You're mine |18+|

Chapter 18

HARLEQUINN POV – right after he dropped her off on campus

Sitting in class, surrounded by the droning of the lecture and the incessant chatter of freshmen, was enough to make my head spin. I focused on my notebook and the array of colorful gel pens spread out before me, trying to block out the distractions. Then, out of nowhere, I felt a touch—a hand slipping between my thighs. I snapped my legs shut, shooting a death stare at the culprit beside me.

"Kai, please, leave me alone. I'm busy," I said firmly, my voice barely concealing my irritation.

He pouted, looking genuinely hurt. "Busy with who? I haven't seen you with anyone. And I miss our little... interactions."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Don't you have a girlfriend now?" I asked, knowing very well about his recent relationship status from social media. He hesitated, avoiding a direct answer. In response, I discreetly pulled out my phone, capturing his disappointed expression and whispered advances on video. I swiftly sent it off to his unsuspecting girlfriend.

Kai's mood shifted as he failed to delete the evidence from my phone. Annoyed, he left the room, and I finally thought I could concentrate on the lecture. But then, my phone wouldn't stop buzzing. Annoyed, I excused myself to answer it in the hallway.

As I answered, my heart warmed at the sound of my mother's voice. "¡Mi niña pequeña! Ven a casa y ve a tu mamá!"

"Mami, how can I come see you when you're hours away? Are you okay?" I asked, concern lacing my words.

Suddenly, the voice on the other end changed—a deeper, more familiar tone. "I brought her to your house. We're waiting in the car for you. Sorry for the surprise, but Mama missed you, sis."

My surprise mingled with a touch of frustration at the unexpected visit. Walking back home, I was puzzled to find Skyler hadn't let them in, keeping them waiting outside in the car. Inside, my car was parked in the driveway—proof that Skyler was home. I searched the house, only to find he was nowhere to be seen—probably out running errands as usual.

My mom joined in my search. "What are we looking for, Quinn?"

"Oh, nothing," I said, quickly diverting her attention as I fetched her a glass of water.

She smirked, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Mhm. Okay, baby. Well, I hope you get your ears checked because it's dead quiet in this house."

Meanwhile, Luke emerged from the bathroom, holding a pair of men's slides, size 12. "Quinn?" he started, handing them over.

I snatched them back, feeling my face flush. "Why are you going through my stuff?"

Luke chuckled, playfully comparing the oversized shoes to my own much smaller ones. "Who's the mystery man living in your house?"

Feeling flustered, I tried to change the subject. "Can we please not talk about this?" I pleaded.

Eventually, they relented, and we settled into catching up. Apparently, Gabriel had taken in his nieces, who were now occupying our old rooms. Both Gabriel and my mom had embraced a more homebound lifestyle over the past six months—a significant adjustment for them both.

~~~

My mom had this brilliant idea for a family dinner—homemade empanadas with aji criollo, a recipe that had us all salivating at the thought. Luke had volunteered to run to the store for ingredients over an hour ago, leaving us in the kitchen to prepare everything.

With Luke taking charge of the aji criollo (arguably the easiest part of the meal), my mom and I tackled the empanadas together. The scent of savory dough and seasoned filling filled the air, making my stomach grumble in anticipation. I couldn't resist the temptation to sneak a taste of the raw dough, but my mom playfully slapped my hand away before I could indulge.