Chapter 94: A Rainy Heart To Heart

Layla's Bedroom, The Quinn Residence, The Backwoods, Temperance, South Dakota...

 The pelting of the rain had continued against the roof of the old yellow house that had been a staple of Layla Quinn's childhood for as long as she could remember but the realization that it had merely been a figment of a false childhood and symbol of her captivity had finally set in, still, she held on to the better memories that had come along with the house, like meeting Brick, who had been snoring rather deeply beside her after their latest romp. She had never met a man like him before, despite his being older, she'd truly felt loved and comfortable when she'd been in his arms. 

He had been the first person to make her feel safe in a very long time and now she'd known the uncomfortable truth as to why that was. Layla let out a small sigh as she rested her head against Brick's bare chest, marveling at his many well-toned muscles and the fact that his strong heartbeat still matched hers even when sleeping. 

Looking back, she supposed that she should have been grateful for the fact that she wasn't at all related to the likes of Jarrett Quinn or the ditsy blonde he'd shacked up with and claimed to have been her mother, the more she thought of it, the more it dawned on her that neither one of them had been parents, especially not very good ones to her or anyone else for that matter. 

Having little else to do aside from ponder in the darkness, Layla found herself questioning her own identity when it came to everything else, but one thing she had not questioned was her love for Brick Kenneally and his love for her in return. In the whole grand scheme of messed up things that had been her life, meeting and loving Brick had been the only thing that made sense. 

As if he had sensed her contemplation in the dark, Brick began to stir and found himself looking into her sorrowful blue eyes as he reached up and wiped away a tear that had been slowly cascading down her supple pale cheek. 

"How ya doin' little lady?" he asked his deep baritone drawl more than enough to amuse Layla and delight her at the same time. 

"About the same as a few hours ago...maybe a bit better in the long run," she replied evenly. "I still can't believe that my entire life has been a lie." 

"Well, ain't much we can do about Jarrett and the blonde lying to ya all these years but everything else had been fashioned after your own heart and desires...your friends are still your friends, your beautiful looks despite the hair dye, are still yours and you already know I'm still yours no matter what you choose to call yourself from here on out," said Brick looking her right in the eye. 

"Thank you..." she said near tears once more. "I don't know what I'd be doing if I didn't have you with me during all this."

"Ain't no big deal...besides I still get to keep my woman," replied Brick with a cocky smirk. 

Layla shook her head and sighed. 

"Still it's an adjustment to be called Sara instead of Layla and to find out that I'm actually twenty, instead of sixteen."

"To be fair the age thing works for me either way, You're just completely legal now instead of barely legal," remarked Brick with a smirk once more. 

Layla rolled her eyes and hit Brick in the chest with a pillow before he caught it and wrestled with her along her bed. Their display concluded with him pinning her back first against the mattress as he once more towered above her with her wrists pinned above her head. She'd been panting and still so beautiful with her long brown locks wild and her blue eyes shimmering with need and gratitude alike. 

Brick couldn't resist kissing her as he held her in place and she returned it with just as much heat and passion. 

"So..." said Brick when he pulled back and met Layla's eyes once more. 

"So," she replied unsure of what he'd been about to say. 

"Since you found out that you are the injured party in my case, I suppose you'd want to be there when we deliver retribution..." said Brick although he had dreaded what she'd say in reply. 

Layla took a few moments to ponder this as her expression became blank and all manner of play had been gone from her in that moment. 

"You're damn right I do," she said with a determined fire behind her blue eyes that Brick had never seen unless it had to do with their mutual understanding. "That bastard stole my life and I want to be there when you tell him he's spending the rest of his behind bars."

"It might not come to that," said Brick honestly. 

"I want to be there either way," said Layla even more determined as she met Brick's gaze. "He owes me that much."

Brick nodded as he rolled off Layla and once more found himself on his preferred side of the bed. He stared up at the ceiling contemplating how best to handle this situation with Jarrett, normally he'd been all for stringing the bastard up or tearing out his throat but despite his heinous crimes, he was the man that Layla had known as her father and when the time came he wasn't so sure that Jarrett wouldn't put up a fight to the bitter end, snakes had never been more dangerous than when they'd been cornered and despite this he had offered to take Layla along, either to talk some sense into the old bastard or allow her to see justice done truly.

A comfortable silence had fallen between Brick and Layla as she slowly moved to rest her head against Brick's bare chest once more the sound of rain and thunder continued outside of the old yellow house where a little girl named Sara Downes became Layla Quinn under the watchful eyes of the bastard known as Jarrett Quinn.