Page 24 of Midnight Muse

“Anytime, really,” Slate answers as I stick my key in the lock. “I’ll text you when we’re ready to glaze. It was really nice hanging out with you, Quinn. I’ll see you later?”

“Absolutely,” I agree as he continues to the next door down. “Later.”

When I open the door, the TV is blaring loudly and I wonder why Rory has it turned up so high. Maybe she’s getting ready in her room and wanted to listen to something in the background, but she could have just played music on the speaker instead…

Kicking the door shut behind me, I finally look up only to freeze when I spot a figure sitting on the couch, scrolling aimlessly on his phone.

“Sam?” I ask in confusion.

My older brother is at Vulcan University, sitting on my couch right now. We have the same hazel eyes but he’s been gifted with our mother’s brown hair, a few shades darker than mine. It’s unruly from where he’s clearly been running his fingers through it from the sheer boredom he’s currently experiencing, if the loud but relieved groan he lets out when I arrive tells me anything.

“Finally, you’re home.” Sam springs off the measly futon and winds his way over to me for a hug. I wrap my arms around him, still confused as to why the hell he’s here right now, and I let my backpack slip from my shoulder when he pulls away. Sam frowns, poking my nose as he teases, “You don’t look too happy to see me, Quinnie. What’s that all about?”

“No, I am happy you’re here, I’m just confused. Why this weekend?” I ask, trailing him back to the couch. Sam collapses against it, grabbing the remote to pause the movie as he laughs incredulously.

“You think I would come down here the same weekend as mom and dad? Hard pass, Quinn. I’m here for parties and fun, not lectures and Pictionary.”

I cross my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes at my brother. Last I knew, he loved playing Pictionary with our family and nearly broke a vase when he lost to me by one point.

Sam relents with a sigh. “Fine, so Peep might have invited me down for this party she’s having and I thought I’d stop by and see you.”

A shit eating grin appears on my face as Sam ducks his head back into his phone to avoid eye contact. He and Peep have been skirting around each other for years. The Wilson’s and my family have been close for a long time now, and I think we all knew that one of the Wilson daughters was bound to have a fling with Samuel Conroy. Or more.

Looks like that lucky lady is Pipa.

My brother is a fantastic guy most of the time, when he and I aren’t arguing like the siblings we are. He’s kind, smart, and funny, all of the attributes most women want in a man. He’s in his final year at Brownstone University up in Connecticut, which is certainly a long flight from Vulcan U, settled down here in Southern California.

“All this for a weekend trip?” I pry, and he shoots me a glare.

“I don’t have much going on this early in the semester.” He brushes me off, but I know it’s a lie. Biology majors are always busy with school. Peep must be one special lady if she’s gotten Sam to fly all the way out here for one of her parties because he’s never come running when I’ve asked. “So, what’s the plan for tonight, then?”

I roll my eyes at my brother’s impatience, pulling out my phone when it buzzes in my pocket. “Where’s Ro?” I ask, frowning as I read the message from Reid telling me he’s been summoned to a family dinner that he cannot escape. I type back quickly, sending him Peep’s address just in case along with my condolences. If he can get out of the dinner early or slip out after, he should be able to arrive in the thick of the festivities.

“She went to go pick up some pizzas with that guy she was hanging out with,” Sam says, texting someone as well. I try to squint to see the contact’s name, but he locks the phone too quickly for me to read. I’m pretty sure I saw a heart emoji and with the smile he’s trying to smother, I’m almost positive he’s texting Peep. It’s nice of him to stop by and see me before he falls completely into her for the rest of the night. “Ace, I think.”

I make a face without realizing it which causes Sam to laugh. “You don’t like him, I take it? He did seem kind of cocky, had an attitude when I showed up, but at least he’s better than that Max guy. Man, he was such a dick.”

I hum in agreement. He hadn’t been good for Rory, but she’s been caught up in him like a tornado. Her first college fling that hadn’t ended as well as the school’s football season did, which Max is on. They were pretty steady during the end of fall semester last year and well into spring, but when summer finally came around, Max broke it off, not wanting to be tied down during the time off from school.

From what I hear now, he’s all but making it clear he wants Rory back, which he should because she’s amazing, but I pray she doesn’t start fucking around with him again.

If she’s out picking up pizza with Ace, that must mean that they’re joining us for dinner before we all head over to Peep’s later, which no doubt means that Slate and Knox will be there.

My stomach tightens at the thought of seeing Knox again. He’d been right to call me out the other day, but he didn’t have to be so harsh about it. I couldn’t stop staring at his hands as he worked, the sliver of skin I noticed when the sleeve of his shirt tugged up a little too much?—

“Earth to Quinn! Hello?” My brother sings annoyingly, waving his hand in front of his face. “What’s going on in there?”

I bat his hand away, standing from the couch. “Nothing. Just watch the damn movie and wait for the pizza, I’m going to get ready.”

He grumbles something under his breath that I don’t care to listen to as I make my way towards the bathroom to shower.

It’s going to be a long night.

CHAPTER 9

KNOX

“Listen, kid,” the tattoo artist across the table from me sighs, and I already know what’s going to come out of his mouth next.

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