Page 22 of More than Paper

“I don’t remember my father. My mom raised my brother and me on her own. She was strict with me, but my brother was worse than her in some ways.”

Her father left them? What a piece of shit.

I tighten my arm around her and stroke her hip. “What do you mean?”

“My mom had my brother. He’s four years older than me. Then she had me. My father left her when I was only six months old. He...” She looks away and inhales.

My heart thumps in my chest, waiting for her to speak.

Quinn turns back but doesn’t meet my gaze. Pain laces her face and her voice. “He had another family. My mom was his mistress and didn’t even know it.”

Whoa. What an asshole.

I pull her closer to me. “I’m sorry. That’s a horrible thing for you to go through.”

“My brother had it worse, I think. He remembers him. At least I don’t have those demons in my head.”

I kiss her cheek. “So, your mom and brother were strict with you?”

“I had to be in the house at nine o’clock. If I was a minute late, I was grounded. I wasn’t allowed to date until I was eighteen. My cousin had to take me to my proms. It was so embarrassing.”

I chuckle. “No. Not your cousin!”

She elbows me. “It’s not funny.”

“I’m sorry, but you have to admit, it is a little.”

“The worst part is my cousin is really good-looking, and he hooked up at both my proms with my friends. And my brother insisted on volunteering to chaperone. The guy I liked asked me to dance, and after the first song was over, my brother came over and cut in.”

“What? Stop it. You’re making this up.” I slap my hand over my mouth not to laugh, but tears of laughter fill my eyes.

Quinn slaps my arm. “It’s not funny. I’m scarred for life.”

“I bet you are,” I agree with her as a tear rolls down my cheek.

“I’m glad you can find my life so amusing,” she sarcastically says.

I wipe my face. “I’m sorry. So your mom and brother didn’t let you have a life. But you didn’t go crazy and rebel once you moved out?”

“You mean, did I start having orgies and become a drug addict while listening to rock and roll?”

Oh, sweet girl, I know you did nothing of that sort.

“I had a partial scholarship. My mom had a good job but not enough money for college, so I had to pay for school myself. My brother tried to help as much as he could, but he was just getting started in his career. Between school and my side jobs, I didn’t have time for much else.”

“What were your side jobs?”

She covers her hands in her face. “Ugh. I don’t want to tell you.”

“Why? Did you become a stripper or something?” I tease.No way this girl did anything of the sort. Not that I would judge her if she had.

“Ha, ha. Funny.”

I lean into her ear. “You can put your stripper fantasies to work anytime for me.”

She elbows me in the rib cage.

“Ouch!”

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