Sorry it's a little short! Promise the next one will be longer! Let me know what you think!

Chapter 16

Back at the Lane mansion things weren't quite a cosy; Quint entered the house, slamming the door behind him, shuddering the glass in the window panes. He stopped to sniff the air and snarled as he took in all the scents around him. Silently he stalked into the lounge. His father, Dr Lane, was nestled into the sofa, a glass of wine in hand as usual.

"Victoria isn't here?" Quint asked, narrowing his eyes.

"No she isn't," Dr Lane said simply, staring into the open fire.

"Where is she?" Quint snapped, hoping his father had answers.

"I don't know, she's yours to keep track of," Jacob huffed. Quint ignored his fathers quip and licked his tongue nervously across his teeth.

"Security footage showed her leaving mid afternoon, I already checked her old apartment,"

"She's a woman Quint, I think you'll learn they are unpredictable and irrational, I'm sure she will return in due time," Dr Lane said as he sipped at his wine.

"She wouldn't just up and leave like that, something just doesn't feel right," Quint replied, his voice rough and cracking at the edges.

"How do you know? How well do we actually know this girl?" Dr Lane sighed, the dancing flames reflecting in his dead eyes. Quint grunted as headed back towards the front door.

"What are you going to do? Scour the city for her?" Dr Lane called after his son, his only reply was another clapping slam of the door.

"Morning sunshine," Trisha smiled as she poured her semi-skimmed milk on her cheerio's. I dragged my feet into the kitchen and took a seat at her small circular table, I didn't feel hungry at all, I was overcome with a sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach, I think it was dread. Dread of walking into that office.

"Good morning, thanks for the bed last night babe, you are literally the best,"

"I know, and you can stop thanking me, you know I got you," Trisha winked, taking a large spoonful of cereal and shovelling it into her mouth.

"Really don't want to go in today," I moaned, rubbing my itchy tired eyes.

"Oh I know that feeling, bet Dr Lane's got you swamped with the Gala stuff?" She asked I nodded along with her words; the gala was actually the last of my worries. "By the way what are you wearing tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" I questioned, spacing out as I contemplated all the different ways today could play out.

"To the gala? Wow he really is making you work for that rise, you're like a zombie," She laughed, standing from her plush dining chair and stepping towards the sink. She rinsed her bowl out under the tap and placed it in the basin.

"Oh yeah, I don't know," I sighed honestly.

"Such help you are, I don't know whether to wear the black floaty floor length dress, or the red mini, you know the one I wore to Yolanda's wedding," Trisha wondered aloud.

"Definitely the black, the red might be too short," I gave my honest opinion.

"Yeah that's true, plus I put on a bit of weight and it just makes me look like I'm trying to escape the dress if you get what I mean?" Trisha laughed, checking her texts. "By the way Louis asked me to go with him tomorrow…." She said slyly, biting her lip.

"Louis as in head of accounting?" I asked, furrowing my brow.

"Yep," She giggled.

"I thought you said he was a nerd who probably still lives with his mother," I recalled.

"Well it turns out he's a nerd who lives with his mother in his mansion," Trisha giggled, I shook my head as I laughed with her.

"You are so bad,"

"I know," She snorted. She bent down to the tumble dryer located next to the fridge and opened the door peering in.

"I thought we were supposed to be going together? Sisters before Misters remember?" I reminded her with a cheeky smile. My smile faded when I remembered I wasn't to be going with Trisha anyway, I'd already been reserved for the night. That's when it hit me that tomorrow was the gala, just one day until full moon. I was sick a little in my mouth.

"Are you not going with your boyfriend? What is his name by the way, Olivia and Rachael just refer to him as Mr Vicky," Trisha sniggered as she pulled my clothes from the dryer.

"Quint, his name is Quint," I said, my stomach doing flips as his name rolled off my tongue.

"Of course he has a sexy name too," Trisha sighed. "Here we are all nice and fresh out the wash and dryer, best put them on while they're still warm," She smiled as she handed me my bundle of clothes.

Trisha and I climbed out of the yellow cab at the front of the courtyard; we thanked and paid the driver before toddling up the steps towards the building.

"Here's to another day in hell," Trisha sighed as we entered through the revolving doors, my hands shook in my pockets as we neared the elevator.

"Badges," The security guard said monotonously. We both fumbled through our handbags in search of our lanyards and finally presented them; the guard nodded and called the elevator.

"Where's Oliver? I seriously miss him, these guys give me the creeps," I whispered to Trisha as we waited for the elevator to arrive. This morning actually seemed normal for once, except for one thing, Oliver's warm welcoming smile and usual chit chat.

"I don't know, not seen him in for ages, maybe he finally plucked up the courage and got a better paying gig somewhere less Nazi-ish," Trisha mumbled under her breath. The elevator finally arrived and we both stepped in. We each got off at our respectable floors and I made my way to my desk as usual. I liked usual right now, I just wanted everything to be consistent again.

I removed my coat as I neared my desk, but was startled when I found my swizzle chair occupied.

"You're in my seat," I exhaled.

"Where were you yesterday?" Quint interrogated as he heaved himself out of the chair, he was annoyed.

"I stayed at a friends'," I said simply, perching my bum in his warm spot in the chair. I tried to avoid all eye contact with the man, my stomach always knotted when his eyes locked onto mine and I didn't want to ruin my 'normal' morning. Quint grabbed the arms of my chair and spun me around to face him; he leant on the plastic arm rests intimidating, leaning into my face.

"I asked your friends, they had no clue where you were," Quint hissed.

"I sat on Trisha's doorstep until she got home, she had no idea," I defended myself. "Why do you even care? I'm not a child I can stay at a friends and not have to check in with you,"

"You are my responsibility, so yes you do have to check in with me," Quint growled, I shoved on his chest trying to budge him away but he was completely solid.

"Oh fuck off Quint, you may have bought me, but you don't own me, and neither does your fucking father," I spat. Quint's eye twitched as I spoke. "Benedict told me about your fathers breeding plan," Quint's eyes widened, shock masked his face before he smirked, retreating from the chair. He half laughed as he turned away from me, running one hand through his hair; he punched the desk with his other.

"Benedict you sneaky little bastard," Quint hissed to himself, "I'll deal with Benedict later," Quint said turning towards me once more. Deal with him? I didn't have to think very hard to know what that meant. "Victoria I didn't know my father was planning on using you like that," Quint said earnestly.