no. I’m not family. ”
“ You’re the person my mother chose to be with when she died. If that doesn’t make you family, then I don’t know what does. So let’s go. ” He grabbed my hand and started to pull me with him.
I tugged on him to stop. “ Go where? ”
“ The cemetery. ”
“ I already called a cab. ”
“ There is no way you’re going to ride in a cab at the back of the processional to my mother’s burial. Let’s go. ”
I tugged again. “ But Quinn and Alexis— ”
“ Alexis, Mitch, and the kids are riding together. It’s just me and Quinn. But before you say anything, Quinn knows I came to find you, so don’t worry about him. Besides, he’s a bit preoccupied. ”
I reluctantly quit resisting and followed him. “ What do you mean by preoccupied? ”
“ Let’s just say he has more than one flask hidden in his suit pockets. ”
*
The windows to the Rolls Royce Limousine were heavily tinted, but I knew who was waiting on the inside, and my nerves were on edge. The driver opened the door and Chase motioned for me to get in first.
Deep breath … I am peaceful, I am strong.
Quinn was on the far side facing the front, so I sat in the opposite corner facing the back. He peered out his window and didn’t so much as look in my direction to acknowledge me. Chase sat next to him, opposite of me. He glanced over at Quinn then back at me. I smiled nervously then he leaned forward and squeezed my hand.
“ I’m glad you’re here. Okay? ” He winked at me.
Unable to speak past the lump in my throat, I simply returned the hand squeeze and nodded.
The drive to the cemetery was agonizingly slow. I couldn’t stop glancing over at Quinn as he kept his head turned away from me. He looked like a different person with a full beard and longer hair. I had flashbacks of shaving his scruffy face in the bathtub after his accident. He wasn’t speaking to me then either, but I felt responsible for him.
Those days were over. He was no longer my responsibility, but nothing could make me stop caring for him. In his right hand he held a stainless steel flask and the lid in his left. When we reached the cemetery, he tipped back the last of it and tossed the empty container on the floor. As the driver opened his door, Quinn spoke.
“ Well, let’s bury the dead so we can get the hell out of here. ” He looked at Chase. “ You bringing my leftovers? I hear she puts out. ”
Chase wasted no time pinning Quinn to the back of the seat by his neck.
“ You shut the fuck up! If I hear you disrespect our mother or Addy again, I’ll make sure you leave the country in worse shape than you did last time. So get your drunken ass out of the car and try and act like a semblance of the human being you used to be. ”
Chase released Quinn and both men adjusted their suit coats and ties before exiting the limo. Quinn shot me a quick glance as I stepped out, but I avoided his gaze as Chase put his arm around my waist and led me away.
When the service was over, Chase wanted a few minutes alone, so I went back to the limo. I opened the door and found Quinn sprawled out in his seat with his jacket off, tie loosened, and the top buttons of his shirt undone. He was holding another flask, and after tipping it back for a long pull, he scowled at me.
“ You don’t belong here, ” he growled out.
I ignored him because drunk Quinn was mean, cruel, and unworthy of my attention.
“ I. Don’t. Want. You. Here. ” He tried to provoke a response.
I continued to keep to myself. Turning on my phone, I checked for flight information to see if I could get a flight out that evening or if I was going to have to wait until morning.
After draining another flask, he threw it at my window. I jumped and looked at him just as the door opened and Chase got in. Seeing the startled look on my face, he squinted his eyes at Quinn.
“ Is there a problem? ”
Quinn shook his head then leaned back and closed his eyes. Chase looked
“ You’re the person my mother chose to be with when she died. If that doesn’t make you family, then I don’t know what does. So let’s go. ” He grabbed my hand and started to pull me with him.
I tugged on him to stop. “ Go where? ”
“ The cemetery. ”
“ I already called a cab. ”
“ There is no way you’re going to ride in a cab at the back of the processional to my mother’s burial. Let’s go. ”
I tugged again. “ But Quinn and Alexis— ”
“ Alexis, Mitch, and the kids are riding together. It’s just me and Quinn. But before you say anything, Quinn knows I came to find you, so don’t worry about him. Besides, he’s a bit preoccupied. ”
I reluctantly quit resisting and followed him. “ What do you mean by preoccupied? ”
“ Let’s just say he has more than one flask hidden in his suit pockets. ”
*
The windows to the Rolls Royce Limousine were heavily tinted, but I knew who was waiting on the inside, and my nerves were on edge. The driver opened the door and Chase motioned for me to get in first.
Deep breath … I am peaceful, I am strong.
Quinn was on the far side facing the front, so I sat in the opposite corner facing the back. He peered out his window and didn’t so much as look in my direction to acknowledge me. Chase sat next to him, opposite of me. He glanced over at Quinn then back at me. I smiled nervously then he leaned forward and squeezed my hand.
“ I’m glad you’re here. Okay? ” He winked at me.
Unable to speak past the lump in my throat, I simply returned the hand squeeze and nodded.
The drive to the cemetery was agonizingly slow. I couldn’t stop glancing over at Quinn as he kept his head turned away from me. He looked like a different person with a full beard and longer hair. I had flashbacks of shaving his scruffy face in the bathtub after his accident. He wasn’t speaking to me then either, but I felt responsible for him.
Those days were over. He was no longer my responsibility, but nothing could make me stop caring for him. In his right hand he held a stainless steel flask and the lid in his left. When we reached the cemetery, he tipped back the last of it and tossed the empty container on the floor. As the driver opened his door, Quinn spoke.
“ Well, let’s bury the dead so we can get the hell out of here. ” He looked at Chase. “ You bringing my leftovers? I hear she puts out. ”
Chase wasted no time pinning Quinn to the back of the seat by his neck.
“ You shut the fuck up! If I hear you disrespect our mother or Addy again, I’ll make sure you leave the country in worse shape than you did last time. So get your drunken ass out of the car and try and act like a semblance of the human being you used to be. ”
Chase released Quinn and both men adjusted their suit coats and ties before exiting the limo. Quinn shot me a quick glance as I stepped out, but I avoided his gaze as Chase put his arm around my waist and led me away.
When the service was over, Chase wanted a few minutes alone, so I went back to the limo. I opened the door and found Quinn sprawled out in his seat with his jacket off, tie loosened, and the top buttons of his shirt undone. He was holding another flask, and after tipping it back for a long pull, he scowled at me.
“ You don’t belong here, ” he growled out.
I ignored him because drunk Quinn was mean, cruel, and unworthy of my attention.
“ I. Don’t. Want. You. Here. ” He tried to provoke a response.
I continued to keep to myself. Turning on my phone, I checked for flight information to see if I could get a flight out that evening or if I was going to have to wait until morning.
After draining another flask, he threw it at my window. I jumped and looked at him just as the door opened and Chase got in. Seeing the startled look on my face, he squinted his eyes at Quinn.
“ Is there a problem? ”
Quinn shook his head then leaned back and closed his eyes. Chase looked
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