19

I WILL FORFEIT ALL MY MORTAL POSSESSIONS

JACK

If I thought I had a thing for her before, knowing there’s a tangible threat to her safety now has literally sent me off the fucking deep end. We'd all have been stupid not to speculate that there might be, but according to the information the police have released to the public, all signs point to her father’s death being a random act of violence.

The run-in she had with Adrian a few days ago would have been plenty enough reason for me to freak out about her potentially being in danger, regardless of the fact that he is behind bars now. If he was in on this and bold enough to approach her in public in the way he did, who’s to say someone else involved wouldn’t do the same or worse?

But someone hacking my home security system?

What the fuck?

I fully realize this could just be someone threatening my job and not Quinn.

Fucking around with students is not exactly abiding by Cypress’s ethics code, and I am sure there are any number of people in Hallow who would love to see me lose my job—if only for the drama of it.

But, I can’t exactly think of anyone who would be lying in wait just hoping I trip up and be willing to go to these kinds of lengths… I am most definitely leaning toward this all having something to do with Quinn.

I’m not saying I want her to move in with me.

Okay. That’s exactly what I’m saying.

But how do I word, I will forfeit all my mortal possessions if you promise to never leave my sight again , without scaring her off?

I mean. That can’t be much scarier than sending her out into the world with a fucking stalker.

One that’s not me, that is.

She lingers in the doorway of my study looking like her stomach is in knots. Mine is too, but I refuse to let it show for her sake. I need her to feel reassured that I will take care of this—take care of her .

I told her about the text immediately then reached out to Stu. There’s no one I trust more to debug my security system regardless of how much of an idiot he is otherwise, not even the security company. Work kept him busy until late this evening, but he and Ezra finally arrived about an hour ago; attached at the hip per usual.

Her gaze flicks to mine, and her eyes are filled with lingering worry mixed with something seemingly trusting. Loving .

My stomach dips and blood shoots to my cock because that excites me a little too much.

Stu’s voice cuts through the waiting tension as he looks up from the laptop screen he’s been poring over for the last hour. “Your security system is pretty basic, but I think it’s fine all things considered.”

He is the techy one of the three of us, working in cyber security. Though, I’ve never been a hundred percent sure of what it is he actually does for a living. I feel like that’s common for people who work in tech. The rest of us just don’t fully understand.

He’s good at it, though.

I run a hand through my already-ruffled hair. “Thanks, bud.” I look at Quinn again. “You okay, baby?”

The term of endearment falls so easily from my lips, like everything between us has shifted now and I have no desire to backtrack even though this could potentially be a bad idea on both our parts for a variety of reasons.

She smiles and nods. “I’m fine.”

“ Daaawwwwww . You guys are so cute .” Stu ruffles my hair even more so as he stands from the chair to stretch out his long limbs and I slap at his hand, jerking my head away.

Quinn laughs a little and I’m thankful for his easy way of always lightening the mood.

“Anyways, I think you’re all good now but I’m going to set up a connection to my laptop after I rest my eyeballs for a minute so I can be notified if anyone tries to breach it again. Tracking it back to whoever did it the first time was a dead end, but at least now I’ll have an eye on it.” He heads toward the door, but pauses to say to Quinn, “You should consider staying until we figure this out.” He lightly claps her on the shoulder. “The cops aren’t going to do shit compared to the protective detail Jacky boy can provide.” His words are laced with innuendo and waggles his eyebrows.

I could kiss him on the mouth for bringing it up first, and I could fall to my knees in gratitude when she nods just once, agreeing that she will consider it.

Quinn

I sneak into Sienna’s room and sit in the rocking chair in the corner while Jack heads downstairs with his friends to take a break from the monotony of the evening. I’m thankful she’s oblivious to all of this and can sleep so soundly, my unbothered baby girl.

I’m staring into the distance when the door creaks open, startling me out of my fucking skin. I have to force myself not to scream.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry,” Stu says in a loud whisper. “I didn’t know you were in here.”

“It’s fine,” I say, willing my racing heart to calm the fuck down. I feel like Kruz with how jumpy I am right now.

He pads over to Sienna’s crib and runs his fingers gently along the top of her head. “Just had the urge to check in on this one.”

I kind of want to smack him, because if he wakes her up I am going to have to actually strangle him, but I just smile because I know the urge well.

He shoves his hands in his pockets and steps away from her, then leans against the wall facing me.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” I breathe. “No,” I find myself admitting immediately after. “Both, I guess?”

“I get it. I didn’t have the best relationship with my dad either.”

That wasn’t the direction I saw this conversation taking. “How do you?—?”

I’m asking him how he knows what my relationship with my dad was like, but he just gives me a cynical snort and closes his eyes, his head falling back against the wall quietly. “I know what it’s like for everyone to expect you to be torn up about a family member’s death and you’re just… not , you know?”

“Yeah.” Do I ever . I’m still put off that he is even bringing this up.

I’m not exactly irritated that Jack has likely talked to him about me—about this —but I also kind of am. I haven’t even really talked to Jack about it much, but I suppose it’s no secret and this is not the first time someone has pointed out my apathy in regard to the situation.

Still, it makes me a little sick to my stomach that I shared something so deeply personal about what my relationship with my parents was like and he apparently felt like it was fine to talk to his friend about it. And for either of them to speculate what my feelings in regard to his death have been like? What a person shows on the outside is not always how they’re dealing with things on the inside.

Stu is not too far off the mark, but it’s still bold of him to assume like this.

Upon further consideration, I probably would have spilled to Kruz too if the shoe was on the other foot, so I guess I’m a bit of a hypocrite.

“I don’t fully know what your relationship with the old man was like, and I know this all sucks and is scary, but you should feel pretty confident that Jack will take care of you until it’s a thing of the past.”

I just nod. I know he will… and it feels nice to finally have someone in my corner. Jack gave me a job as his nanny during a tough time in my life, and his support has been a lifeline. He’s been there for me when I needed it the most; he’s become one of the best friends I’ve ever had.

Maybe more?

It’s been more than just a job; it’s been a chance to find some stability again during a chaotic time in my life. His support makes me feel lighter.

Being around him and Sienna makes me feel lighter.

“Me and Ez too.” He steps back over to Sienna’s crib, looking down at her loving as he brushes her hair to the side one last time. “His family is our family.”

He exits the room and leaves me in the silence, and I immediately feel guilty for being annoyed with him for saying any of the things he just said.

He’s just trying to show he understands and cares—that he plans to be here for me in the ways he can.

I could use more of that in my life right about now.

Several minutes after Jack and Ezra have made their way back upstairs, I finally force myself to leave Sienna’s room and head down the hall again, thoughts of everything Stu said—everything he’s noticed —still lingering in my mind.

Back in the study, Jack is ending a call, apparently clarifying something with someone at the security company. His eyes meet mine as I re-enter the room, and that thing happens again; everything else seems to fade into the background and it’s just us.

We’ve barely given in to the spark between us and already I feel utterly obsessed with him.

Stu is back behind Jack’s desk at his computer, doing techy things I have no concept of. He asks Jack a question, and I don’t hear the words but his voice snaps me back to reality.

Jack rattles off the information, his focus shifting back to the task at hand. I stand by, feeling somewhat useless but knowing that my presence matters. And if not, well, at least I feel safe here with him. I don’t think I'll fare well in my dorm tonight, and I’m not sure when I will feel safe being there alone again—or if I will again at all.

I’m definitely not any more useless than Ezra, who is stretched out on the divan playing Candy Crush on his phone.

A silence settles over the room again, broken only by the occasional tap of keys and Ezra’s huff when he loses a round. Time seems to stretch, each minute a small eternity as we wait for him to finish up.

I text Kruz, filling her in on the latest episode of the shitshow that is my life. I downplay the severity of it all in hopes that she doesn’t freak the actual fuck out.

She does anyway.

Finally, Stu releases a breath and stands again, smacking his laptop closed. “Try and breach that , fuckers.”

Jack nods and the look on his face is one of gratitude, but at the same time he says, “Cut the camera access, please.”

“Not into exhibitionism, then,” Ezra jokes, but I don’t think he’s too far off the mark.

Molten lava settles somewhere around the top of my pelvic bone when I think about what happened between us in the kitchen.

Jack just scoffs. “That’s exactly what I meant.” He is unashamed. “I know Stu, and him having direct access to my cameras is not my idea of a good fucking time.”

Stu just waves him off, “I don’t have your cameras on here, dude. I don’t wanna see whatever shit you two do when we’re not around.” He shudders like he’s disgusted.

A yawn creeps out of my mouth as he ends the sentence, and I realize exactly how late it’s gotten. The entire day and night have gone by in such a blur.

Once they’re out the door and it’s locked behind them, Jack pulls me against him for a long, much-needed hug. I feel the tension in my body dissipate and I’m suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion, both mentally and physically.

I guess I’m for sure spending the night again.

Maybe the next few nights.

Or longer.