Surge

All those anxiety symptoms were back, but now they were mixed with adrenaline. I’d never felt a rage so deep. No matter how far apart Maeve and I were, together or not, I’d always fight for her reputation and happiness. Quinn was fucking done.

“First, Maeve will always be priceless. She’s worth far more than a damn, and those who benefit from her friendship or anything else are blessed. Fucking blessed.” My voice didn’t raise, though I wanted to shout the entire soulless mansion down. I kept it to earthquake tremors. “Maeve has more integrity, class, empathy, and intelligence than I’ve ever seen in anyone. Period.”

Quinn’s mouth dropped open as if to say something. But I wasn’t finished.

“Including you.”

The amused smile dangling from her open jaw finally dropped.

But it wasn’t enough to defend Maeve. My heart crumpled into a tight wad thinking of how I might have let her down. How playing it cool with such an invader as Quinn hadn’t exactly defended our castle. It was never too late to do so or say the right thing.

“Second, you’re venomous. I’d felt it since day one and known that you were up to no good, a snake, I just thought you were one I could charm. RI rammed us together, and that’s the only reason we’re anywhere near each other, Quinn. And your head is so big I’m guessing you thought that all this time I was just being dense to your advances. I saw them. You’re just not my type. Not inside or out. You’re not the kind of woman I’d be with. Not even for one night.”

She leaned back into the sofa, crossed her arms, and puffed out her lips in a pout. Even now she was still pretending. Even now I knew I’d gotten to her, but she hid behind bravado. “Jesus, Drake. I was only kidding. You don’t have to go nuclear.”

“You weren’t, though. You weren’t fucking kidding. And that wasn’t nuclear. But this is…” I pointed at her face. “I’m not playing with you anymore. Not this game of cat and mouse where you pretend you can have me and piss off the woman I actually love. We’re not playing. And I’m not playing anything with you in any other way either. I can’t kick you out of Graphic Temple but I certainly can leave myself.”

I turned to go, shaking like thunder right down to my core. How dare she speak about Maeve like that? And she thought she could manipulate me? I didn’t want to be around it. Not with or without Maeve. I’d been a stupid asshole to let it go on this long.

Quinn’s voice wafted over to me, getting softer as I stepped away. “Drake! Come back. Don’t do this!”

But I didn’t even want to see her face, so I didn’t. I kept walking. When I got to the car, I’d erase her number. She’d just be a name on a paper at RI, and when we were done with this case, I’d shred those along with any memories I had of her. Her name would never roll off my tongue again.

Fuck with Maeve? You fuck with good people who don’t deserve it? You fuck with me. Now that I knew it was true, that I knew Quinn would stop at nothing to think she was at the top of some hierarchy that didn’t even exist, Quinn was dead to me.

I only wished I’d made this move sooner.