Page 16 of Forbidden Eyes

Something smashes against the wall on the inside of the room, probably Logan throwing something in a temper tantrum, or Quinn doing the same.

“Your eyes were not going swimming. They were doing everything but fucking swimming,” Quinn shouts, his feet scuffing the floor. “You back the hell off. She can go to Miami with Carter and—”

The fuck she can.

I push on the door and enter the room. I’m not taking a young piece of tail along with me on this ride, certainly not given who her father is. Quinn swings his gaze to me, aggression and ferocity written all over his face, then turns back to Logan.

“You’re being a fucking asshole, Pops. It was a swim. That’s all. Why do you always think the worst of me?” A scowl so deep develops on Quinn’s face that even I stop moving to interfere.

Silence for a few seconds, presumably as Quinn tries to calm himself down rather than throttle his own kid. He eventually blows out a breath and backs a few steps away to the side of the room, eyes looking at his son.

“Logan, you’re thinking with your dick. Again. It isn’t happening. Get out of my sight before I strap your damn hide,” he mutters. “If your mother knew what you were thinking it would kill her. Grow up and find some damn fortitude or I’ll beat it into you.”

Quinn looks across at the drinks cabinet, dismissing any retaliation. I watch his body vibrate, tension ramping up the violent agenda despite his age. Logan eventually storms past me out of the room rather than push his luck any further. I don’t miss the damned aggressive glare sent my way either. My hands find my pockets as I stare after him, and then I spin slowly for Quinn.

“You wanna run that by me again?”

“What?” he snaps, walking towards the liquor.

He grabs a glass and fills it with whiskey, throwing it down his neck quicker than I can blink.

“Taking Vico’s daughter to Miami? I thought I was supposed to be taking Logan.”

“Change of plans.”

“And you think me taking Sofia Vico to her own father’s deal is a sensible suggestion?”

“It’s not a suggestion, and right now, I don’t care. Leave her in the hotel while you do it. Whatever. Just get her the fuck away from Logan. Little shit’s acting like Romeo hoping he can get in her panties.”

“That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say, Quinn.”

He puts the tumbler down and refills it, the bottleneck clinking against the glass as his hand shakes.

“For a start, they're cousins. Not even Logan would be so stupid. And secondly, why would you send her with me to something like this?”

“Because I trust you. He's still too busy being an eighteen-year-old to think straight. You remember it, don't you? Nice ass? Pretty lips? We all think with our dicks at that age. He's not doing shit with my niece.” He drinks again and heads over to a chair, eyes directed out into the garden. “And because she wants to learn about the business. Apart from her dragging on my ass, there’s no one else. Besides, you've got more patience than me. Always have had.”

“Nate?” I start running through all the other options.

“He goes to Puerto Rico tonight. Vacation?”

Fuck, yeah. Forgot about that.

“Come on, Quinn. Think sensibly. She’d be safer here with you. What makes you think I wouldn’t be as interested?”

The fucking speed of the glare that comes at me makes me shiver. Enough so that my feet back up another step. He’s only ever hit me once. It put me on the floor and about knocked me out. His finger goes up, mouth a tight line of hatred.

“Don’t even think about letting that out of your mouth, Carter. You take her. Keep her safe. Show her some of the fucking thrill she’s after that only involves business, and then you bring her home so I can pack her back off to Daddy. You hearing me?”

I nod, unable to go against what he decides even if it is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. And I’m fucked if I’m going anywhere near Vico’s daughter, anyway. What fool would? No matter how cute she is. I was only trying to impress on him the stupidity of the whole damn idea. “No booze either,” he finishes, tipping some more of the whiskey down his neck. “None. I want her back here in one piece, a smile on her face because she thinks she’s learned something, and happy to go home after Uncle Quinn’s helped her out. Alright?”

“Alright.”

That’s all I’ve got, and without me blowing up into a rage myself there’s nothing else I can say to change his mind. I hardly ever blow up into rages anymore. If I do, it’s to protect this house and the people in it. Nothing else.

“Go tell her to get packed,” he says, staring out to the pool house. “She’s swimming.”

“What?”