5O

I go back to check when she tweeted. Thirteen minutes ago. I decide to send her a direct message.

When you make some confession at thirteen to a total stranger you never imagine at some point in the future that innocent confession will be the beginning of the end. 

Petra was her name. I meet her in the streets months after our house was burned down. I was angry and mourning. I just needed to let it all out. She was a meth addict, never sober. I told her everything, She nicknamed me sour honey. I just needed someone to talk to and I was sure she would not remember the next day. And there's only one way to see if she remembers. I message her; Do you remember me?

The reply is instant, of course, sour honey.

"We are almost done," Quinn says to me. I shake my absentmindedly focused on my phone. 

I decide to play it cool to see how much she remembers, How are you? 

Petra: Am clean now, and started my rehab centre. Are you still sour, honey? 

It is a simple question but with a lot of weight? Am I happy? 

Me: Still I am

Petra: Sad. Though I would guess you are more of honey than sour since you are dating Quinn Nickel.

Me: Can we meet for coffee? 

Petra: I will check my schedule and let you know. 

Me: Okay. Can I ask you a favour?

Petra: Sure

Me: Can you please not tell anyone what you know about me. Especially the media. 

Petra: Other than your face I hardly remember any details you might have told me. I was always high. 

We say our goodbyes and she deletes her tweet. Theo and Quinn are done with their learning. I find both staring at me. 

"Where do you want to have your dinner?" Quinn asks both of us. 

"At home," Theo suggests. 

"Other than home?" Quinn asks, Theo shrugs his shoulders for lack of another idea. 

"How about Miriam's fast foods?" Quinn asks me. I remember the café, he took me there the first time he brought me to his penthouse.  The thought is tempting but is sure Miriam will start planting ideas on Theo which aren't welcomed. 

"How about I cook?" I ask. The idea is appealing

As we drive to the penthouse, I wonder how Quinn will react to the new information about me once he sees it. And if he has, his calmness scares me. 

*****

I decide to make pizza. Quinn immediately disappeared to his office. Theo is refreshing with a shower. He walks in with soaking wet hair, the water keeps on drenching his fresh set of clothes. 

"Are and Quinn going to get married?"  

I almost trip, "No, where did you get such an idea? we are just..." What are we? Friends? NO. 

His eyes watch me as he waits for a meaningful answer. "Schoolmates" I finish for him. 

"Why are you not getting married?" 

"Because he is marrying Courtney." 

"My father says a man can marry as many wives as he wants."

"I don't about that Theo." I pick a new unused kitchen towel from the hook and start drying his hair, " A man should marry for love not because he can." 

"Does Quinn love you or Courtney?" His question carries so much innocence. 

"He is marrying her, that should be a reason enough." I badly what this conversation to end. I reach for a glass, "What is your favourite juice?" I ask him. 

"Apple." He says excitedly. 

"When I grow up, I will marry you." He takes his first sip. 

"And I will be the luckiest woman," 

"Who will be the luckiest woman?" Quinn walks in. He's wearing a pair of blue shorts and a grey t-shirt. 

"Cara, when I marry her," Theo says proudly. 

"Yeah, and you will be the luckiest man." Our eyes lock and I blush when he says so. 

An awkward moment passes between us before I walk to the oven to check on my pizza. Quinn takes some fruits and beetroot and blends them while I serve the pizza. I can't help but note the silence between the father and son. It is comfortable between the two though I grew up in a house that we were constantly talking so I feel a dire need to start any conversation. 

"What grade are you, Theo?" I ask it is the only thing I can think of and the easiest way to start a conversation. 

"Am in the 3rd grade."

Wow! That means he's around eight years old. How old was Quinn when he conceived him? Additionally, Theo looks so young like six years old. 

"Any girlfriend?" I and he blushes. 

"No," He shakes his head. 

I watch him tiptoe to wash his glass. 

"You are too young Theo to think of girls," Quinn says. 

"I am nine," Theo interjects. "That is big."

I carry the pizza to the dining table and the boys follow as the banter back and forth about Theo's age. 

Quinn helps me set the table and we settle. There is disturbing comfort that I find as we sit the three of us eat, we are like... No!

"This is good," Quinn says to me. I smile thankfully. "Theo do you like the pizza?" 

Theo nods.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" Theo asks. His eyes hold so much hope. 

I nod, "I promise I will be here when you wake up."

"Don't make promises which are impossible to keep." Quinn walks in. His moods are sour compared to how he has been today. He can barely keep eye contact his jaw keeps on twitching like he is trying to contain his anger. 

"I Am not going anywhere." 

"Just don't... I should never have... I knew this was a bad idea bringing Theo here." His voice is full of regret. 

"Why?" What did I do?

"Because you are so fucking addictive at the same time a tornado that crashes everything in your way." He raises his voice.

Quinn reads a story about a tortoise that hated it's a shell. It considered it as a sign of weakness that weighed it down. It wanted to be fast, so after a year of trying to get rid of it. It finally succeeded. Finally, it was fast. It would move faster than the other animals. However, its joy was short-lived when its village was attacked. It had no shell to shield itself and it had lost its beauty. 

Theo listens closely, his eyes heavy but his mind open. 

"What happens to it?" Theo asks.

"It couldn't be saved because no one knew what it was, it had lost its identity." Quinn's eyes find mine in a cold stare. "And it had no shield to cover its body. So it was killed." He adds. "In life the flaws you see as a weakness, they are your strength and beauty." 

Theo is already asleep. Quinn covers him. 

Am not yet sleepy. I need to talk to Andrea about everything that is happening. I can't reach him. 

Am already in the living room when Quinn slams a magazine on the table. I am on the cover. The stripper turned billionaire's side chick. 

"Who are you?" Quinn is direct. 

"That is just my past. I am Cara Black." I nervously answer. 

"Who are you? It is a simple question and the only time am giving you a chance for honesty."

"Cara Black," I say.

"I hate lies." He slams photos of Oliver. He is at our parents and "our" graves. I wish the ground would open up to swallow me. Oliver and I made a pack never to go there. The photo was taken today. 

"All this time, I was just your target. A mission." He says. For the first time, I see Quinn hurt. 

"I..." I am speechless. " I don't what you are trying to insinuate," I say. Oliver has been there could anything it doesn't mean he knows. 

"The first day I met you. I hired a private investigator. He found nothing. I dismissed the report because I thought we would never meet again. Until we coincidentally met in the same university and even class. Now that I think of it, it was never a coincidence on your part." He shakes his head and chuckles." The Booty call was your idea just to get close to me."

"I don't know what you mean." 

"You do, Cara Cooper." He runs a hand through his hair. 

I am still confused to know what to say or do. 

"I want you gone, I don't care where you go to. Just leave before I lose my cool." 

I hesitate and stand rooted unsure how to react. All my sins have finally caught up with me. This is not how I assumed they will come out. I always thought I had the upper hand and when my identity would be known I would have already won. 

"Just leave!" He states. 

I get angry I don't look back as I  walk out with only my phone on my hand. 

It Is eight pm. I text Oliver and tell him i am on my way. I am just on the pavement, on my phone trying to find a Uber, when I feel large hands grab me. The people that are walking around squirm in fear when a gunshot is fired in the air. I don't get to see my attacker when a piece of clothing is pressed to my nose. 









End of Book 1 of His series.