Page 14 of Until Death Parts Us (Dysfunctional)
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
QUIN
As tired as we both are, I don’t have time to sleep. Kaspian passed out shortly after stitching me up, so I went through the cabin and grabbed all of our belongings and took them to the RV.
I put on my gloves and then I hopped into the truck I stole and drove it back down to the cabin it was parked by before walking back. There’s still nobody out and about yet, and I’d like to leave before the area is active again.
I doubt anyone will go to Tim’s cabin anytime soon. Out here, people are doing their own thing. Nobody will check on it until the owner needs to rent it out to someone else, or when payment doesn’t come through for their allotted stay.
The bodies in the woods shouldn’t be found right away either. It’s not like they were on a known path. We have enough time to flee the state before people are aware there are four bodies in the area.
Once inside, I rouse Kaspian and tell him we have to leave.
“Right now?” he asks groggily.
“Yes. The sun’s not up yet. We need to get on the road.”
He hisses when he sits up, clutching at his bandaged stomach. “Do we have more pain meds?”
“In the RV. You need some food in your system though.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
I help him up, assisting in putting on some loose-fitting sweats and shoes before draping a jacket around his shoulders before we head outside.
“I cleaned every surface we touched, and even ones we didn’t,” I tell him.
“Our prints aren’t in any system anyway,” he replies.
“I know, but no need to get them in there now.”
“I booked the room under a false name and sent him money via a prepaid gift card.”
I nod, biting back my smile because he’d hate to admit he’s learning some of my tactics. He complains I’m not spontaneous enough, but spontaneity is recklessness. He’s still more reckless than I am, but he’s picking up some of my habits. It’s almost like we’re a normal couple sometimes.
I snort as we enter the RV.
“What?” he asks.
“Nothing. I was just thinking about our relationship, and how normal it can be sometimes.”
He knits his brows, a slow smile on his lips. “Normal?”
I shake my head. “You’d have to be in my head.”
He scoffs. “No thanks.”
Once we settle in and I begin driving, Kaspian speaks up again. “So, we’re normal now? Should we get some IKEA furniture and build it together?”
“No. I think I’ll actually kill you then.”
He laughs before groaning in pain. “Can we be normal enough to get some breakfast from McDonald’s so I can take some fucking medicine before I kill myself?”
With a snort, I say, “Yeah, we can do that.”
After a while on the road, Kaspian brings up the subject I don’t want to talk about yet.
“Quin.”
“Kaspian.” His name is said in a warning. I know where he’s going, but I’m too angry and not quite settled yet.
“I didn’t leave the area.”
I glance over at him. “What?”
“I didn’t leave. I was waiting for you. I was ambushed from behind.”
“I know,” I say after a few seconds.
“I didn’t want you to think?—”
“I know, Kaspian.”
“I still want to say thank you.”
“Don’t.”
“Why?”
I inhale deeply through my nose, gripping the steering wheel.
“I don’t need your gratitude for saving your life.
It’s not like it was a choice, Kaspian. It’s not like a stupid fucking gift I bought you and you’re grateful for.
You thanked me the last time I had to sew you up. And what did I tell you then?”
He swallows. “Not to do that to you again.”
“I said I can’t exist in a world where you don’t. I meant that then, and mean it even more so now. Don’t thank me for being selfish. I refuse to live if you’re not living.” He doesn’t say anything, and I keep my eyes on the road as I turn off toward a town. “But yeah, don’t do it again either.”
After a few seconds, I look over at him and find him gazing out the window with a small grin on his lips.
I shake my head. I probably just gave him reason to get in trouble again. He wants to see me act out for him.
“If you’re thinking about doing anything stupid to get me to prove my devotion to you, please don’t risk your life over it.”
Kaspian turns around, a smile on his face. “I wasn’t thinking about anything.”
“Sure.”
After several seconds he says, “What about other peoples’ lives?”