It seemed fitting that the best relationship in her life would be just as dysfunctional as all her other ones. Her alcoholic mother. Her more-absent-than-not father. Her stoner older brother and her video game–obsessed younger brother. The cheerleaders who hated her, the dance team that didn’t want her—if a gay boyfriend was the best she could do, she’d take it.
He worried he was using her—well, she worried she was using him. Hanging out with Nick gave her an opportunity to avoid her own family. And Becca, too, if you got right down to it.
Quinn didn’t resent losing her best friend to Chris Merrick. Much.
“You’re quiet,” said Nick.
Quinn glanced over. He was driving the landscaping truck with one hand on the wheel, the other arm across the seat backs.
For one second, she regretted the whole gay thing and wished she could curl up against him, let his arm wrap around her shoulder and make her feel wanted.
Then she told that moment of longing to shove it.
“I was thinking about Becca,” she said.
“She and Chris seem to be getting pretty serious.” He seemed amused.
She snorted. “Like a heart attack.”
He was silent for a moment. “You guys aren’t hanging out much lately?”
Nick could always see right through her. Quinn shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m glad she’s happy.”
“And you sound so sincere about it.”
Quinn hit him on the arm. “No. I am. I just . . . miss her, you know? And I’m . . .”
Jealous. She was jealous.
But she couldn’t say that.
“It’s fine,” she said. “I shouldn’t have brought up Becca. She’s just spending all this time with Chris, and I get it, but she doesn’t talk to me anymore. I don’t think she’s hiding something, but it’s almost like she’s got this new life that I’m not a part of. If that makes any sense.”
Nick sighed. “Yeah, Quinn, it actually makes a lot of sense.” He hit the turn signal for their street. “Did you tell Becca about me?”
“Of course not! God, what kind of friend do you think I am?”
He held up a hand. “I’m just saying—maybe you both have secrets.”
“Maybe.”
He dropped his arm to give her half a hug—totally platonic, and nothing she really wanted. But she took the comfort all the same.
“You’re a good friend,” he said. “That’s the kind I think you are.”
Quinn straightened and studied him. Nick really was a looker—all dark hair and blue eyes and broad shoulders. Muscled arms from all the landscaping. Just enough freckles sprinkled across those high cheekbones to make him look boyish and charming.
Then again, his twin brother had those same freckles, and there was nothing boyish and charming about him.
“Actually,” Nick said slowly, “it’s probably time I should tell you another secret—” He broke off, his voice hardening to steel. “Damn it.”
Quinn followed his gaze. They were turning up his driveway, and a blond guy was making his way down the walk from their house. The guy looked pissed.
“Who’s that?” she said.
“Tyler Morgan. He’s an asshole.” Nick threw the truck into park and hesitated there, glaring at the guy as he walked toward them.
Tyler’s expression was full of fury. He said something, but Quinn couldn’t hear him over the diesel engine with the windows closed.
Then Nick killed the engine just as Tyler turned his gaze on Quinn.
“—with your stupid, white trash girlfriend,” he finished.
Quinn froze. Oh no, he did not.
“Wait here,” said Nick.
No way was she waiting here. Quinn threw herself out of the truck. This Tyler guy was a lot bigger than he’d looked when she was sitting in the cab of the pickup, but he could be fifty feet tall and she wouldn’t give a crap.
“What did you just call me?” she demanded.
Nick appeared at her side. “Quinn, go in the house.”
Tyler sneered down at her—a shame, because he might be kind of attractive if he weren’t trying so hard to look like a prick. “You heard me. I called you a stupid—”
Quinn punched him.
She shocked the hell out of him, too. He was probably one of those jerks who thought girls roamed the earth for nothing more than his pleasure. But she’d been holding her own for years, and the punch knocked him back. She knew how to swing, and she sure as hell wasn’t holding back with this tool.
“At least trashy girls know how to hit.” She drew back a fist to hit him again.
Nick got hold of her. “Jesus, Quinn. Stop it.”
“That’s right,” said Tyler, his voice a little nasal. “I forgot you Merrick douche bags like to let your girls fight for you.”
“Get the hell out of here,” said Nick. He had a death grip on her arms, his hands full of tension. The air was suddenly ice cold.
“Let me go,” she said. “I want to make sure he can’t pass on his genes.”
“No worries, blondie. Seeing you is enough to turn me off forever.”
“Right back atcha, dickhead,” Quinn snapped.
Then Tyler stepped toward her, drawing back a fist. She sucked back into Nick.
But Tyler stopped there. He smirked. “Yeah, all you girls think you’re so tough, but then you can’t take—”
His words cut short like he ran out of breath. No puffs of steam escaped from his mouth, though hers and Nick’s were going a mile a minute. Tyler shook his head fiercely, and then put a hand to his throat.
His eyes started to bug out, and he dropped to a knee.
Had he inhaled a fly? Was he choking? What was happening?
“Get out of here, Tyler.” Nick’s voice was quiet, low and full of intensity. “No deal, nothing to stop me. Understand?”
Quinn had no idea what that meant, but Tyler was on his knees, suffocating on nothing. Nick’s hands were gripping her arms so tightly she could feel faint tremors, belying the strength in his voice.
Was Nick afraid of this guy?
She kicked Tyler. “Yeah, asshole. Get out of here.”
He nodded hard, his hand pulling at his throat now.
And then he was gasping, coughing, his hands on the pavement.
“Come on,” said Nick, letting her go but taking her hand to drag her with him. Probably making sure she didn’t lay into Tyler again.
“Don’t be stupid,” Tyler choked from behind them. “I only came here to talk.”
“Sure you did.” Nick dragged her up the steps to the front door, then jammed his key in the lock.
“What really happened at the carnival last week?” Tyler yelled. “I heard the news about pentagrams. Another Guide came here, didn’t he?”
Nick ignored him and hauled her through the door, then slammed it, throwing