Page 63 of The Late Hit
Staring at me from across the table, Xavier doesn’t let the conversation die.
“Oh yeah, I saw her post on Instagram. Something about her brother and boyfriend dying?”
“Quinton, see, that girl is nothing but drama,” Mom chides.
At the same time, Dad says, “Losing them both on the same day has to be tough.”
My eyes immediately snap to my mother’s. “Really? That's some bullshit, Ma.”
“Quinton Alexander Boyd, how dare you speak to me like that.”
Tossing my napkin on the table, the rage begins to boil. “How dare I? Who says something like that?”
“Quinton, Abigail. That’s enough.” Dad raises his voice at the both of us, our eyes snapping to him. “Quinton, we invited you over to discuss the draft. We have an agent we’d like you to speak to. We feel he is a better fit for you.”
I’m taken aback at the change of topic. I’m fuming. The girl that I’m falling for gets absolutely no respect from my parents. It’s not just her who doesn’t get any respect, it’s me too. How dare Ma turn Brynn’s tragedy into a negative attribute? And how dare my parents try to steamroll my agent’s decision?
“I’m good. I have an agent.”
Staring my father down, I’m inadvertently daring him to keep this conversation going. And he takes the bait.
“Your mother and I feel that by going with Prospect Agency, you’ll do better financially,” he adds.
“Eliza is doing a great job. She’s my agent. I still haven’t decided if I’ll enter the draft this year or not.”
I knew this dinner was a bad idea. I knew it was going to be an ambush.
Dad’s face scrunches up with anger. He’s pissed. His dark skin keeps the red from showing but I know that it would be as red as a cherry if it could.
“Don’t be stupid. You will do as we say. Do you understand me? You’ll call Peter at Prospect, and you’ll sign him as your agent, and then you’ll announce you’re entering the draft.”
That’s it. I’ve had enough. Standing abruptly, my chair scrapes against the floor.
“No. I’m done. We’re done.”
Making my way to the front door, Mom reaches out to grab my elbow as I slide past her, but I jerk my arm to avoid contact. My feet slide into my shoes, and I’m out the door, ignoring my parents shouting at me to sit down.
Rage takes over my body. It doesn’t feel like mine anymore. My chest heaves with anger. Slamming the car door shut, I start the car and gun the engine.
I should’ve never accepted the dinner invite tonight. I should’ve never listened to Brynn when she said she wanted to be alone. But that is about to change.
My girl needs me. And I need my girl.
Pulling into the parking lot of Brynn’s complex, I turn off my car, and my body relaxes. Climbing from the car, I make my way to the front door. I give a light tap on the door, hoping Brynn answers the door since she hasn’t read my message. I’m starting to worry about her. I know she wanted to be alone, but it’s me. We don’t ignore each other. But after last weekend, everything is weird between us.
The door opens in front of me, but it’s not Brynn who answers.
“Q?” Chloe asks, surprised to see me.
“Hey, Chloe, Brynn home?” I ask.
Chloe opens the door wider for me to step inside. I toe my shoes off just like I did at my parents’. She shuts the door behind me.
“Yeah, she’s upstairs with, uh, um, Cody,” she sputters out.
Once again, my body feels the rage. I hate the jealousy that courses through me at the mention of his name. I shouldn’t feel this way. Cody and Brynn have been friends just like Brynn and I have. But I know he has feelings for her, just like I do.
Chloe must sense the change in my mood. She looks uncomfortable, which isn’t like her. Yes, she’s the quietest one out of the group, but we’ve all been friends for years.
