Quinn
“Why is she not coming home this week again?”
I sighed as I laid down on the bench, closing my eyes against the sun. I was tired of the question. I had heard it a lot over the past few weeks from my brothers that I was afraid anytime they opened their mouths, praying that wasn’t what they wanted to talk about.
Hardly any day passed that they didn’t ask me why Mia didn’t come home or if I knew anything. Of course, I denied everything. I was glad that she wasn’t home. I had misbehaved and I wanted to keep that secret hidden for as long as I could.
I had told my brothers not to bother with watching her as I would take all the turns doing so because I didn’t want them to know what I had done.
I had come to the garden to avoid them and yet they had followed me, asking me if I knew why Mia didn’t come home even though I had told them countless times that I had no idea.
“I don’t know.” I replied for the umpteenth time, sighing as I turned on the bench.
“You should know.” Jack grumbled. “You have been watching her.”
“I have but from a distance. Have you forgotten so soon that the agreement was to watch her from a distance and not let her know that we were doing so? I don’t read minds so I don’t know why she decides not to come home.”
“Maybe she is busy.” John said.
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
I could tell that John missed her too and wanted her to come home but he didn’t let himself get overworked as Jack did.
I missed her too but at this moment, it was best for the two of us that she didn’t come home.
Jack snorted. “She has always been busy and yet she comes home. It has been a month already. I don’t want to believe that she is just busy. She is running as always. She is avoiding us.” He sighed. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told her that she has no choice but to be the mate of the three of us.”
John gasped. “Why would you tell her that? You have freaked out the poor girl.”
“She has to know.” Jack defended himself. “She already kissed Quinn and you know that she likes him. She has to know that it is a package deal and not one man.”
I winced. I didn’t want to be reminded of the kiss and the other things I had done after it.
“Jack.” John sighed.
“Don’t Jack me. Do you feel comfortable that she doesn’t want you?”
John sighed. “I don’t but I know that she wouldn’t like me if I push her too hard as well which is what you are doing.”
I held up a hand to silence them and sat up. “Let’s not get into an argument over this, guys. You can ask her why she hasn’t been home when she comes.” I said, wishing that she wouldn’t come home.
We all stared as a car pulled up at the gate and Mia stepped out of it. My eyes widened in horror as I saw her and I wanted to rush to her and tell her to go back home but it was too late.
I caught the flare of my brothers’ nostrils and the amused and jealous looks that they shot my way.
Mia, oblivious to what had just happened among us, kept on walking towards us, heading into the house.
As she moved closer, her scent got stronger and my brothers stared at her. It was either they did that or they glared at me.
“Good evening, guys.”
“Good evening, Mia.” My brothers replied her, never blinking their eyes away from her.
My throat was clogged with guilt and I couldn’t reply her.
She winced as she noticed how they were staring at her and walked into the house.
“You certainly don’t know why she hasn’t been home, Quinn.” Jack teased me with his voice dripping with sarcasm and walked away.
It was rude to stare but that wasn’t ever something my brothers would listen to. They stared at Mia all day anytime they saw that I was embarrassed on the poor girl’s behalf.
I noticed how she cringed when she came in for dinner and saw them staring at her. I scowled at them, trying to tell them to stop staring but they weren’t listening. They were going to give her indigestion if they kept on doing that.
I wished she had told me that she would be coming home. I would have warned her to stay at home. I sighed, knowing that what was meant to be was going to be. It wasn’t like I could keep it a secret forever. She was bound to come home one day.
I saw the moment dad caught her scent as he joined us at the table. He glared at me before staring at her.
Oh! Not you too, dad. I groaned as dad joined my brothers in staring at Mia. She shifted on her seat and I knew she was getting uncomfortable with the stares though she had on her face a blank expression and continued eating. I wouldn’t have noticed the discomfort she felt if I hadn’t been sitting close to her and seen her shift on the chair.
Her mum noticed the way everyone was staring at Mia and turned to dad. “It seems like everyone has missed Mia, with the way you all can’t keep your eyes off her.”
Dad gave her a tight smile and I knew he was barely holding on to his anger. “It seems like that.”
Mia snorted. “I doubt the boys missed me. Maybe I have something on my face and they would rather stare at me than talk.”
Jack coughed and dad growled at him, calling out his name to warn him.
“I’m sorry, dad.” Jack apologized and blushed.
Dad ignored him and shook his head, knowing Jack wasn’t sorry.
He rushed his meal and pushed himself off the chair. “I’m sorry you would have to excuse me. I have some important business to attend to before bedtime.” He said to Mia’s mum and bent down to kiss her on the cheeks.
He turned to me, his expression as hard as a rock. “Make sure you see me immediately you are done with your meal, Quinn.” He said and left without waiting for my response, knowing I dared not show up.
I nodded and watched him leave. Of course, I was the important business he had to deal with before bedtime. I had been expecting that the moment he saw Mia and I saw his nostrils flare in shock.
I rushed my meal, knowing that dad would punish me if I kept him waiting. He was already angry, I didn’t have to push him past the edge.
“What were you thinking?” Dad yelled at me the moment I walked into his study.
I bowed my head in shame. I didn’t like it at all anytime dad scowled at me.
“I’m sorry I lost control, dad. I didn’t mean to mark her.”
He scoffed. “Can you hear yourself, Quinn? You are sorry you lost control? You didn’t mean to mark her? You weren’t meant to sleep with her at all. She is your sister. How do I explain this to Veronica? Were you thinking at all? How would you mark your sister as your mate?”
He was livid with rage. Suddenly, he blew out a breath, ran his hand through his hair and collapsed into his chair.
“You could have had any other lady, why did it have to be Mia?”