Page 61 of More than Paper

“Steven!” I chastise him again.

Jamison focuses on me. “Quinn, please go inside.”

“No.”

“I want to talk to your brother. Please.”

“I think that sounds like a good idea. Let’s talk. Go inside, Quinn,” Steven says.

“So you can fight? No.”

“I’m not going to fight,” Jamison says.

My brother agrees. “I won’t, either. Go ahead, Quinn.”

“I’m not a child.”

“I want to talk to your brother alone. Please go inside. I know you aren’t a child.” Jamison strokes my cheek. “Please. Trust me.”

“Fine.” I walk over to my brother. “I’m going inside, but you better not fight.”

“I won’t.”

“You’ve reached a new low, Steven.”

“Likewise.” He scowls.

With my heart racing, I turn and walk up the stairs. When I get to the top, I turn around. My brother is still scowling. Jamison waves me inside.

I walk inside and close the door, hoping to listen to what they say but not able to hear a word.

13

Jamison

The last thingI want to do is cause any rift between Quinn and her brother, but I’m not going to let him shame her.

“I think we got off on the wrong foot,” I tell Steven.

“No, we haven’t.”

“What’s your deal.”

He steps closer to me. We’re both close in height. He looks like he works out, so I’m guessing if we did get into a fight that it’s going to be an even match. But I promised Quinn I wouldn’t fight so I’m not going to.

“You screw my sister in a car, and you want to know what my deal is?”

“I’m sorry you saw that, but your sister is thirty years old.”

“So that makes it okay for you to use Quinn like a prostitute?”

My head almost snaps off my neck.Do not hit him. You promised Quinn.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

“Yeah, I heard you refer to your sister as a prostitute, and I’m reminding myself that I promised Quinn I wouldn’t hurt you.”

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