Promises 2 (27 page)

Cayson

While he silently helped Quick clean up the dinner dishes, Cayson resisted the urge to touch the slightly inflamed skin around his neck. If Quick hadn’t been so upset, he would’ve seen how turned on Cayson was by his strength. He got a little nervous when Quick was breathing and counting, and all the while, his hand was squeezing tighter and tighter around his throat, but he was able to reach him through it all. His voice, his touch had calmed him. He knew he’d needed to tell Quick the whole truth about what happened in his office, he just hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. Quick acted like… like he lo—

“How about we get started?” Quick clapped his hands loudly, breaking Cayson from his thoughts. Quick wiped the last of the moisture off the kitchen island and hung the dishtowel over the handle.

Cayson swallowed nervously. He hoped he didn’t make a fool of himself. He was semi-coordinated, which sounded silly since he was a surgeon. He could perform a successful bladder cystectomy, but he feared he couldn’t execute a proper chokehold.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. I’m not gonna show you anything difficult.”

Cayson had changed into a pair of his alma mater’s sweats and a white wife beater. As Quick pushed a few pieces of furniture out of the way, Cayson couldn’t help but admire that amazing physique. The tight muscle shirt left nothing to his imagination. Quick’s arms were thick and defined, like two over-ripe grapefruits covered with tattooed skin. His legs like goddamn tree trunks under his loose basketball shorts. Cayson was hardly containing his drool when a hard fist pounded on the front door a couple seconds before it opened.

“Knock, knock!” Cayson heard Duke’s deep voice, then saw his handsome face peeking through the crack of the front door. He stepped in, pulling his own set of keys from the door. “Well, what’s about to go on in here that you had to move the fuckin’ furniture, dude?” Duke laughed. He was in a great mood, if his broad smile and teasing were any clue, and Cayson had a feeling it was the beautiful man coming in the door behind him who was the cause for his jovial temperament.

“Hey, Pops.” Vaughan moved around Duke, rolling his eyes. He and Quick embraced, their love and wonderful relationship easily visible. Cayson realized how much he missed his dad when he saw what those two had.

“Vaughan. You look tired, Son. How was work?”

Tired? The man looked like a superstar in his designer suit. Did he really just get off a plane? Just because his tie was loosened at his neck and his shirt was a little wrinkled, Cayson would hardly say the guy looked worn. And Duke’s hungry, dark eyes ate him up, no matter which way Vaughan moved. Cayson gave the young attorney a warm smile and he got a nice one and an even warmer hug back in return.

“Doctor. Duke was filling me in on the way home from the airport, and I insisted he bring me over. I can’t believe you have a stalker ex.” Vaughan looked genuinely concerned, and Cayson was glad they cared. Glad anyone cared.

Quick looked at Duke, annoyed. “You have the biggest fuckin’ mouth, man. Didn’t I say leave him out of this?”

Duke took off his skullcap and threw it, along with his coat, over the arm of the couch like they were staying a while. “He asked what’s been going on. What was I supposed to do… lie?”

“No.”

“No,” Vaughan and Quick said, at the same time.

“Not lie. Just omit some things. Big mouth.”

Duke shrugged, not caring what his best friend was beefing about. Instead, Duke ignored Quick’s tirade and pointed at the large, open space they’d made in the living room. “Um, again. Do I wanna know?”

“I was going to show Cays a few submissive moves.” Quick pushed his recliner back next, flicking off Duke when his friend started to laugh. “Don’t laugh at him,” Quick barked.

Duke straightened and retorted, “I wasn’t.” And sent Quick his own stern glare. After a while, Duke kicked off his shoes and rolled up the sleeves of his thermal. “Well, let’s show him some moves, black belt.” Duke winked, standing boldly in the middle of the room.

“It’s been a while since you sparred, Duke, you sure you wanna dance with me? And Vaughan has a black belt.” Quick tilted his head in Vaughan’s direction. “I’m way higher than that.”

“You make him sound like he’s in a beginner’s karate class, babe. My dad’s an eighth degree black belt.”

“Whose side are you on, prodigal son?” Duke frowned.

Cayson laughed, looking quizzically back and forth between the three of them. Eighth degree. What did that mean? It sounded badass, honestly.

“What’s an eighth degree mean?” Cayson sat on the edge of the coffee table while Quick and Duke did some slow stretches.

Vaughan took off his suit jacket and settled into the couch like he was preparing for a good show. “It’s an amazing accomplishment, Doc. Just like you being a surgeon.”

“Not quite,” Quick put in, looking a little uncomfortable at Vaughan’s reference.

“You studied for years, trained for even longer. Yes, it’s exactly like that.” Vaughan looked so thoughtful when he spoke of his father. “It’s practically unheard of in this day. Not many are disciplined enough to receive that degree belt. It takes a lot more than fancy moves.”

“Now that your cheering squad is in place. You ready to do this?” Duke grumbled, taking a wide stance, his hands up in front of his face.

“Wait. As your doctor, Duke; I think I may have to disagree with this level of activity.” Cayson stood, holding his hands out like he was the referee.

Duke gasped, feigning offense. “Seriously. Does no one have any faith in me? I’m not over the hill.”

“Just shy a few years.” Quick chuckled, but Duke wasn’t seeing the humor.

“You know what, shut up. Come on, we should take this seriously.” Vaughan chastised them both.

“You’re right, son. Cayson, come over here and show us how he had you pinned. We’ll go from there.”

Cayson knew he was beet red. How was he going to reenact his humiliation? Joe was a punk bitch, and yet he’d gotten the best of him. Suddenly he was feeling too self-conscious in front of these well-trained fighters. He thought this was going to be a very private lesson, eventually ending with both of them sweating and grabbing on each other until it turned hot enough to take to the bedroom. Quick and Duke looked so serious. Vaughan stood up and placed a supportive hand on Cayson’s shoulder. “My dad and Duke are the best at what they do. You can trust them. You can trust us. We’re not here to make light of your situation. I really wanted to know you both were okay.” Vaughan’s light eyes were so much like his father’s. He even squinted like him when he was concentrating on something. He didn’t realize until it was too late that Vaughan was staring at the reddening around his neck. Cayson clutched his throat, looking back at Quick.

Quick stood directly behind Cayson and moved one of his hands away from his throat. He kissed his palm and turned him so they were face to face. His tone was low and only for him to hear. “I hope you’re not embarrassed.”

“No.” Cayson put his hands down and lifted his chin higher. “I’m not embarrassed at all.”

Vaughan continued as if everything was normal. If Cayson didn’t want to elaborate, that was his business. The gorgeous man went back to talking up his father. “He’ll protect you with everything he has, but wouldn’t you like to be able to protect yourself, too? Now, using me, please show us exactly what he did.”

Cayson was always shocked when Vaughan spoke. No man in his early thirties should be that mature. He’d still been hiding behind textbooks at that age. Vaughan was so much like his father. So in control and in charge. Cayson found himself doing exactly what he was told, by not only the father, but by his son, too. The moves he repeated became easy and the lesson very educational.

“If he comes at you again, he won’t be expecting you to defend yourself. Attackers usually go after the unsuspecting, vulnerable types. Surprise is going to be a big advantage for you next time,” Vaughan said, getting back into his original position. Duke and Quick had taken a step back and let Vaughan handle the lesson, since Cayson looked more comfortable working with him. Every now and then, they’d add a note here and there, or reposition Cayson’s arms.

The next lesson was recovery moves, for use if he was grabbed from behind or around the neck. Vaughan showed him how to gain air and a couple attacks that could startle an assailant. The knuckle punch to the temple was harder than it looked, but the collarbone jab was easier to execute in that position. Next were frontal attacks, defense, and offensive maneuvers.

Vaughan was starting to sweat, so he unbuttoned his dress shirt, keeping his white t-shirt on. “Again,” he barked, sounding like a real martial arts instructor. Vaughan stunned Cayson by quickly grabbing him from behind before he could get into position. Putting his forearm across his windpipe, and cutting off his air, his other hand wrapped over the top of his skull. He remembered he only had a few seconds before the body started to panic and demand air, causing a person to forget their training.

“Think, Cays,” Quick yelled, cutting through his fear.

Cayson stopped uselessly digging at Vaughan’s corded forearm and turned his head so that his Adam’s apple was in the crook of Vaughan’s elbow, that’s where the air was. He sucked in a much-needed breath. “Good, Doc. Now get him off you,” Duke added, circling around for a better angle to view what Cayson was trying to do.

  By the time his three-and-a-half-hour lesson was over, he was drenched and sore. “Holy hell. How can you handle all that? Fighting is so strenuous. So taxing on the body.”

Duke stripped off his damp thermal and went to grab an extra t-shirt out of Quick’s laundry room. “I hope this is clean,” he quipped, slinging it over his head, sniffing the pits after he did.

“You can go home shirtless,” Quick teased his friend.

“That’s fine with me.” Vaughan winked.

Duke blushed, and Cayson found their relationship cute as hell. There was no other phrase to describe it. Quick looked like he wanted to puke when Vaughan smiled deviously at his father as he inched closer to Duke.

“I love you,” Vaughan said sweetly, gazing into Duke’s midnight eyes.

“I love you, too,” Duke replied, leaning down to kiss Vaughan slowly.

“Yeah, yeah, everybody loves everybody,” Quick murmured, rolling his eyes. Cayson shot him a disbelieving look, but then he remembered that Vaughan was Quick’s son, so… yeah, maybe it was a little weird.

“Stop being a hater,” Duke said to his best friend, turning to give Vaughan his full attention. “I want you to show me that move you did on the floor earlier as soon as we get in bed.”

“Okay! Out! Lesson’s over!” Quick jumped up out of his recliner, almost knocking Cayson off the arm, pointing at the door. “Right now. Good fuckin’ night. One more word out your mouth, Duke, and I swear to god.”

Duke was being shoved towards the door, hardly able to get his coat on because he was laughing so hard. “I was joking, Rome.”

“Well joke your ass up out of my house and take your boy toy with you.” Quick shoved Vaughan, too, and Cayson thought he hadn’t seen anything that funny in a long time. It was so obvious they goaded Quick, knowing he hated to see them getting mushy, yet he fell for it every time.

“I’m glad you two are together,” Vaughan yelled over his shoulder. Cayson stood beside Quick and waved at them, leaning into Quick’s strong side, until Duke’s taillights were at the end of his court.

“I would’ve told them thanks for the lesson if I had the chance.”

Quick closed his front door and locked the deadbolt. “Yeah. Too bad they had to leave so suddenly.”

Cayson was elated. He felt so good. Felt like he had real friends.

“Let’s go to bed. We’ll put the furniture back in the morning.”

“Sounds good.”

Quick hit the light switch and held out his hand, both of them climbing the stairs a little slower than normal. “Actually a hot bath sounds better… then bed.”

“Now you’re talkin’.”

Quick

When Duke and Vaughan had busted through his front door, his first thought was, he needed to set some new ground rules. He never used his key at Duke’s house since he and Vaughan had been a couple, unless he knew they weren’t home. He needed the same courtesy, because if he wanted to bend his sexy man over his couch and take him right then and there, he wasn’t going to be worrying about anyone walking in on them.