Page 51 of Inked Heart
The words drag a dozen old memories to the surface.Locker rooms.Hallways.Books knocked out of my hands.The same smug grin staring down at me.
Only now ...things are different.Now I’m not the skinny kid he used to push around.Now I’m the man standing between him and Quinn.
“Maybe,” I say calmly.
Quinn grabs my arm.“Damien.”
But Emette just laughs.“Go ahead.Show everyone what kind of guy you really are.”
I look at Quinn.Her eyes are wide and tears are still clinging to her lashes.And suddenly I realize something.Punching him won’t help her, it’ll just make things worse.
So I take a slow breath and step back.
“You’re not worth it,” I say.
Emette smirks.“That’s what I thought.”Then he looks at Quinn again.“Are you coming back inside or what?”
The question hangs in the air.Quinn stares at him for a long moment before she shakes her head.
“No.”
“No?”He looks confused and I almost laugh.
“I’m leaving.”
His eyebrows lift.“Seriously?”
“Yes.”There is no hesitation in her voice.
“Over this?”
“Over everything.”
For the first time all night, Emette looks slightly unsure.“Quinn...”
“No.”Her voice is stronger now.Clearer.“You embarrassed me tonight.”
“It was a mistake,” he says, his voice gentler now than a moment ago.
“You’ve made a lot of those lately.”
He glances at me again.“Because of him?”
“No.”She doesn’t even look at me when she replies.Because she is right, this moment doesn’t have anything to do with me.
“Then why?”
“Because I’m finally paying attention.”
Silence falls over the driveway and Emette looks between us.Calculating.
Then he scoffs.“Whatever.”
He turns and starts walking back toward the house but just before he reaches the door, he throws one last comment over his shoulder.
“Good luck with her, Grey.”
The door slams shut behind him and the music swallows him back into the party.Suddenly the driveway is quiet again.
