Page 74 of The Devil's Reward
“I don’t like to call people like that men. More like cockroaches. You think Quinn is going to be okay being associated with us?”
I nod. “I do. She’s sweet, and I’d like to think that she won’t go along with Rose and the girls’ plots, but I know that’s probably a pipe dream.”
Viper chuckles. “Probably. I’m happy for you, man. You deserve happiness, and once we handle this mole business, we’ll all be even happier.” I hope he’s right. But his next questions make me pause. “Did you tell her about Sam?”
“A bit,” I reply curtly as I put on my boots and grab my cut, sliding it over my shoulders.
Viper arches a brow. “So she doesn’t know how much the two of them look alike?”
“What’s the point of telling her?” I demand, irritated. “They’re not the same person. In appearance, yes, she’s practically the spitting image, but in everything else, she couldn’t be further from her. Sam was brash, a ballbuster, and never made me feel half the things that Quinn does. I was in lust with Sam, but Quinn, she’s everything.”
“And when she finally sees a picture of Sam?” he asks quietly. “What are you going to say then?”
I shrug. “I’ll cross that bridge when we get there. I don’t want her because of Sam, Viper. I want her because she is the light in the darkness that I need to pull me out when I start to slide back. Yesterday, I went to her because I needed her. Although, I didn’t know it at the time. I tried to get her to kick me out, but she didn’t let me. She let me unload, let me tell her a bit of the night I lost them all, and then she helped me put myself back together again.”
Viper sighs. “Alright, brother, but I’m just saying you should probably tell her the truth before she finds out herself, and it hurts her.”
“I’ll deal with it after we get the mole and handle Dmitri,” I promise him so he’s appeased enough to let it go. Viper nods and we head out. I lock the door behind me, pocketing the key, and make a mental note to change the lock soon. I don’t need our mole coming back into my room again.
When we walk downstairs, I’m not surprised to find it’s mostly empty, but I stop in surprise when I see Quinn talking to Sniper, something in her hands, with Macy standing by her side and staring up at Sniper with wide eyes. “Quinn, Macy,” I say, hurrying across the room towards them. “Everything alright?”
“Shadow!” Macy cheers, running towards me and jumping to wrap her hands around my legs, grinning widely at me. I reach down and heft her up into my arms, settling her on my hip. She wraps her arm around my neck to support herself. Her trust humbles me.
Quinn gives me a shy smile. “Sorry for stopping by unannounced,” she says when I reach her. “I just wanted to drop off something for everyone to eat. I know that you’ve got other things on your mind, and food is probably the least of them.”
My chest warms. Uncaring of our audience I lean down to press a kiss to her mouth. “Thanks,” I murmur when I pull away.
“You’re welcome,” she says, blushing furiously.
Sniper smirks as he takes the tray from her hands. “I’ll take this and hide it before the horde gets back and devours it before the rest of us get a chance to taste it,” he tells her. “Thanks, Quinn. It was nice to meet you.” He looks at Macy with a warm smile. “You too, Ms. Macy.”
Macy giggles. “You’re handsome,” she flirts at him, batting her eyes at him. Viper laughs behind me, drawing her attention, even as Sniper’s smile pulls into a full-fledged grin. Viper grins at the little girl. “Wow, you’re big!” Macy gasps, looking up at him with wide eyes. “You’re as tall as a building.”
Viper laughs, obviously charmed. “Not quite, but I am tall. Nice to meet you, pipsqueak. I’m Viper.”
Macy giggles at the nickname, and bats her eyelashes at him too. “I’m Macy. Shadow’s going to be my new Dad. Mom said that we had to come and bring food because your friends got some owies.”
Viper’s grin is wide as I look over at Quinn who is leaning on the bar, head in her hands, her entire upper body red from embarrassment. She refuses to look at me, but a smile pulls at my mouth. I look at Macy, who is grinning and looking mighty pleased with herself. “I think we can agree that you are going to be trouble when you get older, sugar,” I tell her as I set her down on her feet.
She shrugs, uncaring. “Mom always says I’m trouble, but Grandpa says that means that I’m adventus. Keeps people on their toes.”
“Adventurous,” I correct gently. “And you keep people on their toes alright.” I look at Viper. “It’s going to be interesting when she meets Archer.”
“Who’s Archer?” Macy questions, looking around curiously.
“He’s my son,” Viper explains. “He’s not here right now though.” Macy loses her smile and pouts in disappointment. “You’ll meet him soon, promise.”
“Okay,” she says easily, quickly smiling again.
Quinn sighs and lifts her head. “Hi, Viper,” she tells him with a half wave of her hand, one I quickly take to pull her into me.
“Quinn,” he says with a smile. “I didn’t know you were hiding this little gem from me. But I’ll forgive you if you tell me what is in that pan,” he adds with a wink.
“It is Mom’s famous Mac and Cheese casserole,” Macy butts in before Quinn can answer. “It’s the bestest ever. I could eat all of it myself.” She glances around like she’s worried someone will overhear, and then loudly whispers, “She made a smaller one just for us though. You guys can’t have that one.”
I chuckle and murmur in Quinn’s ear, “I hope I’m invited to that one.”
Quinn smiles up at me. “Depends on if you’re nice to me,” she murmurs back. “And make it worth my while.” She immediately blushes, and a wicked smile pulls at my lips. It seems my sweet, shy Quinn, has a bit of a dirty mind after all.
