Quintessentially Q

I blinked as Frederick gave me one last smile, and true to his word, let himself out the front door.

Thoughts ran crazy in my mind. I stood there like a f**king idiot, trying to make sense of what just happened. Where the hell had he come from? Fucking bibbity bobbity booing around like a fairy godmother. Goddammit I hated him, even though I liked that he cared enough to beat some sense into me.

The grandfather clock in the foyer struck minutes in the silence, counting down the moments I had left before Tess was too far away to find. Before I made an offer I might not survive. Before I gave Tess the biggest gift I could give anyone.

I wanted to forget about Frederick’s epiphany. Surely, there was some other way to bring Tess back. I may be an ass**le, but the thought of what I had to do turned me into a scared, spineless ass**le.

You can’t walk away. Not now. Not when I owed Tess everything. Not when I couldn’t live without her.

“Goddammit.”

The beast inside disowned me, leaving me to my ruin.

Hating myself, I raced from the house.

Chapter 22

Save me, enslave me, you will never cave me. Taunt me, flaunt me, kill whatever haunts me...

I headed toward the village where I’d first run from Q. It would take me a while to get there, but I didn’t care.

Walking helped tame the cold emptiness inside. It gave me something to look at, something to think about other than memories locked tight against me.

I stopped to look at a pretty fantail darting in the late summer breeze when my legs disappeared from beneath me, and the air in my lungs escaped in a rush. I cried out as I landed over a strong, broad shoulder.

My eyes connected with the toned, sculptured ass of Q as he carried me back toward the house. I bumped and jostled and even though my ribs hurt, the protective shell my mind resided in didn’t let me wince.

Q hadn’t made a sound, even though the road was littered with twigs and crackly leaves. Somehow he’d tracked me down, pounced silently, and now held me captive.

I waited for the flutter of heartbeats—the knowledge and warmth that even though I hurt him so much last night, he couldn’t bear to let me go.

Nothing.

Only a dark stain appeared, clouding my thoughts, reminding me I had women’s blood beneath my fingernails and if I felt one emotion, I’d have to feel everything.

“Put me down,” I said.

Q didn’t say a word, striding purposely toward the house.

I pinched his butt, but he didn’t flinch. “Let me go, Q.”

“Never. You’re not f**king walking out of my life like this. Not yet.” His voice sounded off—fierce, angry, almost afraid.

“What are you doing?” I didn’t like the energy he emitted—the uncomfortable, edgy vibe.

He growled low in his chest, muttering a curse in French. He raised his voice. “You’re going to do something for me before you go.”

I frowned. “What do you want me to do?”

“I’ll tell you when we’re back at the house. And you won’t refuse, Tess. Because if you do, I’ll f**king kill you to put us both out of our misery.”

How much I wanted the thrill of terror at his words, the thickening of lust. I bounced on his shoulder, coaxing such feelings to manifest, but the best I could do was a pang of fear. Fear because I had no idea what Q had in store, and I hated newness. Newness always equalled terribleness. Newness meant beating up women and becoming dependant on drugs.

We didn’t say another word as Q carted me back like a kill he’d just shot. I didn’t whimper when my lungs ached from being squished, or complain when lightheadedness made me queasy from hanging upside down.

I didn’t make a peep as we entered the house or bat an eyelash when Franco stopped short, staring at me in Q’s grip.

Q took the steps two at a time, never out of breath from hauling my weight. He didn’t slow as we headed down the corridor. He smelled of alcohol and strain, even a trace of blood as he kicked open a door and carried me through.

The moment he slammed the door shut with his foot, he put me down. His lip was bruised and split, a shadow bloomed under his left eye, and he looked sleep deprived and tortured. What the hell happened to him?

He gave me a hard look with unreadable eyes, prowling to the bed.

I looked around. I’d never been in this room before. Painted in golds and reds, it had an exotic feel, a bit ostentatious, but it worked all the same. Q headed to the four-poster bed and tore off the thick duvet and sheeting, leaving a bare mattress. He headed to the bathroom before returning with four towels which he placed all over the bed, covering the fabric.

I stood unmoving, watching him tear around the room. Once he’d tugged and straightened the towel for the fifth time he came to stand in front of me, breathing hard.

He stood straighter, gathering energy from the room yet all the while seeming to shrink in on himself. His eyes locked with mine, and I gasped at the torment deep in their pale depths.

“Remember. If you refuse, I’ll kill you.”

Chapter 23

You crawled into the darkness, set my monster free, so scream, bleed, call out to me, but never say stop, never flee…

I stood in front of Tess ready to do something I’d never done in my life. Something I didn’t know if I could stomach. Something I didn’t know if I could walk away from.

“Merde.” I hung my head, running hands over my bruised face. The entire journey carrying Tess here, I tried to think of another way. A way where I could keep my f**ked-up sanity and still fix her.

But I couldn’t see any other logic.

There was no other way.

I had to let her take away my ownership, my very f**king life.

Tess stood there with her arms straight by her sides, her blonde curls so wild and carefree compared to her closed-off detachment.

I hated her in that moment—hated the coldness, the lack of connection. The way she left me to flounder and die of a broken heart. I wanted to throw her on the bed and make her scream. I wanted to do all sorts of things to her to get a reaction. I wanted to hurt her until she used the safe-word again but this time, ignore it. I wanted to push past her barriers and make her see the truth.

I can’t. I wouldn’t be responsible for destroying her mind.

Gritting my jaw, I ran hands through my hair. I couldn’t stand still. I was like a f**king schoolboy about to lose his virginity all over again.

And in a way I was.

“Tu ne sauras jamais ce que ça me coûte.” You’ll never know the cost of this, I murmured, looking up for the first time. “The amount it’s taxing me.”

Tess’s gaze softened. “Whatever it is, you don’t have to do it. I’ve caused enough damage.”

I growled, hating that I offered so much and she had the nerve to deny it. “It’s not a negotiation, Tess. You’re doing this. I’m just letting you know how much this will hurt me. How much I’m willing to put my life on the line—for you.”

She froze, nostrils flaring.

The word mistake danced in my mouth and I swallowed it back. This wasn’t a mistake. I f**king loved her, and it was time I told her that.

“I love you,” I snarled, as if was a terrible thing—an abomination.

Her eyes widened and she looked away. “Don’t do this, Q.”

I moved closer and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at me. I let go of everything, every barrier, every smoke and mirror. I let her see everything I was. All the fear I felt, all the love I burned with. “You could be anywhere and I would still hurt, esclave.”

Her eyes stayed cold, even after I showed her how much I needed her. She shook her head, trying to get free. “I can’t give you what you need anymore. I’ve tried. I’ve tried so hard to unlock whatever space I’m trapped in, but it’s no use.”

I ran my nose along her jaw, breathing her in, imprinting her scent of frost and orchids into my soul. When Tess did as I demanded, I doubted I’d want to be this close to her.

“It’s not about what I need. It’s about what you need.” I paused, gathering my tattered courage. “I’m going to give you what you need.”

Tess sucked in a little breath.

I flinched, eyes delving into hers, trying to see if she felt something, reacted to what I said.

But nothing glittered, nothing shone.

In that moment, I wanted to tear the room apart. I wanted to kill the bastards who took her all over again. Damn it to f**king hell. The f**king bastards. The f**king screwed-up world.

Tess touched my cheek, grounding me. “Are you okay?” I wished she asked me out of concern, but I knew better.

“How can you ask that? How can you honestly think I’m okay? I had everything I ever dreamed of, then had it all snatched away. I miss you so damn much, but you don’t care. You don’t love me anymore. You took everything from me and you have the nerve to ask if I’m okay.” I laughed with the black humour of the situation. “I’m going to either ruin you or heal you. It’s one or the other, Tess. Starting now. This will either fix us or leave us in f**king pieces.”

“What will?”