old man himself. Forty-two was too long to hide your sexuality. Forty-two was too long to still be controlled by your upbringing. Forty plus years of bathing in misery and dining with anguish. Cayson felt for him, he truly did – but he couldn’t let Joe hold him back from what he deserved.
“He’s still here?!”
The shouted question yanked Cayson out of his thoughts and away from the encouraging rub he was receiving. Joe had finally noticed Quick standing behind Cayson like a bodyguard, equipped with a dark death-bringer in his right hand. He felt Quick tense behind him – like he was ready to act – but he didn’t make a move. He was sure Quick knew tons of moves, but hurting Joe was not an option in Cayson’s mind. He was hoping Quick would stay cool. “I’m calling him a cab. I’ll be upstairs, but I’ll be watching.” Quick had lowered his voice, but surely not low enough that Joe didn’t hear him from only a few feet away.
“Thank you, Rome,” Cayson whispered, almost shyly. He hadn’t had someone dote over him in a long time. It felt good.
Quick moved from behind him, running his big hand along Cayson’s back as he stepped in front of him, his next words specifically for Joe. “You put your hands anywhere on him and you’ll regret it. I promise.”
That was all Quick said, then he was taking the stairs three at a time, his long ponytail swaying slightly with each long stride. Cayson watched until neither Quick, nor the black gun now tucked against the small of his back, were visible.
“A gun!” Joe shrieked. “He has a gun in your house! Did you see that?” Joe was hysterical and still way too fucking loud for midnight. “You hate guns, remember! Guns kill.”
“No. I never said I hated guns. And guns don’t kill people, Joe. Ignorant people with guns kill people. And of course, Rome has a license for that weapon. He’s in law enforcement… sort of.” Cayson didn’t need to give Joe any definitive information about Quick. The less Joe knew, the better, because he and his family had plenty of money and power. He didn’t need them to stir up trouble or make Quick’s life hard.
Joe looked like he was going to burst into flames. Cayson was shocked Joe could turn that damn red. But when Quick was out of sight, Joe changed from wild, to livid, to achingly sorry, too fast for Cayson to keep up. Next thing he knew Joe was sobbing, leaning heavily against the wall next to the closet, his head pressed into his fist. “I can do better, Cayson. I can, if you give me some time. I just need a little more time. I-I can’t come out, but I can do better by you, I promise I can.”
Cayson placed his hand over his chest. This was going to burn both of them. But Cayson knew it was the absolute right thing to do. With his eyes closed, he started speaking slowly and concisely, so there was no mistaking his intentions. “Joseph. I can’t do that. You’ve made lots of promises before, and I don’t think you’ve kept even one. It’s time we both move on. Our season is over, good friend. Our friendship doesn’t have to end. I don’t want it to end, because we still have to work together. But any romance that was between us ends here and now, Joe. I’m sorry. But this is it for us in that capacity.” Cayson shook his head. Damn, even the way he ended their arrangement sounded like a contract being terminated. All technical and no emotion.
Quick
Quick wasn’t even going to pretend he wasn’t listening. He was in full-on guard mode. If Joe acted like he wanted to hurt his sweet doctor, then Quick was going to stick the entire barrel of his pistol in his mouth and make him deep throat it like the pussy he was, then he’d pistol whip him with it. Yep. That was Quick. Fuck with someone he considered important, and a side of him no one wanted to meet came out. A fierce bounty hunter who had trained masterfully in several styles of martial arts since he was a boy. Joe would be absolutely no
“He’s still here?!”
The shouted question yanked Cayson out of his thoughts and away from the encouraging rub he was receiving. Joe had finally noticed Quick standing behind Cayson like a bodyguard, equipped with a dark death-bringer in his right hand. He felt Quick tense behind him – like he was ready to act – but he didn’t make a move. He was sure Quick knew tons of moves, but hurting Joe was not an option in Cayson’s mind. He was hoping Quick would stay cool. “I’m calling him a cab. I’ll be upstairs, but I’ll be watching.” Quick had lowered his voice, but surely not low enough that Joe didn’t hear him from only a few feet away.
“Thank you, Rome,” Cayson whispered, almost shyly. He hadn’t had someone dote over him in a long time. It felt good.
Quick moved from behind him, running his big hand along Cayson’s back as he stepped in front of him, his next words specifically for Joe. “You put your hands anywhere on him and you’ll regret it. I promise.”
That was all Quick said, then he was taking the stairs three at a time, his long ponytail swaying slightly with each long stride. Cayson watched until neither Quick, nor the black gun now tucked against the small of his back, were visible.
“A gun!” Joe shrieked. “He has a gun in your house! Did you see that?” Joe was hysterical and still way too fucking loud for midnight. “You hate guns, remember! Guns kill.”
“No. I never said I hated guns. And guns don’t kill people, Joe. Ignorant people with guns kill people. And of course, Rome has a license for that weapon. He’s in law enforcement… sort of.” Cayson didn’t need to give Joe any definitive information about Quick. The less Joe knew, the better, because he and his family had plenty of money and power. He didn’t need them to stir up trouble or make Quick’s life hard.
Joe looked like he was going to burst into flames. Cayson was shocked Joe could turn that damn red. But when Quick was out of sight, Joe changed from wild, to livid, to achingly sorry, too fast for Cayson to keep up. Next thing he knew Joe was sobbing, leaning heavily against the wall next to the closet, his head pressed into his fist. “I can do better, Cayson. I can, if you give me some time. I just need a little more time. I-I can’t come out, but I can do better by you, I promise I can.”
Cayson placed his hand over his chest. This was going to burn both of them. But Cayson knew it was the absolute right thing to do. With his eyes closed, he started speaking slowly and concisely, so there was no mistaking his intentions. “Joseph. I can’t do that. You’ve made lots of promises before, and I don’t think you’ve kept even one. It’s time we both move on. Our season is over, good friend. Our friendship doesn’t have to end. I don’t want it to end, because we still have to work together. But any romance that was between us ends here and now, Joe. I’m sorry. But this is it for us in that capacity.” Cayson shook his head. Damn, even the way he ended their arrangement sounded like a contract being terminated. All technical and no emotion.
Quick
Quick wasn’t even going to pretend he wasn’t listening. He was in full-on guard mode. If Joe acted like he wanted to hurt his sweet doctor, then Quick was going to stick the entire barrel of his pistol in his mouth and make him deep throat it like the pussy he was, then he’d pistol whip him with it. Yep. That was Quick. Fuck with someone he considered important, and a side of him no one wanted to meet came out. A fierce bounty hunter who had trained masterfully in several styles of martial arts since he was a boy. Joe would be absolutely no
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