Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)(62)

“She cares about you?” Quinn asked.

“I believe she does.” Jay nodded. “Although I don’t know why.”

“You’re going to have to break her heart. Tell her whatever she needs to hear to keep her from coming after you because she will not rest if she feels like you’ve abandoned her. She’s not going to let it go.”

“Just like she hasn’t let go of you. Did you know she was planning to show up at Sterling Tower to volunteer?”

“Someone needs to superglue her ass to the floor.” Quinn sighed.

“She might slit my throat for this.” Jay smiled, but there was something in his eyes. Something like heartbreak. “But I’d rather have her angry at me than hurt.”

“If you care about her at all, you do not want to see her wearing the Soma brand. You know how badly they would want someone like her. They would mold her into something she’s not cut out to be. Cut her loose, Jayesh, because if she winds up at Soma, I’m coming for you.”

Jayesh nodded. “I’ll put an end to her questions. If that means she never thinks about me again, all the better.”

“See that you do it soon.”

“I promised her I would help you, but I can’t do much considering how closely tethered Livia is keeping you. The fact that she has you out of Sterling Tower at all surprises me. She would normally never risk it unless she was certain of your loyalty, or she’d managed to break you. If you have the opportunity to run, you take it. I’ll do what I can to give you the time you need to get away, but she will retaliate so you need to be prepared for a fight.”

With that, Jayesh left them.

“He cares,” Santi said. “That is a good sign.”

“How so?” Quinn asked.

“It means he isn’t broken anymore. He’s found his way back, and it sounds like Sasha’s the reason. She must be incredible.”

Quinn smiled. “Leave it to Sasha to unbreak an Immortal.”

Santi stared out the window at the carpet of clouds just below them. “Do you think we have a chance, Quinnton?” she whispered.

“Maybe, but this is the only one we’re going to get, so we better make it count.”

“I can’t wait to see my family.”

“I know you want to see them again, but if we can actually do this, I don’t think we should go back to Atlanta. It’s too dangerous.”

“I know.” Santi sighed. “I can send for them once I get settled somewhere.”

“You’ll come with me back to my family. They will protect us and they’ll get your family out of Atlanta.”

“You want me to come home with you?” She gave a hesitant smile.

Quinn took her hands in his. “Santi, I want you with me wherever I go.”

~~~





CHAPTER

TWENTY-ONE





Quinn: Fall


Cleveland, Ohio


Cleveland was covered in a blanket of fog when they stepped off the private jet at Burke Lakefront Airfield. The small airstrip was bordered by Lake Erie on one side and the bustling city center on the other. As they waited for their driver to pull up on the tarmac, Quinn caught sight of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Cleveland Browns’ Stadium nearby. The nostalgic feeling of homecoming burst inside him. Freedom was at their fingertips and Quinn was anxious to get away. Returning to Soma was just not an option.

“Pull it together, people!” Livia screamed after a nasty couple of minutes when none of them could remember why they were there. “I will dedicate the rest of my life to tracking down your Complements just for the pleasure of killing every single one of you if you don’t focus, now!”

Quinn didn’t believe they would actually find the Scholar. Every time they made a decision, half of them forgot what they were doing. Michael had spent most of the flight replaying the Scholar’s YouTube video because he couldn’t remember he’d already seen it. But Livia somehow managed to stay focused and refused to forget. She had eyes and ears stationed all across Cleveland, reporting in at different intervals. If the Scholar showed his face anywhere, she would know well before her sentries forgot to make a report.

Quinn and Santi piled into the back of the limo with Livia, Michael, Ryan, Selena and Jayesh. He wasn’t sure where they would go, but Quinn knew this city like the back of his hand. Wherever they ended up, he would have the hometown advantage on his side.

“We’ll get settled at the hat factory tonight and see what the surveillance reports yield. Then we’ll make our moves tomorrow,” Livia said.

“Hat factory? Really?” Quinn scowled at her.

“Yes. I believe you’re familiar with the place?”

Quinn had spent one of the worst nights of his life in that old warehouse—right before Livia stole him away from his family.

“Jayesh keeps it concealed for our use. Once we’re holed up there, the Scholar won’t be able to locate us.”

“So I can thank you for all this?” Quinn shot a glare at the man who’d made his capture possible so many months ago. If Jayesh’s gift hadn’t blocked Liam’s, his family would have found them sooner and Quinn would likely be home now. And Santi would be here alone. He glanced at her beside him. If he had to do it all over again, he wouldn’t change anything.