’t blame you for telling me to go straight to hell, but I don’t know. It’s totally up to you now, I guess.”
He stared at me for a moment. Then he took a swig of his beer. “Let me get this straight. Thierry has given his permission for you to be with me. And you’re okay with that.”
I swallowed hard and nodded.
“And you want me to help save his life. After that, you and I can be together. Is that what you’re saying?”
I nodded again.
He studied me for another moment, then stood up from his stool and walked close to me so we were only inches apart. He looked down the length of me and ran his hand lightly along the side of my neck,along the light marks that still remained from Thierry’s bite. Then Quinn pulled me against him and he kissed me long and hard.
When we parted he looked at me for another moment and a small grin pulled at the side of his mouth.
“I never believed you were actually in love with that asshole.”
I blinked up at him, a little stunned. “What?”
“I though you were just imagining it. Because he was such a mystery man. Women like that. I know it.
But I didn’t know it was real, thought it was just a passing fancy. Until now.”
“Quinn, what are you—?”
He held up a hand. “This is difficult enough as it is without being interrupted every three seconds.”
I frowned.
“I’ve been giving a lot of thought to what you said to me yesterday. About how I’ve taken my situation, my shitty life, and morphed it into this big torch I’m carrying for you? That what I was really feeling was just gratitude because you gave me the time of day when everybody else turned their backs on me? I thought you were just saying that because you wanted me to leave you the hell alone. That you still resented me for trying to . . . to kill you. For my shitty mistakes I’ve made in my life. But now I see . . . you were right.”
“I was?”
“Yeah. I convinced myself that I had a thing for you because it made things so much easier. Gave me something to focus on. A goal. But now I see that it’s never going to happen. Sure, I could take you up on your offer. We could be together . . . ” He cocked his head to the side and grinned. “And I would do my damnedest to make you very happy. Every night. Maybe several times a night.”
I felt my face flush. “Quinn—”
“But it wouldn’t be real. It wouldn’t be like what you feel for Thierry. And when I’m with a woman I want it to be real. If I can’t have all of you, Sarah, I don’t want anything.”
I nodded after a moment. “I’m . . . I’m sorry, Quinn. Really. I am.”
“Just answer me one thing, Sarah. Are you really, seriously in love with Thierry? Even knowing what he is and what he’s capable of? Even knowing it’s not going to be a smooth road for you?”
I felt my eyes well up again. “Yes.”
He nodded, but there was no smile to back it up. “Then that settles it.”