Chapter Ten

~ Patrick ~

"Hey, you busy?"

I glanced down at the medical journal in my lap. "Just doing a little reading."

"What about your better half?" Jake asked.

I smiled as I glanced at the man curled up beside me, his eyes intent on the book he was looking at. "He's reading, too."

We'd taken to curling up in bed together to read and keep up on our medical knowledge. We had our state licensing tests coming up soon and we both wanted to make sure we knew all the ins and outs to pass the exams.

"You want to swing by my office for some coffee?"

"Yeah, that would be fine," I replied. "Is everything okay, Jake?"

Zaq glanced up at me.

"Everything is good. Joe just talked to me about that idea you guys passed between you two concerning the on-call doctor gig and I thought we could sit down and talk it over, see if it's something you'd be interested in or if it's even feasible."

"Yeah, okay," I said. "Give us a few minutes to washes our faces and we'll be right over." We also needed to get dressed. Cuddle time had definitely become a naked sport over the last several weeks.

"See you soon."

Jake hung up before I could say more.

"Jake wants us to come down to his office to discuss that on-call doctor thing," I told Zaq. "We need to get dressed."

"I'm against it, but okay."

I lifted an eyebrow. "I thought you were in favor of the on-call doctor thing."

Zaq swung the blankets back and then scooted to the edge of the bed. "I'm against putting on clothes."

When he stood up in all of his naked glory, I knew I was against it too. Granted, we'd need them to go out because no one got to see my husband except me, but I also wanted to punch Jake right in the mouth.

"Come on," Zaq urged. "The quicker we get dressed and go talk to Jake, the quicker we can come back and get naked again."

There was that.

I got out of bed and headed for my dresser. I wasn't working so I went with a simple pair of tan slacks and a white dress shirt. It was warm enough out that I wouldn't need a blazer.

After dressing, I made a quick trip to the bathroom to brush my hair and wash my face. By the time I came out, Zaq was waiting for me. He had dressed similar to me, although his pants were a pair of faded denim jeans.

I absently plucked at his shirt and asked, "Is this okay?"

"It's fine," I replied as I looked him up and down, admiring the way the jeans hugged his thighs. I'd say I was a leg man, but I also liked his ass, his chest, and pretty much every inch of him.

Maybe I was just a Zaq man.

"Got your phone?"

Zaq nodded as he held it up and tilted it from side to side.

"Then let's go."

When we got into the elevator I leaned back against the wall and drew Zaq to me, his back against my front. I couldn't exactly make out with him without giving security a good show, but I could hold him.

"Want to go for a walk in the park when we get back?" I asked.

Zaq smiled back at me, tilting his head until our eyes met. "Depending on how long the meeting goes, we could grab dinner first and then walk it off."

Sounded like a plan to me.

The elevator doors slid open once we reached the ground floor. We were hit with a level of noise when we stepped out that I had never heard in the place before. There was a lot of shouting.

Clearly, someone was not happy.

I placed my hand in the low of Zaq's back and started leading him toward the front door. If someone was throwing that big of a fit, I didn't want Zaq anywhere around them. Security could deal with it.

Unfortunately, as soon as we left the bay of elevators, I recognized the voice shouting at security. I pondered for a moment on whether to just walk on by and pretend that Peter wasn't there, but I didn't want to leave security at the mercy of his shouting.

"I need to deal with this," I whispered to Zaq. "Why don't you go hail us a taxi?"

Zaq shook his head. "We're married now. We face problems together."

"You know how Peter can get," I reminded him "I don't want you to have to deal with that."

My brother could be a complete beast when he was angry. He used his mouth first to get his way and if that didn't work, he used his fists.

Zaq smiled as he stepped in front of me, pressing his hand to my cheek. "Are we married? Yes or no?"

I frowned, my eyebrows instantly snapping together. "Married."

Zaq moved over to stand beside me and then hooked his arm through mine. "Then we deal with it together."

Nothing on earth could have kept the smile that spread across my face from happening. Except for my frat brothers, this was the first time I had ever had someone support me unconditionally.

It was a weird feeling, but very warm.

I moved my arm so that I could grab Zaq's hand, lacing our fingers together, and then I gave it a gentle pat. "Just promise me to get out of the way if Peter starts anything physical."

"I'm not looking to get beat up here, Patrick, but I refuse to let you face this alone."

I guess that was as good as it was going to get.

I clenched my jaw so tight it hurt and then walked with Zaq toward the security desk. I wanted to roll my eyes when I saw Peter yelling at the guard behind the counter. When would he ever learn that he couldn't bully people into submission?

As soon as the guard glanced at me, I rolled my eyes. "If he continues to cause a disturbance, call the cops."

The man looked greatly relieved by my words, the tension in his shoulders fading. "Yes, Mr. Scotton."

I turned my attention to my raging brother. I didn't raise my voice when I spoke—Peter was doing enough of that already—but I did use a firm tone. "Peter."

When Peter whipped around, I was astonished at how haggard he looked. There were deep lines in his face around his eyes and mouth and the color of his skin was almost pasty white.

The man had not aged well.

I leaned down toward Zaq. "Did he look like that when you two were dating?"

"Dating implies that we actually went out and did stuff together," Zaq retorted. "If you're asking if he looked like this when we were together, then the answer is yes."

Damn.

"I think you traded up, baby."

Zaq snorted. "I know I did."

I straightened up and looked back at my brother. "Is there a reason you are causing such a ruckus in the lobby of this building?"

"Patrick!"

Man, he was loud.

Loud enough to bring two more guards from the back. They walked around the security counter, standing at each end as if waiting to jump into action. I hoped there wouldn't be a problem, but this was Peter we were talking about. He created chaos just by breathing.

"Peter, could you just say what you came here to say?" I asked. "I can't stand here all day. I have a meeting to get to."

"They have meetings for convenience store employees?"

Apparently, insults were my brother's fallback.

"They probably do," I replied. "I wouldn't know. I haven't worked at a convenience store in years."

Peter's customary smirk crossed his face. I'd seen it a thousand times when we were growing up. "What? You got promoted to janitor?"

"Can we go?" Zaq asked as he tugged on my arm. "This conversation isn't worth the time its consuming."

"Zaq!"

"Oh, my god, would you stop shouting?" Zaq snapped. "Everyone can hear you."

"Is this where you've been?" Peter snarled. His lips curled back in a scathing glare as he looked Zaq up and down. "Are you sleeping with my brother now? I didn't realize you were such a slut."

I stiffened, my hand clenching into a fist ready to punch him, but Zaq pressed his hand against mine.

"Unlike you, Peter," he stated firmly, "I don't sleep around."

"With the way you're hanging onto Patrick, it sure looks like you do."

I didn't know what to think of the smile that crossed Zaq's face.

"It's perfectly acceptable for me to hang onto my husband." Zaq tightened his grip on me and leaned into my side.

I snickered when Peter's jaw dropped. How he couldn't already know this information was a mystery. Everyone that had attended the wedding knew I'd married Zaq. I was surprised no one had said anything to him, especially our parents.

"You can't be married," Peter snapped. "You're supposed to marry me."

"Are you an idiot?" Zaq asked, putting into words what I was thinking. I knew my brother could be a complete bastard, but I never thought he was this dumb.

Peter's head snapped back and began turning red. "You can't talk to me like that!"

"I can talk to you any damn way I please."

Peter glanced between then two of us for a moment and then he seemed to change right in front of my eyes, becoming less hostile and almost pathetic.

"How could you marry my brother, Zaq?"

"I was going to marry you, Peter," Zaq admitted. "But then you ran off with your mistress to go on the honeymoon that I had planned and paid for. You left me standing at the altar. That means we are no longer getting married. Ever."

"But I'm the one you were engaged to. I'm the one you were supposed to marry. You love me. I know you do. Feelings can't change that quickly."

"I never loved you, Peter," Zaq stated vehemently.

"You did," Peter insisted. "I know you did." He quickly stepped forward and grabbed Zaq's hand, pulling him away from my side. "I know you still love me. Divorce Patrick and we can go get married. It'll be just like it was before."

"You mean when I was miserable?" Zaq shook off Peter's grip and moved close to me once again before letting out a little snort. "No thanks."

Rage mottled Peter's face as he waved a hand at me. "You're going to chose this...this janitor over me?"

Zaq grinned mischievously, sending me a wink. "I like janitors."

I really adored this man and his sense of humor.

"Peter, Zaq has moved on," I told him. "It's time for you to move on as well."

"No, I don't accept that," Peter said quickly. He tapped his finger into his own chest. "He loves me. He's going to marry me."

"Why, Peter?" Zaq asked. "You're not even gay. Why in the hell would you be so insistent that we get married?"

"What does being gay have to do with getting married?" Peter shouted.

I just stared at him.

He couldn't be serious.

"Gee, I don't know." Zaq crossed his arms. "Because I like sex?"

"I don't care who you have sex with," Peter snapped. "That's not the point of marriage."

"Have you lost what little brain cells you have left?" Zaq asked. "Unlike my parents, I actually believe in being faithful to the person I married, which means I will only be having sex with my spouse. That also means my spouse needs to be a man because I'm freaking gay!"

Zaq turned around to face me, tossing his hands up into the air. "Why am I even trying to have this conversation with him?"

Yeah, I had no idea.

"Let's go."

I was all for that.

I grabbed Zaq's hand and started leading him toward the front door. "If he doesn't leave or continues to cause a disturbance," I told security as we passed them, "call the police."

The three guards nodded at the same time, one of them saying, "Yes, Mr. Scotton."

"You can't leave," Peter snarled. "I'm not done talking to you."

I held up my middle finger in a universal sign, telling him to go fuck himself. I was done with this asinine conversation. I wasn't going to give Zaq up for anything, especially not my stupid brother.

Peter could go find someone else to marry.

Zaq was mine.