Free Quinn II (Undaunted Men #2) by J.C. Cliff Page B

pack of wolves, and I freeze.
    Quinn stands unwavering, unafraid, and undaunted as he holds his ground. With his right arm, he nudges me to scoot in behind him in one smooth move, shielding me from imminent danger as he goes into protective mode. How is he not shaking in his shoes? If anything, he appears angered, as if Vince is the one who should be afraid of him.
    Vince keeps his eyes on me as he ominously approaches, striding with an arrogant gait. When he gets about ten feet away from us, he flicks his gaze to Kimber, and I can tell he’s a bit leery of the dog. He then jerks his chin upward in a quick motion, silently telling me I’m to go to him. I hesitate, standing numb with fear behind Quinn.  
    My eyes stay locked on Vince’s. I’m barely able to shake my head. I don’t want to go to him. Vince narrows his eyes, looking highly perturbed that I haven’t made haste. He raises his right hand in the air and snaps his fingers with a foreboding sound that makes the air crackle with imminent threat. His men have moved in with their weapons drawn and aimed at us, or presumably Quinn. My eyes dart back and forth between Vince and Quinn as they stare each other down in standoff. A full-body shudder rolls through me, leaving my legs feeling weak and wobbly.
    Quinn blindly finds my hand and gives me a reassuring squeeze, as if he's got this entire situation under control. Vince grows agitated, and it reflects in his voice. “Alexis,” he warns. He holds his hand out in invitation, and I know if I don’t go to him some serious shit will be going down. I’ve known Vince my entire life, and as of late, he's become a loose cannon. I now know what he’s capable of and what he’ll do.
    I pull my hand out of Quinn’s firm grip and take a step forward. Quinn stops me, grabbing me by my upper arm with questioning eyes. I can’t explain things to him right now, but I believe if I play my cards right, I can get him out of this alive. Vince just wants me and nothing more; I know this. He thinks I’ve belonged to him since we were five. I can handle him. I tug my arm back, disengaging from Quinn’s hold, and look toward Vince. I can’t let Vince know that Quinn means something to me, or he’ll hurt him, if not kill him.
    “Lexi,” Quinn whispers under his breath. I hear the hurt and confusion in his voice, but I ignore him, and stoically take another step forward.  
    His men are very intimidating with their guns drawn, putting the fear of God into me, and, of course, there's no help in sight. The place is desolate. My hands are trembling, so I fist them to keep them still. Oddly, Vince isn’t looking at me anymore; he’s staring Quinn down with a loathing I don't understand. Why do they have to have all these men and guns just to capture me? Something feels terribly off with this scene.
    With Vince being so unpredictable lately, I have to be smart about my every move. I begin to formulate a hundred excuses in my head, all to appease Vince for my leave of absence. I mentally brace myself for his coming wrath.
    I’ll have to find a way to steal a moment alone with Quinn at some future point to account for my actions. I can’t have Quinn getting hurt on my account, and this is exactly what I have feared all along. Someone innocent has already lost their life because of me.
    Vince continues to hold out his hand for me as I slowly amble my way toward him. Surprisingly, he's in camo gear and boots. I never even knew he owned such attire. I've only ever seen him in fancy dress clothes.
    As I get closer to Vince, I step from the soft grass and onto the hard gravel of the parking lot. The rocks protest as they crunch underneath my boots. Kimber lets out another low, threatening growl, and I close my eyes, just wanting to die. I hear Quinn behind me, chastising her in a low voice. I want to glance back at them, but it would only serve to piss Vince off, and he’s already radiating murderous vibes.
    My insides are shaking,