My jaw goes slack, am mortified. "Take that back!" I point at Oliver.
He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, "You aren't remotely close to who Dad was, a ruthless beast to anyone who crossed him."
"He was a business man, he ought to have been ruthless otherwise..." I say.
"He made me watch him beat a man that had betrayed him. I was only four and that was just the beginning of the horrific incidents he forced me to be part of. And you think I would want that life again?" He shakes his head.
My father was a gentle man, he would never hurt a fly. A man that read stories to me, he played house with me, he tucked me to bed with a kiss... No. "You are lying." My voice comes out unsure.
He paces at one spot before looking down at me, "Of course it is understandable why you would think that. When Dad and I came back. He no blood spot on his white shirts, he smelled good and a diamond from Tiffany for his princess. While I returned more broken than I left. He protected you, you were his gem, I was just an heir to him."
I have never seen Oliver this broken. I knew he never wanted to be part of my revenge plan. I just never knew he felt this way.
"Even if that is the truth, they never deserved to be killed. They deserve justice." My voice is strained.
"Am sorry for saying that. However, I can't pretend I miss that life. I was forced to grow up fast. They deserve justice but not from me. Whatever you do, I hope it is worth it at the end." He says and starts to walk back into the house. He picks up his jacket.
"I have a project I should finish. I will see you tomorrow. Should I pick you up?" He asks.
"What about Nimo?" I ask though my head is still reeling with the new information Oliver just dumped on me.
"That reminds me, her mother fell sick so she won't be around Wednesday for your shopping spree."
"It's okay, we can carpool tomorrow." I agree.
****
Am in the bedroom making a shopping list for the kitchen when I hear footsteps walking towards the door. I stop what am doing and try to find a weapon.
The door opens, and I jump in action with my sharpest heel.
"What the fuck!" Quinn's flight or fight response activates as his hands forms fists ready defend himself.
"I thought it was someone else." I say walking back to the bed. "What are you doing here?" I ask once seated.
"This is my apartment I don't need a reason." He relaxes but his gaze never leaves me.
"Where you don't live." I counter interject.
.
He blows out a whiff of breath, "Am here to make sure you are okay. I saw on the news they found a dead man in your apartment."
I try to maintain a straight face as I feign surprise and my eyes drift lazily over my list, "I haven't watched the news so I am not aware." I lie.
He removes his phone and puts it in front of my face. It is the man that attacked me, dead. His head looks like it was crashed by a bulldozer which is strange since Andre only managed to shoot him. "Do you know him?" Quinn asks.
I take a long pause and cross my leg over the other. "No." I precisely shake my head.
"Strange, do you have enemies. People who would want to hurt you?" He pockets his phone.
I shrug, "The ones I have acquired are yours." I briefly state.
"I know the people who are after me, and that man is not one of them." He says with a finality.
"Am just scared." I try to save myself with hunt for sympathy.
When Quinn sighs, I know I have won. "My driver told me, he couldn't find you after school." He sits on the bed.
"My brother drove me here." The lie easily comes out.
"I just saw him in the parking lot drinking." Quinn says.
That gets my attention. Oliver never drinks. I am quick to stand. I should find him. How deep did our father wound him?
"He left. I picked a taxi for him. Did you two fight?"
"Just a disagreement but nothing serious." I absently say.
"About what?" He picks up my list and starts to read it.
Is Quinn interested in my life?
"Our father." I answer and that piques his interest as he puts the list away and stares at me with keen interest.
His silence tells me, he wants I continue. "He said things about him that I did not agree with." I decide to be clinical.
"Don't dismiss him, you have no idea what this fathers do to their kids in the name of preparing them for the future."
"Would you do that to your own kid?" I find myself asking.
"I can never do that to Theo." He says and realises what he just revealed as silence engulfs us.
"Theo!" I slowly spell the name as the dots are connected. The resemblance, the compassion and patience he has for the kid and all of that leaves me shocked. Quinn is a father!
"Yeah, he's my son. Mine and Misha." He confirms.
This night keeps getting better.
"I... " Am speechless.
"The only reason am telling you this, is because for once you have been open with me. However small it is, it is significant." His stare is hard and intimidating.
I swallow and breath out. He thinks telling me why I was fighting with my brother I was open? I barely told him one percent of the reason why.
"Your secret is safe with me." I assure him.
"It maybe a secret, whether you tell or not is your choice and it will only tell the kind of a person you are." He states.
He is very hard to deal with, so I give up. We stay in silence before he stands up announcing he's leaving since am okay.
"Good night" I say.
"You too." He says and hesitates, "Tomorrow wear something nice. I will take you grocery and crockery shopping