“Hey, maybe we should invite Duke over tonight,” Cayson said on his way to his car. Quick stopped next to his truck like he was thinking about it.
“Naw. Vaughan will be home sometime tonight. Duke will work in his office until it’s time to pick him up from the airport.”
“Okay, then. It’s just us.”
“I’ll follow you to your place so you can get a few things.”
Cayson rolled his eyes, but got in his car and pulled out of the parking lot with Quick’s dark Range Rover close behind him. His own personal bodyguard.
Quick
Quick tried not to squeeze his steering wheel so hard, but it was taking every breathing exercise he knew to tamp down his rage. How dare that fucker think he could just own Cayson? And where did he get the audacity to put his hands on him? He knew there was more to Cayson’s story, though for some reason he chose not to voice it at the office. But he was going to find out what else happened after he cooled down.
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
A small tilt of his mouth was all he could manage when he thought of the many proverbs his sensei recited when Quick got mad. All of them had made sense. Cayson would trust him with more as soon as Quick had shown he was worthy of it. If all he did was fly off the handle, he’d loose his sweet doctor, and the thought of that hurt already. He was trying to get used to the fact that he may not have to live out his life alone, watching everyone settle down around him. If he reacted like a small-minded cave man, that behavior would push Cayson away. His man wasn’t a fighter – he was a healer. Quick couldn’t start laying men to rest because they posed a threat. As much as he wanted to retaliate, it would serve no purpose.
Quick turned onto Cayson’s street, half expecting to see Joe standing there, but released a relieved breath when he saw no one. Now wasn’t the time to see Joe. Although the man had fired the first shot, Quick would bide his time.
There are two kinds of idiots. Those who don’t act when they’re threatened and those who think they’re acting because they’ve issued a threat.
“Yes, Sensei,” Quick said under his breath before he got out of his truck and caught up to Cayson.
Before he could unlock the door, Quick noticed Cayson’s neighbor was waving to get his attention. He hurried over to her, pasting a bright smile on his face. “Good evening, Mrs. Maven, I hope I didn’t disturb you.”
Quick chuckled when the older women squeezed her paisley house robe in front of her chest when she peered over to get a good look at Cayson’s company. “No, you’re fine. I wanted to tell you a package was delivered for you today that need a signature and since you weren’t home, Davis signed for it for you.”
Quick gritted his teeth when the woman pulled out a long, slender box wrapped in black and silver wrapping.
“Oh, boy,” Cayson said under his breath, making his way over to his fence to get the gift. “Thank you Mrs. Maven, and thank your husband for me, as well. You have a good night.”
“Night, doctor.” She slowly made her way back to her porch, turning the light off after she’d closed herself inside.
“Nice lady,” Quick said when Cayson opened his door.
“She is.” As if it were nothing, Cayson dropped the box on his coffee table in the living room and kept moving, going upstairs. Quick wanted to open it so badly, but knew better. That piece of shit was still buying his man gifts. Cayson made it sound like Joe was giving up by telling them to have a nice life, but it appeared they interpreted that phrase differently. When Cayson came back down with his messenger bag and a small duffle bag that couldn’t contain more than two days’ worth of clothes at the most, he wanted to argue for him to go back up and get more, but held his tongue. Cayson could walk around naked in his house for all he cared, as long as he was with him.
“You going to open it?”
“Nope.”
“You just gonna let it sit there?” Quick leaned against the front door, his arms crossed defensively over his chest.
“I don’t care what it is. It’s not important. A label is still on it. I’m going to drop it at the post office and write return to sender on it.”
Quick didn’t like that idea, but it was Cayson’s choice. He wasn’t one hundred percent convinced that Cayson was over this man. He could think of no reason not to take Cayson at his word. He’d trust him until he gave him a reason not to. He liked that Cayson had changed out of his dress clothes and was wearing a pair of worn jeans and a green polo shirt with the sleeves pulled up. Quick beamed when he saw the watch back on Cayson’s wrist.