Page 54 of Home Coming

“Yeah, sure. Take it. It’s in my hand.”

“Unlock it,” Quinn instructed, releasing some of the pressure so the guy could look down at the cell.

“Yeah. Sure. It’s got facial recognition. Shit. It’s too dark. Hang on. I’ll open it with the code—”

That was when—as Axel was busy trying to enter a code with shaking hands—Quinn took a step back, then turned and ran.

In seconds he was around the corner, the sweatshirt off and balled up in one hand. His red plaid long-sleeved flannel worn open over a white thermal T-shirt made him look completely different than the dark hooded figure who’d gone into that alley.

Just in case there were security cameras and Axel got it in his head he wanted to pursue his assailant, now Quinn looked like any guy who’d run outside quick without a coat. Maybe to put money in the parking meter.

Hopefully Axel was smart enough to go back inside and enjoy his Italian meal and fleeting fame. Since his song sucked so bad, Quinn had no doubt that singing career was going to be short lived.

Bailey, on the other hand. She was going to be a star… He was just sad he couldn’t stick around long enough to watch her rise.

CHAPTERTWENTY

Bailey would have thought the shame of knowing the entire world could currently be looking at a naked picture of her would have been her biggest concern. That Xander, Quinn, her mother and her eighty-year old music teacher from high school could right now be seeing her making a kissy face while cradling her naked boobs in her hands.

It wasn’t.

The fact Quinn had gone out an hour ago and not come back yet was what had her checking the time on her cell every five minutes and chewing on the inside of her lip.

Should she text him? Or have Josie text him? He had said he’d be gone for a little while but in her mind that had meant like maybe ten, twenty minutes. Not an hour.

The man had barely left her side over the past two days and now he’d left her for like a whole sixty minutes!

She didn’t know whether she was more worried for herself or for him. She was locked safely in a suite in a five-star hotel. While Quinn was missing.

Maybe something was wrong. What if something had happened to him?

Just as she was about to really start to panic, and possibly hyperventilate, she heard the locks slide in the door.

Someone was using a keycard to get in. Quinn? She hoped so. But as instructed she’d put on the deadbolt and the chain, so whoever it was wouldn’t be able to open the door.

She jumped off the sofa and ran to the entrance of the suite.

“Bailey, it’s me.”

Quinn.Finally!

Hands trembling and in a rush, she had trouble getting the locks open but when she managed it, she flung the door wide and demanded, “Where were you?”

Walking past her he said, “I told you. I went to check on security.”

She slammed the door and locked it again, grateful that anger and annoyance had replaced her fear and helplessness.

“That took youthatlong?” she asked, hands on her hips.

“Management tried to give me the runaround.” Quinn dropped a sweatshirt on a chair and finally turned to look at her. His cheeks and the tip of his nose were pink, as if from the cold.

She frowned. “Were you outside?”

His brows quirked up at the question. “Of course. How else could I look for weak points in the perimeter? Service doors and fire egresses are often overlooked by security in public buildings where the focus is on the main entrance.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. He was acting all military, talking about security and egresses. Why? To throw her off? Again, why?

What could he have been doing for the past hour that he’d have to hide?

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