“So you know that Madeline and I are step-siblings.” When I nod, he continues. “Her dad is the headmaster here, and our mom is the one that’s so obsessed with us becoming artists. In fact, it was her that hired Mr. Stanfield and the sculpting instructor when we were young. They molded us. Made us who we are and poured all of their time and attention into making sure that we were as great as we could be.”
When he pauses, I realize just how hard this must be for him, and I lift his hand, kissing the tips of his fingers. He smiles at me and then continues.
“They both got these super cushy jobs at Trinity Prep and huge bonuses to keep them quiet. The idea was that we would both be given internships right out of school, which would allow us to really study art and would propel us into being the best in the world.”
“That explains the argument that you had with Mr. Stanfield,” I interrupt. “The one I overhead in the art room.”
“Exactly. Smart girl.” He leans over and kisses my forehead, making my pulse race. “My dad didn’t know about any of this, by the way. I don’t think he would have approved. Actually…I know that he wouldn’t. When Mr. Britton told me that I had to drive you out of the school then I started to do it, but then I felt bad. I didn’t want the internship so badly that I was willing to hurt you.”
“Then why do it at all?” This is the part that I’ve been afraid of. I don’t know if I can stomach hearing from Quinn’s mouth why he was willing to hurt me at all.
He sighs and runs his free hand through his hair. “It’s a shit excuse, Abigail, and I know it. I did it because I was afraid of what would happen to me if I didn’t. My dad…he’s great, but mom is the one with the money. She’s the one paying for my tuition and everything else. When I thought that I would lose it all, I panicked. But then I got to know you. You’re worth losing everything.”
“You almost lost me,” I tell him, trying to choke back tears. “You almost lost me and your sister almost killed me.”
He drops his head to his chest and sighs. When he lifts it to look at me again, I’m surprised to see tears on his cheeks. “I know. I know, Abigail, and I also understand if you can’t forgive me. I just…I couldn’t let anything else happen to you. You’re funny and smart, gorgeous, and driven. I fell in love with you, Abigail, and I couldn’t help myself. That’s why I had to stop Madeline. That’s why I brought you here.”
Here.
“And where is here, exactly?” Now that he’s stopped talking, I take a moment to look around the room. The bed I’m in is pushed up next to the wall and a gorgeous ray of sunlight comes through the window. Even though the room feels big thanks to the natural light, it’s much smaller than my dorm at Trinity Prep. There’s an old wooden door leading out into the hall and a handwoven rug on the floor.
It looks like home.
“It’s my dad’s.” Quinn sounds a little embarrassed. “I told you, he’s not the one with the money, so he has a small cottage, but I knew that you would be safe here, so I knew that this was the best place to bring you. Is that okay?”
“It’s wonderful.” Getting out of Trinity Prep was exactly what I needed, even though I hadn’t realized it before. “Is he here?” I have a sudden strong urge to meet his dad, even though I don’t know anything about him.
He shakes his head. “No, he’s out of town right now, but he knows a little of what’s going on and told me to bring you here to keep you safe. So that’s what I did.”
We don’t say anything for a while. Quinn stretches out next to me, resting his arm across my stomach and we both nap. It isn’t until my stomach starts to rumble that we wake up, surprised to see how dark it is out.
“Why don’t you stay here and I’ll find us something to eat?” Before I can respond, Quinn is up and out the door, walking quietly down the hall. I sit for a moment in the bed, then swing my legs out and plant my feet on the floor.
No darkness encroaches on my vision, so I stand, holding onto the bed for stability. After a moment, I follow him.
Even though Quinn claims that he’s not a great cool, the meal he creates is delicious, and I can’t get enough. He raids the fridge and makes omelets with fresh eggs and chives before squeezing us some orange juice. After we finish eating he gently picks me up, resting my head against his chest, and carries me back to his room.
I fall asleep instantly. My head hits the soft pillow and I’m out.
***
I know that we should care about school, but it’s been two days since the incident at the swimming hole with Madeline, and neither of us want to go back. I know that we should, but there’s something else I want to do first.
“Quinn?” He’s reading in the back yard, but he drops his book to his side and smiles at me when I walk up. The weather has been gorgeous since we got here, and his dad has an incredible backyard with a fire pit and hammock, but I’m not thinking about either of those things right now.
“Everything okay?” When I don’t answer right away, he stands up and walks over to me, reaching out to take my good
