Page 45 of Forbidden Eyes
He looks at her for five more seconds, and then straight at me, daggers shooting from his eyes and a shit tonne of questions coming with them.
“I mean, what the hell kind of life do you people live?”
“You watch your goddamn mouth, young lady,” he says quietly, still staring at me.
She gets right back in his face, a snarl covering her lips and her hands planted on her hips. “No. I won’t. I won’t be told anymore. This is my family, and I’m disgusted with all of you. Especially my father. How could you?”
“That’s enough, Fia. You have no idea who we are, or why we are. If you took a minute to think rather than lose your shit you might understand what life is really like.”
Her brows shoot up, mouth opening to retaliate.
“And before you utter another word about what you think you know, have a drink and calm down.”
“What?”
He pours her one, shoving it across the table. “Drink. Might make that mood of yours improve. You’re just like your goddamn mother.”
“You want me to drink alcohol?”
“I want you to grow the fuck up if you want to have these kinds of conversations. Something your father should have let you do a long time ago.”
She frowns, seemingly lost in this turn of events. I’m pretty fucking clueless myself. I thought he’d do everything he could to not tell her anything, especially given it’s not his place to tell her with Vico’s power all over him. Looks like I was wrong.
“Carter?”
I look up at him, unaware I was looking at her again. Fuck.
“Go home. I’ll be over later.” I bet he will.
My head nods, but I look back at her to make sure she’s all right for what that’s worth. She’s still hovering around the drink, half reaching for it and a look of confusion all over her face.
“Fia?” I ask. I don’t know why. I should just do as I’m damn well told, but I’m getting all kinds of shit later so fuck it. My gut wants to check with her before I leave, so I fucking will. She looks at me and then Quinn, lips quivering. “You want me to go?” I prompt.
“The hell was that?” Quinn snaps, moving himself between me and her.
I square my shoulders and pull my hands out of my pockets. I don’t know what it is, and can’t answer him with any clarity, but all this is because I gave her some insight, and I’m damned if I’m leaving her alone to deal with him if she doesn’t want that.
“You heard.” It’s all I’ve got to answer him with.
His eyes narrow and he steps forward into me, waiting for me to defer and back away like I always do. For the second time in my life I don’t move an inch. Last time earned me a punch in the face. I’ll damn well take it again if I have to. “I’ll go when she tells me it’s okay to, Quinn. Not before.”
Something about his face changes, softens. Not that anything is ever soft with him other than when he looks at his wife, but something other than the harsh normality covers his brow. I pull in a breath and quietly blow it out, knowing that this could be something much bigger than just Fia between us. I’ve never allowed myself to challenge him, other than the one time. I never dared or cared to after that, but this here? Yeah. I’m not damn well leaving until she gives me the nod. If that means I’m out on my ass, home and family lost, so be it. Somehow, the importance of Fia being okay has overruled my logic.
“It’s all right, Carter. I’m fine.”
Quinn’s brow arches at her voice behind him, his eyes still boring into mine. I sidestep to look at her. I want to see those eyes myself, make sure what she’s saying is coming from her and not just the situation we’re in. She smiles and nods, the heavy tumbler of scotch in her delicate fingers. “You can go. We’ll be okay, won’t we, Uncle Quinn?”
My stare comes back to his again, watching the slow, arrogant smile that spreads over his face.
“Yeah, we’ll be just fine, Sofia.” His goddamn eyes, still full of pure Cane viciousness, tell me that I probably won't be, though. “You heard the lady, Carter. Leave. I’ll get your version of this later.”
I cast her one last look to ensure her smile is still in place before I spin on my heel and leave them to it. He won’t hurt her; I know that, but as I cross the hall to head back to my place and hear the sound of the door closing behind me, I can’t help but wonder how much he’s gonna twist shit around. He’s good at that. Always has been. It’s how he gets what he wants in this world now he doesn’t kill people who get in his way. She deserves more than that. She should be told the truth. All of it. She can make decisions then, plan a route further into this world or away from it if she wants. Something tells me she might have a different opinion of who her father is by the end of their talk, though, because that’s what the Canes do. What he’s taught me to do. They weave and corrupt, making it seem like it was always the recipient’s idea to do the unthinkable.
Shame.
That thought leaves a sour fucking taste behind as I hit fresh air and breathe in deeply. There’s an essence to Fia beyond her innocence, an anger she could harness and use. I can only hope she survives Quinn. Handles him. Because I like her bite, her spirit.
Like her.