nothing as those words were spoken to him. "You know...there was a time when I would have fallen to your feet to hear something like that," he murmured. "But now...all I see is you jumping up from the floor the second someone came out a door and saw us together. You say that reaction is because of Saxton's and my relationship? Fine. But I'm really sure...no, I'm totally sure...that if you scratch the surface on that, you're going to discover it had much more to do with you rather than your cousin. You've hated yourself for so many years, I don't think it's possible for you to really love anybody or have any sense of who you are. I hope you figure it out sometime, but I'm not going to be part of that Lewis and Clark - I promise you."
Qhuinn shook his head, his frown so deep it looked like a gully had grown between his brows. "Guess you've got me sewn up tight."
"It's really not that hard."
"Just so you know, I was in love with you."
"For three days, Qhuinn. Three days. During which there was enough drama going on to make War and Peace looked like a comic book. That's not love. That's good sex as a distraction from life being a shithole."
"I'm not gay."
"Fine. You're bi. You're bi-curious. You're experimenting. Whatever. I don't care. I really don't. I know who I am and that's how I get through my life. You've got another drill going entirely - and good luck with that. It's clearly working so fucking well for you."
With that, he walked away again.
And this time...Qhuinn let him go.
Chapter Seventy-five
ONE WEEK LATER...
Where in life resumed its normal course, Qhuinn thought as he pulled his leathers up his thighs, yanked a muscle shirt on over his head, and grabbed his weapons and his leather jacket.
God, he couldn't believe just seven nights ago he was inducted into the Brotherhood.
Seemed liked forever.
Leaving his room, he stalked down past the marble statuary, went by Wrath's study, and knocked on Layla's door.
"Come in?"
"Hey," he said he went inside. "How you doing?"
"I'm great." Layla shoved herself up higher on her stack of pillows and then rubbed her belly. "Make that, we're great - Doc Jane was just here. Levels look perfect, and I'm sticking with ginger ale and saltines, so I'm good."
"You should have some protein, no?" Shit, he didn't want that to sound like a demand. "Not that I'm telling you what to eat."
"Oh, no, it's okay. As a matter of fact, Fritz poached some chicken breasts for me and it stayed down, so I'll be trying to do that every day, too. As long as food doesn't taste like much, I can stomach it."
"Do you need anything?"
Layla's eyes narrowed. "As a matter of fact, I do."
"Name it and it's yours."
"Talk to me."
Qhuinn jacked his brows up. "About?"
"You." She let out an exasperated curse, tossing the magazine she'd been reading to the side. "What is going on? You're dragging around, you aren't talking to anybody, and everyone is worried."
Everyone. Fantastic. Why the hell didn't he live alone?
"I'm fine - "
"You're fine. Right. Uh-huh."
Qhuinn held his hands out in quasi-submission. "Hey, come on, what do you want me to say? I get up, I go to work, I come home - you're doing well and so is the young. Luchas is slowly recovering. I'm in the Brotherhood. Life is great."
"Then why do you look like you're in mourning, Qhuinn."
He had to glance away. "I'm not. Listen, I've got to go grab something to eat before I - "
"Doyoustillwanttheyoung."
Layla's words came out so fast, his brain had to work to decipher what she'd said. And then he - "What?"
As her hands started to tangle in that way they did when she was nervous, he went over to the bed and sat beside her. Putting his jacket and his holsters full of weapons down, he stilled those twining fingers of hers.
"I am thrilled about the young." Matter of fact, that baby inside of her was the only thing keeping him going at the moment. "I am already in love with him or her."
Yup. Young were the only safe place to put your heart, as far as he was concerned.
"You've got to believe that," he said stridently. "You really have to."
"All right. Okay, I do." Layla reached up and brushed the side of his face, making him jerk. "But then what has broken you, my dear friend. What has happened?"
"Just life." He smiled