Irrefutable (The Apprehensive Duet Book 2) (18 page)
I’m so grateful Jordan was the one who my father decided to try and marry me off to. Even with all the unsettled tension between us. There’s quite a few assholes out there who I could’ve just as easily gotten pushed into this with. Someone I would’ve had to work against instead of someone working to help me.
Jordan doesn’t have to be doing this with me.
Yes, he wants to see my father go down for what he was planning to do, but he could’ve just as easily said fuck it all and left me out to dry. This wouldn’t really have affected him too much. My father can’t fuck with him in the way he can fuck with me had he walked away like a lesser man would’ve.
“I don’t know how you do it,” Jordan tells me, shaking his head in disbelief. “How do you work alongside him day by day, knowing everything he’s trying to do to you and not kill him? I’m over here worrying about being able to keep my fingers from closing around his throat on Saturday.”
Jordan is meeting my father Saturday to drop off the pictures and start the main part of our plan. So much is happening in such a short period of time.
I give a sardonic laugh. “I’ve been spending my lunch hours with my therapist, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to control the homicidal rage that courses through my body at just the mention of his name.”
When we figured out my father was going to screw me either way, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I can’t believe I wasn’t able to see it before. With every single thing he has done to force me into this, I have no idea why I ever thought I’d be able to get one over on him easily. My hatred for him has quadrupled in the last two weeks.
“Well, only two more days. It’s the beginning of the end for you. I’ll know if any of the pictures from tomorrow make it to the internet as soon as they do.”
We’ve been able to keep everything a big secret thus far. My father has no idea this wedding isn’t going to happen. Diana has been taking care of that part, “planning” the wedding. Or at least my father thinks she is. She’s been keeping him and my mother in the loop. Telling them she’s taking care of rearranging everything when in actuality she’s doing nothing. The only thing she has done is send out invitations to the people who needed to get them in order to keep up appearances.
If everything goes according to plan we should have everything we need in the next couple of days to bring my father down.
“RELAX,” I WHISPER into Quinn’s ear as the soft melody of an old jazz song fills the room. The anxiety has been rolling off of her all night long. It’s almost palpable. “The night is almost over. At least try and enjoy part of it. This was supposed to be a nice night out for us.”
She looked so beautiful when she opened the door of her condo, I had to remind myself to close my mouth before the drool left a puddle on the floor for her to slip in. The satin fabric of her champagne colored gown clings to her body like a second skin, accentuating all the alluring curves of her perfect body.
Her hair swept over to one side pinned in big curls has a very 1920’s feel to it. The flawless skin of her neck has called to me all night long. Her lush lips, painted bright red, beg to be taken. If only her eyes weren’t ridden with a hundred different insecurities.
Most of the stress she’s dealing with comes from the waiting game of this plan for her father. I don’t really care for this scheme, but I don’t get a vote in it.
I also don’t get to be the one who ultimately fixes this problem for Quinn, and I’m trying to deal with the feelings that evokes in me. Having another man be the one to save your girl is a hard pill to swallow, but since I promised Quinn I’d be okay as long as we worked on it together that’s what I’m doing. I’m picking my battles at the moment because she’s got so much going on.
We’ve been working on rebuilding slowly, and I’ve been doing my best to keep cool about things neither of us has actual control over, like her father. No point in starting things off arguing over this when options are pretty limited to begin with.
Being back at square one with her is fucking torturous. We’ve been here before. I showed her who I was, how much I loved her, and proved she could trust me. Even made it past most of her walls, but they’re back up now and much tougher to get through. I’m paying for the sins of others and it fucking sucks, but I deal with it because Quinn is worth it.
This time around is altogether different in lots of ways. Quinn’s aware of herself and what we now. She wants it but she’s scared. After coming to the realization the kind of love she’s always wanted to believe in—be in—actually exists, she’s wary to let herself have it. If she never has it, no one can take it from her. And if she lets me all the way in, she could possibly lose me. I’d never let it happen, but she doesn’t believe it yet. Letting her go again is not in my plan. I just need to let her see that. We’re getting there. Little by little.
There’s still part of herself she’s holding back. She tries to hide it but there’s this awkwardness about her now. Almost like being back in high school and not knowing how to act around your first girlfriend. I wish she’d relax and let herself go. Maybe she just needs a reminder how we used to be together. We used to joke, laugh, and ease each other’s troubles. I can do that tonight. Try and take away the awkwardness and tension. It will give me something more to do in helping her get through this.
“I know,” she sighs into my neck as she lays her head down on my shoulder. Using the hand on the small of her back, I pull her body as close to mine as I can get it, and her body softens just slightly. “I’m not doing it on purpose but I feel like all eyes are on us. Like we’re the entertainment for the night.”
“No one is watching us, angel,” I assure her as I glide her around the dance floor. “But even if they are, let me worry about that. Give me your anxiety and just focus on me. On us. On the way our bodies move perfectly together to the tempo.”
We spend the next hour making our way around the dance floor until Tanner and Ashley saunter over and Tanner asks to cut in.
“Looks like it’s you and me, Mama,” I say loud enough for Tanner to hear as I pull Ashley’s body to mine. I make to wiggle my eyebrows as I say it for extra effect.
“I’m watching those hands, Conway,” Tanner warns as he spins away with Quinn.
“How’s she doing?” Ash asks once they’re out of earshot. “She’s looks a little better out here than she did at the table before.”
“She does,” I agree. “I figured keeping her hidden in the crowd would make it a little easier for her to relax. She’s distracted, but I’m also making sure to give the opportunity for a good shot of us, should anyone be looking for one.”
“I can’t wait until this is all over,” she admits as we find our rhythm to Sinatra’s
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
“Me too,” I nod. “I’m going to sneak her out of here after Tanner gives everyone the final amount raised.”
“Well, he’s heading up to do that in about five minutes, so she doesn’t have much longer,” she smiles. “You’re an incredible man, Alex. Not many men would be willing to stick this through and see the possibilities on the other side. I’m going to give you the same warning I gave Quinn. Don’t hurt her. She’s fragile and is finally starting to see there’s a whole world she never believed existed.”
“I have no intention of hurting her, Ash,” I ensure her. “All I want to do is get our girl back and make her the happiest woman in the world.”
A blinding smile graces Ashley’s face. “I know but I still needed to say it. I also want you to make another promise. Don’t let her destroy you. I know you love her, but don’t let that love be the end of you. She’s my best friend and I want nothing more than to see you guys make it through, but I also love you. I don’t ever want to see you go through that pain she caused you again. So please promise me you won’t let her sink you.”
Ashley’s worries are justified. Quinn doesn’t have the best track record and I’ve been weak in the past when it comes to her. “Let’s hope it never gets to that point again.”
“Sweets,” Quinn says, grabbing Ashley’s attention as she makes her way back over to us. “Tanner wants you to meet him at the side of the stage.”
Before heading to the coat check and leaving, Quinn and I stand on the dance floor and listen to Tanner deliver his thanks to everyone in attendance and inform us that the event has raised a total of one point six million dollars to give kids around the city a proper Christmas, to great applause.
“Ready to head home?” I ask as Quinn inhales the cold city air deep into her lungs the moment we step onto the sidewalk.
“Yesss,” she moans in what sounds like exhaustion. It’s been a long trying night for her and tomorrow isn’t going to be any easier.
QUINN’S SOFT SMILE grows wide as we walk through the front door of her place. “Finally home.”
God, she looked fucking beautiful tonight, like a goddess. Now as we walk in to her place, seeing the rigidness leave her limbs as she kicks off her shoes is even more of a sight. She’s seems freer in her own space as she heads to her bedroom.
It turned out to be a great night when I was able to get Quinn distracted. We danced. We smiled. We laughed. But when I let her stop and think even for the smallest moment, the clouds rolled back in. I know that’s what’s happening in her bedroom right now too.
Heading to the kitchen, I grab some wine glasses and a bottle of Pinot Noir. I’m just finishing pouring the glasses when Quinn comes back out to find me.
“Here, angel,” I say, trying to ignore the fact she’s wearing a short pajama outfit. Her shorts don’t cover all of her ass and her top’s so tiny, it leaves little to the imagination. My cock springs to life, dying to get some action. I need to get him under control. Of course a tux does nothing to hide a hard cock. It’s fucking winter for fuck’s sake; why isn’t she wearing pants and a parka?
Quinn smiles her thanks but doesn’t say anything. Every part of my being hates seeing her like this. I can’t wait until everything plays out and she’s finally free. I slide down the counter and stop next to her, resting my hips against hers. “How you holding up?” I ask leaning down to breathe her in. After being apart so long, I don’t foresee a time when I won’t crave to have her next to me.