Status: Finished.

More Than Just Baser Instincts.

Our Business

“Elaine! What happened?”

I was suddenly pulled from my spot on the couch, pulled from my moping, and dragged into a too-tight embrace. Quince pulled back only to run his thumb over my cheek and repeated his question before jerking me back into his chest.

“Elaine! Please! Why is there blood on your face? Elaine!”

“Quince, stop yelling,” I muttered, pushing against him.

“Then tell me what happened to you,” he whimpered, releasing me only because I landed on the couch. “What happened while I was gone?”

He shrugged out of his coat and tossed it toward the coat rack, but it landed on the floor as he strode up to me. I stared blankly at him as he knelt before me, taking my hands in his and trying to catch my attention in the same way that I clearly already had his.

“Please, sweetheart; what happened? Did someone hurt you?”

I shook my head.

“It doesn’t matter. How was work?”

“It does matter. It’s a simple question: what cut you?”

I rolled my eyes, still in this awful mood. “Your phone.”

He raised an eyebrow, but his shoulders slumped with relief and he let go of my hands. “How did it cut you?”

“I smashed it on the wall.”

Then he stood, giving me a strange look. “Why?”

“Anne made me angry.”

“What is wrong?” he begged, taking my hand and pulling me onto my feet. “You’re being so distant.”

“She said that I’m going to marry you, that I don’t have a choice in the matter.”

“Marry?”

I growled in complete and utter annoyance. “Yes, Quince! Marry! You call it ‘mates,’ apparently!”

His eyes darkened. I was suddenly afraid of this man.

“She didn’t tell you that,” he hissed, lashing out and catching my wrist as I tried to run. “I told her to stop talking to you about this, to leave it alone! But she couldn’t keep her damn nose out of it!”

“Quince, stop!”

“No! This isn’t her business; it’s mine! It’s ours!”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t want this! I didn’t ask for this!”

“You think I did?” he muttered, pushing me away. “The last thing I wanted was for you to pop up now!”

I stumbled backward. “Is that how you really feel, then?”

His eyes softened. “Elaine, I just…” He groaned, pushing his hands through his hair. “I wasn’t ready for you just yet. And I didn’t want you to meet me like this…”

“Like what?”

He shot me a look. “I know what you think of me; don’t play stupid. You think I’m this bastard that uses women; and I was. But then I found you, and—”

“Stop, just…just stop.”

“No. Anne has said enough of what I was supposed to tell you; I’m telling you the rest.”

“I don’t want to hear the rest! I’ve already promised to give you a shot! What more do you want?”

“…You have?”

I nodded, looking down. “So don’t tell me anything more that will add to this.”

“But… You’re going to give me a chance?” he whispered, catching my chin and forcing me to look at him. “You are?”

“I am. So don’t say anything to Anne.”

He nodded fervently. “I won’t let you regret this, Elaine, I swear.”

“I’m hungry,” I muttered not-so-smoothly. “Can we get something to eat?”

“Right.” His hand dropped to catch mine. “Bryce invited us over, so we can share the news with Anne.”

“What news?”

He grinned, and a weight finally lifted from my shoulders.

“I got the job?”
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I figured the last two chapters went together, and they're both building toward the same thing... So that meant it was a double-instalment! This one was on the shorter side anyway. But as always, thanks for reading :)