N. Walters - Quinn's Quest

His father had tried. He’d give him that. But Quinn wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with him, not until he’d found Chris. Maybe when his family was reunited, Quinn might feel more like going down that road.

He knew Chrissten would want to meet Donovan Brody. She’d talked a lot about finding their father while they were growing up. It was him who’d always held back, arguing the man had left their mother, that he didn’t care if he met him or not. The old debate seemed silly now. He wished Chris were here to argue with him.

“How’s Bethany doing?” Craig’s question brought him back to the here and now.

“Good. Why?”

Craig shrugged, but there was no mistaking his discomfort. He picked up an open bottle of Coke and took a swallow. His foot tapped a quick rhythm on the floor. Behind him machinery hummed. “This has to be hard for her, you know. The kidnapping. Finding out what she is and what’s happening to her.”

“Yeah.” Now that was an understatement.

“I like her,” Craig blurted out. “And I think you do too.”

Quinn leaned forward, braced his elbows on his knees and placed his face in his hands. He took a deep, calming breath before raising his head again. He’d missed this. Having contact with his brother, simply being able to sit across from one another and talk. His time with the bounty hunters had robbed him of so much.

“Well,” Craig continued. “I think you should go for it. With Bethany, I mean.”

It occurred to him that his brother was matchmaking. He grinned in spite of himself. “You think?”

Craig nodded emphatically. “Absolutely. Female werewolves are rare and she seems to like you. And I know you like her.” He glanced fleetingly at the front of Quinn’s jeans, but long enough to make his point. It was hard to miss the bulge in the front of his jeans. Just talking about Bethany got him hot.

“It’s not fair to her,” he reminded Craig. Bethany was vulnerable now. To mate with her would tie them together for the rest of their lives. The thought was appealing to him on a primitive level, but it also scared the crap out of him. He’d never even thought about mating with a female. Not until he’d met Bethany.

“Maybe. But what are you going to do if one of the other guys offers to help her with her problem?” Only Craig would refer to a female going into heat as a problem .

A low growl broke from Quinn and Craig nodded. “Exactly. You can’t stand the thought of any guy touching her, let alone mating with her.”

“It’s her choice,” Quinn reminded him.

“Then let her make it.” Such a simple statement, but a minefield of trouble. His younger brother was a man now, and quite an astute one.

The computer made a noise and Craig wheeled back around and started typing.

Quinn stood and watched his brother work for a few more minutes. “Let me know if you find anything or if you need anything.” He left his brother to his work and headed toward the kitchen. On his way, he took a quick peek into the bar. His gaze landed on Bethany and everything inside him settled.

He watched her move, graceful even with a heavily loaded tray. Her hair was pulled away from her face, emphasizing her hazel eyes and her full lips. He ached to hold her.

Quinn abruptly turned away and stalked toward the kitchen. He needed to come up with a plan and he needed to do it quick. Time was running out. For all of them.

Bethany plunked down on a stool at the bar and sighed. Her shoulders ached and her feet hurt, but it felt good to be working again, earning her keep. “Busy night.”

Michael finished wiping a glass with his clean white towel and placed it on the shelf. “Regular night,” he corrected. He grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler, opened it and placed it in front of her. Bethany grabbed it eagerly, smiling her thanks at him. Michael nodded and continued working.

Benjamin was clearing the other end of the bar. The last of the regular employees had just left and only the pack remained. Not that she considered herself part of the pack. She, Quinn and his brother were obviously outsiders, but everyone made them feel welcome and that helped a lot.

Meredith slid onto the stool beside her. “How are you enjoying working at Haven?”

“It’s great,” she answered honestly. “I enjoy the atmosphere. You get a good group of people coming here.” It was a cross-section of tourists and neighborhood folks, along with some people who’d heard about the club and had come from other parts of the city to hear the music and check out the ambiance. The patrons were a friendly bunch and the large males working here kept things from getting out of control.

“You’ve got a fulltime job here if you want it.” Meredith’s generosity stunned her. And the other woman wasn’t done yet. “I know it’s crowded in the apartments, but there are a few rentals on the street if you decide down the road you’re staying and want your own space. You’re welcome to live here as long as you like.”

“Thank you.” Taken aback by Meredith’s job offer, Bethany didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t ready to commit to anything, not yet. She had no idea what was going to happen between her and Quinn or how long it would take them to find Chrissten. There were so many variables to consider.

Her gaze automatically sought Quinn and she relaxed slightly when she found him stacking chairs at the far end of the bar. He’d disappeared for most of the night, but she knew he was in the kitchen helping Teague, having caught glimpses of him whenever she’d picked up a food order. She’d missed his steady presence.

He was watching her now, his expression intent. His stare made her cheeks heat and set a flock of butterflies lose in her stomach. She glanced away, unable to match his intent gaze for long. It was too much like the way he’d looked at her when they were in bed, and it made her skin and other interesting parts of her anatomy tingle.

Meredith patted her arm. “Take a few days and think about it. In the meantime, you can work day to day whenever you’re able. I had a lot of regulars comment on how good you were.”

Pleasure suffused Bethany. She’d been alone for so long it felt strange to be a part of this group of special people. And she’d just been offered a permanent spot. The pay was good and the tips were better. She could make a life for herself here if she wanted a fresh start.

She glanced at Michael and nibbled on her bottom lip. He could be a problem. She knew he was attracted to her. Benjamin was, too, but he wasn’t quite as obvious about it as his brother. She didn’t want to do anything that might lead either of them on. As much as she liked them, she wasn’t attracted to them, not in that way. Not the way she was drawn to Quinn.

“Thank you so much, Meredith. I’ll think about it.”

Benjamin sauntered down to join them. Bethany shook her head. All the males were incredibly good looking and virile. They’d attract any woman’s attention. Bethany didn’t think the high percentage of females visiting the bar was a coincidence. Plenty of male eye candy here.

Heat flooded through her, making her uncomfortable. Her panties were damp, her breasts ached and she wanted to rub herself against a hard, male body. And although the brothers were both prime specimens, she wanted only Quinn.

As if he felt her discomfort, Quinn came over to stand behind her. He rested his hands on her shoulders and she couldn’t resist rubbing the side of her cheek against his hand.

Isaiah came toward them, followed by the rest of the pack. “Damek should be here any minute.”

Just like that, all the butterflies in her stomach were back with a vengeance. She was about to meet a real-life vampire. It sounded impossible. Then again, a few weeks ago she would have laughed if someone had told her werewolves were real.