Chapter 31

What? He never waits to see my reaction. The moment the car halts, he's out. Roxanna does the same. I stay seated and rooted. Shocked and sad. "I remember where I met you." Lee's hisses at me. I look around and realise we are the only ones in the car. Ryan is removing the bags from the boot. "I said I remember where I saw you." Lee repeats when I don't acknowledge him. My mind is still preoccupied with Quinn's announcement to care what he has to say. "The chix xxx club." He says with a smug and that is when he captures my attention. All of it. He smirks when he sees the raw surprise on my face. Like someone who has conquered several kingdoms he alights victorious. How did he find out? I'm always extra careful not leave any loopholes. My hands fly to my chest when Ryan knocks on the car's window and asks if iam okay. I'm still mad at him for bringing us here. I get out and follow him. "Quinn... " His little brother Mets us at the porch. He launches at him and Quinn holds the little boy who is over the top happy to see him. "What took you long? You promised to take me horse back riding." He looks up at him. Quinn opens him mouth to answer but the tapping sound of Courtney's heels stops him. "Theo! Have you finished practicing piano?" Courtney hisses at the little boy who clutches onto Quinn's arm. "My fingers hurt." He cries. She huffs, "Sweetie, we can't be perfect if we are afraid of getting hurt." She glares at him. Quinn sighs before talking, "Just go tell John to prepare one of the horses i'm coming to take you riding." He squats to Theo's height. The boy dashes back to the house all happy. Courtney is clearly not pleased with Quinn undercutting her authority. "You do realize the engagement party is just hours away. He hasn't even learned half of the songs I want played." She half shouts at Quinn. He remains calm and that is when Courtney sees us. Her eyes wander past me and back again to me. Like a bull ready to charge, her eyes turn dark and her nose flares up. "What is she doing here?" The anger in her tone is sharp. "She's my guest." Ryan, a few meters away from me, answers and looks at me. I avert my eyes from him. Quinn walks past her into the mansion. Then follows Lee and Ryan with the bags. Courtney walks towards me. And stands head to head with me. "I hope you brought enough tissues to watch what you can't have been taken away from you." I snort. I will not give her the satisfaction of always insulting me. "I came with enough popcorns to laugh at the show." I look into her intimidating eyes. Her eyes go wide and she twists her mouth in disgust, "Cross my path bitch and you won't like what befalls you." I humorlessly huff. "My claws are sharp so bring it on. Bitch!" She blinks twice clearly taken back that I had the audacity to tackle her. She expected I would recoil in fear. Am just sick of her. She is the one getting engaged I should be the least of her problems. She sizes Roxanna, with her head high she marches back to the mansion. "What is her problem with you? One would say she's threatened by you." Roxanna says. My eyes circle our vicinity to calm myself down. The plantation and the rural setting it offers silence and a fresh breath of air. Quite an odd place to host an big engagement party. Especially for two powerful families. "Let's get in." I tell her. **** It has been over an hour since our arrival. A maid received us and took us to the bedrooms. The rooms are vast with an old interior design. I look down from the window. Other than Quinn the rest are at the swimming pool, Roxanna included. Jermaine has also joined the group. After texting Andre of my where abouts, I decide to get acquainted with the house. The halls host many doors which I keep getting lost. When am about to turn to a different hall. The sound of the music from one of the rooms stops me. I take few steps to the source and slowly push the door. The music gets louder. I have never heard something so beautiful. I can feel the symphony in my veins. I close my  eyes and let the music carry me. "You shouldn't be here." The small soprano voice ends my magical world. I open my eyes and I am met with Theo's. They are grey, different from Quinn's. "That was beautiful. You really are good." "You are a distraction. You should leave." He answers and i'm reminded of how Quinn answers simple questions. I smile in nostalgia. I move to his position. He flinches. "I thought Quinn took you for horse riding." I say. "He was to but he had business to take care of with father." His face contour into sadness. "I can take you, if you want." I offer. "Really?" His face lights up. I nod. But, all over sudden he's sad again. "Girls can't ride horses." "This girl can." I smile at him. I sit beside him on the bench. He moves away from me. He looks down at his bruised fingers, "I can't, Courtney will be angry with me and I promised Quinn to obey her." I press a random key and he laughs. I repeat it again and laughs harder. "Are you laughing at my lack of skills?" I tease him. "mmmh..." He nods. "Do you love playing piano?" I ask him. "No. I'm just good at it." He looks away. "Theo!" We both turn to Quinn who walks in. Once he sees me he goes silent. He clears his throat confused, "John has prepared a horse, I will meet you at the stable." He mutters. Theo rushes past us in joy. The air becomes thick with tension. He stand torn between what to do. He moves and locks the door. I watch him walk towards me. My heart palpitating fast. My finger run over the piano nervously in an attempt to stay calm. "You shouldn't have come here." He speaks. That makes two of us. "I had no idea. If I did I would not be here." "Your presence only complicates everything." He whispers. I stand and move to his position. "Why?" My hand move to his cheek and it rest there. He shakes his head and removes it. "You don't get it. Do you?" He sighs. I shake my head and start to walk away. No sooner do I take the first step than I feel his arm snake round my waist and he spins me to face him. I can smell his scent, smells of leather and horse. A second doesn't pass before I feel his soft lips crash on mine. They taste of whisky. He pulls my lower lip between his teeth and my knees go weak. I cling onto him. Kissing him with all my might like it is the last kiss. His tongue goes deep and rough. I am sure my lips will bruise when he nips at it but I don't care. I'm hyperventilated, thirsty and he is my river of life. I want to drink from it. Drown in it. "Quinn." A moan escapes from the back of my throat. His hands cruise into my hair and waves of tremors travel all over my body. Each stronger than the previous. Just when my body is starting to heat up, he pushes me away and I stumble back embarrassed. "I'm sorry." He mumbles at me. That's new. His lips look fuller and his eyes hooded in lust. I look down at my Jimmy Choo sandals. "I should go." He nervously points at the door. He adjust his jeans that look tighter at the crotch to hide his hard on. I wait a few minutes after he has left before I do the same too. "There you are." I turn around to see Roxanna, she's dressed in a simple black dress. "What were you doing there?" She lifts her brows.  "Was that Quinn i saw?" I get confused at her million questions. Her lips tug up in a smile and shakes her head, "Oh, Courtney and the rest we are going for shopping and facials you should come." I shake my head, "You know she hates me." I remind her. "She's the one that insisted i ask you. She really wants you there." "Really?" I sceptically raise my brows.  I know this is not out of goodwill and am quite sure Courtney has something evil planned for me. I contemplate between being left behind and running into Quinn or his parents and joining them and having Courtney being all mean to me. I choose the later. If she attempts anything funny then may the bad bitch win. She already won with Quinn, I won't let her win in humiliating me. Chapte 32 I'm glad when the short trip to the small town centre comes to an end. Courtney kept on talking about Quinn and the engagement. I don't know if she was just rubbing it on my face or she was just simply happy. It is an old town with dusty paths. I dig my hand deeper into my jacket and shut my eyes for a moment when the wind blows my hair. I open them and look around and realise the natives are staring at us with questionable looks. "Pfft! Haven't this people seen a Porsche before or a pretty girl?" Courtney flips her rainbow coloured hair. The small town defines what the gap between the rich and the poor is. On our way I saw acres of lands which the rich owned and then there's the other side of the coin that looked more like the projects. Houses crammed to one another. "Let's keep up with time before night falls." Lee warns and casts me a sideways glance. I have been meaning to ask him to keep his finding a secret. Courtney leads the way she seems to know her way. I wonder how many times Quinn has brought her here. I slow down to keep up with Lee who is texting on his phone. I breath in before I speak, "Uh—about earlier... " I try to find the correct words. "Your secret is safe with me if that is what you want to confirm." He looks me over his phone. I sigh in relief. "As long as someday you will tell me who the mysterious Cara is. " He is quick to cut my relief short. iAm about to answer when Jermaine swings his arm round my shoulder. "What are we whispering about?" He winks at me. I smile in return. "I... We... " I stammer. "Am just messing with you. Don't let him. " He points at Lee. " ...Charm you, he's a smooth talker." He slaps the back of Lee who throws him a murderous glare. I don't know why but I do like Jermaine. He just got a way to warm into your heart. He turns to me, "Is your friend seeing someone?" He asks me. It takes me a while to realise he is talking about Roxanna. "She got out of a complicated relationship recently; I don't think she is ready to dive into dating again." I answer and look at Roxanna as she tries Courtney glasses. They seem to get along pretty well and it does not settles well with me. Jermaine heaves a disappointed sigh, "What a bummer, She's hot." I nod in agreement as we walk inside a fancy store. Ryan catches up with us. He has been talking to his mother for a while. He tucks his phone away and leads me to the dress section. The prices give a migraine considering my current financial crisis. I have to keep up with everyone. I don't know how long I can fake it. "Quinn gave me his card, I buy you girls anything you want, he put more emphasis on you. I don't know why." I know. "Maybe he finds me tacky." I shrug and pick a red dress. Courtney and Roxanna join us their arms full of clothes. Hours later, everyone has their share of clothes. I only chose the red dress, a pair of black pumps and  gold coated earings. Ryan decides to pay for everyone. Just as am about to step out. The store alarm goes off.  I stand frozen at the spot and watch two security guards approach me. "Ma'am you need to step aside." One orders ready to frisk me. They remove everything from my bag until they find what they are looking for. A Rolex watch. I didn't put it there. I start to panic. "You will have to come with us." He grabs my arm. "This must be a misunderstanding, I didn't steal it." I plead. My eyes land on Courtney who has a smug on her face. She did this. That demon's mother! "She didn't steal it. I was with her the whole time." Ryan tries to stop him. The guard raises his eyebrows daring him to explain. "Stealing is crime." The guard speaks when Ryan doesn't respond. "What are the repercussions of such a crime?" Courtney asks and rolls her bubble gum on her tongue Please let it not be Jail. I pray. "Jail" The guard says and everything starts to fade until he speaks again. "Or pay thrice the price of the item stolen." "That is extortion!" Jermaine half yells. "I will pay for it." Ryan offers. We go back and forth declining his offer even though I can't afford the money. Finally as expected Ryan wears me out and pays. Courtney looks displeased with the turn of events. As we leave, the boys promise to pick us up after our facial. They head to a local pub and we get into a parlour. We are halfway through the face massage until I start to feel a burning sensation on my face. I spring up fast. Fear weaving it's way into me. What if my face is disfigured? I go in circles trying to find any water until I find a tap and dive my head into it. I hear sounds of laughter emanating behind me. I lift my head several pair of eyes are staring at me, laughing at my expense. Sadist! Courtney is at the front, her mouth drawn into a content smug. I pat my face to make sure not a part has been deformed. But I will be more satisfied if I saw it on a mirror. "That's just a warning." Courtney spats. "What did you do?" I ask, my hands continuously examines my precious face for any anomalies. "You got served." Her eyes travel down my body. "You shouldn't.... I don't let her finish as I fly towards her and jump on her. My hands move straight to her hair and I pull it with all my might. She groans in pain and kicks me in the stomach and I slide back. Before I recover she bites my arm, and I dig my nails deeper into her shoulder. "Get off me..." She shouts at the top of her lungs. I knee her to the floor. "What did you do to my face?" I ask her. "Get off me!"  She withers beneath me like a chicken ready to be slaughtered. More anger builds up, "What did you do?" She spits on my face, I raise my hand to slap her only to feel my body floating in the air. I turn and find it is Ryan who lifted me. "What is going on here?" He asks. Courtney stands up, her hair is a mess so is her masked face. She huffs, "You will pay for this!" She points at me, turns and walks the opposite side. "What happened to your face?" Ryan's eyes grow bigger. "It looks burned on the right cheek." I touch it, it is very painful. "It will be okay by morning." Roxanna says. "Did you know she planned for this?" I ask surprised. "It was just a prank, relax." She rolls her eyes and follows Courtney's direction. I exhale defeated and remember her question. 'What can go wrong in just two days?' **** The first thing I do once back at the ranch is rush to my bedroom and find a mirror. There is a big red patch on my cheek. How am I going to conceal that? The rest of the night I decide to hide myself in my room as I hear the rest talk and laugh in the dinning room. I submerge myself into the my novel, Quinn might have spoiled it for me but I don't have any other to read. After hours of intense reading, I stop and realise the house is silent. Probably everyone is asleep and am hungry. I slip a rob over my nightdress and walk out. The house is pin drop silent. I manage to find my way into the kitchen. But the open that leads to the back of the house seduces my curiosity. I step out, under the moon. I keep on walking until I find myself at the stables. I don't find anyone. Then who left the door open? I decide to go horse riding since I might not get the chance again. My father taught me much about horses. I mount one easily. We ride through the wheat plantations that swing back and forth to the direction of the wind, until we get to a barn. There's light from the inside. We ride closer to it. After I have tied the horse to a post I decide to discover what is inside there. I should have been an archaeologist. I push the door open, I expect it to be empty but I find Quinn. He is typing on his laptop. "I knew sooner or later you will find your way here. A woman of curiosity." He doesn't lift his head.