Page 32 of Psychopath

“How—how does he know stuff?”

“I told you he was clever. Almost supernatural. What did he say?”

“He knew my relationship’s balancing on a knife edge.”

Cleo’s lips parted with a pop. “Relationship? I didn’t even know you were with anyone.”

“He did. He knew by my watch.”

Quinn thumped his fist to the table and released the watch. Cleo strolled forward and sat on the opposite side.

“Did he threaten him?”

“No, Zane didn’t threaten Damon.”

“Then what did he say?”

“He said Damon slept with a guy with green eyes.”

Cleo whistled, then laughed. “Well, that’s specific.”

“Except, Damon said it was a one-off… I wanted to know what he looked like, whether he was, I don’t know hotter than me, better than me. That man’s face is burned into my memory.”

“And he has green eyes?”

“Yeah, and dark-brown hair. Now I’m questioning whether it was a one-off or whether it went on for longer. Zane said months.”

Cleo squeezed the top of her nose. “Wait, why are you listening to Zane?”

“After Damon gave me the watch, he started acting strangely. He was away more for work. He came home smelling different, and I asked him why. He said he forgot his aftershave and had to buy another. Another time he came home with a rash on his neck and said he’d had a reaction to a new body wash, and even though it was right in front of me, I made myself believe him. He even had scratches on his back and blamed the cat. Every time I got suspicious, I’d look at my wrist and feel guilty for doubting him. I’m such an idiot.”

Cleo shook her head. “You’re not an idiot. What’s important is what you do now.”

Quinn caught his head in his hands and huffed at the table. “It’s never that easy to just draw a line and realise all that time was a waste and it led to nothing. I thought we were good together. I thought everything was fine, and we were happy. He looked happy.”

“Some couples come back from infidelity,” Cleo said softly. “It doesn’t have to be over.”

“He told me it was a one-off.” Quinn looked down at the watch. “But what do I do if it wasn’t? What if Zane is right? Damon would’ve cheated and he would’ve lied, and I’ve got to draw the line somewhere, right?”

6

Quinn didn’t hesitate when he got home. He didn’t even hang up his jacket or slip off his shoes. He walked straight into the living room, dropped down beside Mars on the sofa and wrote out a message.

The whole time he was driving back, he’d been thinking about what to say. He didn’t want to come across as too needy or desperate, but equally, he didn’t want to appear nonchalant or aggressive. In the end, the message tipped more towards the desperate and relied heavily on empathy to get his answers.

Message sent; he placed his phone on the coffee table to await a reply.

He’d met Damon at university.

Friends of mutual friends had put them on a collision course, and the second their eyes had met, sparks had flown. Damon was handsome, blond-haired and honey-eyed, with a deep dimple in his chin and eyebrows a few shades darker than the hair on his head.

He oozed confidence, was always in the middle of the dance floor and had a phone overflowing with contacts. It hardly ever stopped buzzing. Even years later, it still pinged, buzzed and rung, and he’d never been secretive about it, until a few months ago when he began leaving the room to reply.

Maybe Quinn should’ve picked up on it then.

Quinn’s heart ceased in his chest as his phone lit up. He didn’t immediately grab it but dug his nails into his palms as he took a few calming breaths.

It kept ringing.

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