Page 17 of Quinn

“I promise I won’t say a word, if you promise not to say a word to anyone about what I tell you.”

Natalie scooted closer on the bed, Tania pulled up a chair and they both sat forward, curious to hear what I might have to say.

***

Tania and Natalie had tears streaming over their cheeks by the time I finished telling them my story. Well…part of my story. What I had revealed was actually only the tip of the iceberg. Despite what they had said earlier, my story wasn’t for the ears of decent ladies.

Tania and Natalie took one of my hands each and swiped at their tears with their free hands.

“I hope they burn in fucking hell,” Tania sniffled.

“Hell would be too fucking good for the bastards.” Nat growled through a clenched jaw.

“Who’s burning in hell?”

The three of us jumped on hearing Quinn’s voice from the bedroom door, and as he stood waiting for an answer to his question, I took the opportunity to look him over.

He was taller than Connor, but shorter than Jake. Damn, everyone was shorter than Jake, the man was a mountain. Quinn’s skin was olive in colour like his brothers and neat scruff graced his jaw and upper lip. His eyes were the colour of coal, as was his thick, shiny hair. Muscles peeked out beneath the sleeves of the black t-shirt he wore and it clung to his broad chest. It was obvious he kept himself fit.

Tania rose and turned to Quinn, brushing away tears.

“Have you been crying?” Quinn asked.

He turned to Natalie. “You’ve been crying too. Connor and Jake are gonna fucking kill me if they think I did something that made you cry.”

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself, Quinn. Nothing you could say or do would ever make me cry. Do you forget how I went head to head with you when we first met?” Tania reminded the man.

“How could I fucking forget? Connor and Jake thought it was hilarious that a bitch got the better of me for a few minutes.”

Natalie laughed. “I would have given anything to be in the office when she tore you a new one.”

“It wasn’t that bad. Moving on…why are you crying?”

The ladies turned towards me before they returned their attention to Quinn.

“Talk to Arabella, Quinn, and then come and tell us you don’t want the bastards to go to hell.” Tania leaned over and kissed my forehead.

Natalie did the same before adding, “We promise you he doesn’t bite. You can trust him, honey. We’ll see you in the morning.”

“Thank you both.”

The ladies glanced at Quinn, some understanding passed between them and he nodded, staying with me when they both said they would see themselves out.

After they’d gone, Quinn pointed to the bed near my hip. “Do you mind?”

“No, it’s okay.”

“I need you to tell me about your past, Bella. Connor wants me to meet with him tomorrow afternoon, and dependent on what you tell me, we will formulate a plan to wipe Sangumala out of existence.”

I loved that Quinn had nicknamed me Bella; it made me feel like a different person and took away some of the horror of the past. I reached out and gathered one of his hands. “You need to let it go, Quinn, you’re no match for them.”

He patted my hand. “Sweetheart, you underestimate the power of our family and friends. We have been head to head recently with some powerful men who also thought they could get the better of our families. Let’s just say, we are the only ones still standing. Now, tell me what you know.”

“As I have already said, some of the women in the village told me I’d arrived there at the age of two. Or at least that’s how old they thought I was but no one knew for sure. They gave me a birthdate and it’s one I have dreaded since the age of twelve.” My voice broke on recalling the memory of that horrendous day.

Quinn squeezed my hand gently. “Take your time, sweetheart.”

“I have no idea if I was sold by my parents or if Tchokai’s men stole me, I was too young to remember. I was ‘given’ to Sirizo a woman who hated me, but she had no choice but to keep me alive. It didn’t stop her from beating and starving me though.”