Hatched

Chapter Thirty-One

July 2nd, 2021

0230 hours

Robyn woke with a start, legs tangled in her soft sheets. Lightning flashed brightly as a storm raged outside. She could feel the earth tremble beneath her as the thunder rolled over the surge covered beaches. She snuggled back into her pillow, thinking her reason for waking was just the storm. A soft, tinkling of glass jerked her out of her comforted funk and her feet hit the floor, the wood smooth under her steady feet. Her fingers fumbled for the lamp and turned the switch, but she quickly realized the lights must be out. Engulfed in darkness, Robyn gingerly picked up the baseball bat she kept near her bed and crept steadily toward her open bedroom door. The door across from hers was open, and a slight glance inside revealed no unusual activity. She thought she heard muffled footsteps coming from the direction of the kitchen.

Her heart pounded so hard in her chest she could hear it, and as lightning flashed, she briefly saw the outline of someone standing in front of her sink.

She crept closer, bat raised, waiting for the moment to strike. Nature, however, had different plans. Simultaneously, she brought the bat down toward her target's head as light flooded the kitchen and her intruder spun around.

She screamed, her grip loosening on the bat as a strong, muscled arm flew up and met her swing midair.

"Oh, my God, Quinn!" She squawked awkwardly, voice hoarse from too much wind, water, and sea salt. "What the hell?"

Arms raised protectively, he looked back apologetically. "I'm sorry, Robyn. I couldn't sleep at that pathetic excuse for a hotel."

"Well, dammit Quinn, you could have called! Or knocked for Christ sake!" She was still screaming, chest heaving and clinging on to the wall behind her for support.

"The lights were out." He said simply. "Naturally, so were the phone lines."

"Knock much?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. You must not have been able to hear me over the storm."

Her breathing was still ragged but began to slow. "Oh." She said, still gripping the wall behind her.

"What, pray tell, were you going to do with that?" He pointed at the discarded bat, lips quirking in amusement.

His playfulness angered her. "Conk you over the head with it." She growled, more animal than human at the moment, with her fight or flight response heavily activated.

"You, conk me on the head, with a bat?" Quinn fought to keep in a laugh, and her eyes narrowed, peeved he was enjoying her discombobulation.

"Yes. I use to play softball, as I'm sure you know, since you did a background check on me."

"I'm sorry for startling you," he said "but I am glad I wasn't greeted by your twelve gauge instead."

Now in the light, after her heart quit pounding and her vision cleared, she looked at him. The fog in her mind dispersed enough that she remembered how upset she was with him.

"What do you want?" She growled, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest.

"Have I done something to offend you?" Quinn replied, leaning back against the counter.

"More like to disappoint." Robyn hissed waspishly.

Quinn narrowed his eyes at her. "This is about earlier."

"Yes." Robyn chewed on her lower lip. "You had sex with her, didn't you?"

He nodded slowly. "Why would that bother you?"