Chapter Eleven
~ Patrick ~
"That was very weird."
"It was," I replied. "I've never seen Peter so adamant about something." I just didn't quite understand why he was so insistent that he and Zaq get married, especially when he'd been the one to run off with a woman, leaving Zaq basically at the altar.
"I don't get it. He clearly likes women. Why was he so insistent that we get married? He didn't seem to care at all if I slept around as long as we were married."
I shook his head in wonder that Zaq and I were thinking along the same lines. "I don't know, but you're right. It was weird."
"Maybe you could call your parents and ask them? Maybe Peter said something to them."
"Peter doesn't talk to my parents about stuff like that. He only ever wants them to see him in a good light so he doesn't lose his golden child status. He'd never discuss his problems with them."
"I don't like the idea of Peter knowing where we live, especially with him being so weird like that."
I gently squeezed Zaq's hand. "Our building is very secure. He can't get to you." I'd kill my brother before I allowed him to harm a hair on Zaq's head.
"I can't spend my every waking moment at home, Patrick. I have to go for groceries and stuff."
"Would you feel better with a bodyguard?"
Zaq peeked up at me. "Can we afford something like that?"
"Not for the long term, but for a little while we can." I'd take out a loan or borrow the money if I needed it.
Zaq grimaced and rubbed his sternum as if he had indigestion. "Do you really think I need a bodyguard? Peter has never been violent before. Do you think he will be now?"
How to explain this without freaking Zaq out anymore than he already was?
"Peter has never been violent with you." I would be eternally grateful for that. "But there have been times in the past where he has blacked out with rage and beaten someone that pissed him off."
I took Zaq's hand between mine, absently rubbing my thumb over his skin. "I'm not saying that's going to happen now, but it has in the past. I'd rather not take any chances with your safety. Until we can be sure that Peter is gone, I'd like to have someone watching over you."
Zaq swallowed tightly before nodding. "Yeah, okay."
I hated scaring him like this, but something was off with my brother. Always had been. Peter didn't like losing his possessions and I was terrified that that was exactly how he saw Zaq, as a possession.
Fortunately, I knew just the man to talk to about this.
By the time we pulled up in front of Jake's building, a plan was already beginning to form in my head. I wasn't positive it was feasible, but I was going to try and make it happen.
"That is a really tall building," Zaq said as he climbed out and looked up at all the dark glass, concrete, and steel.
"Jake bought it a few years back and had it retrofitted to fit his company's needs," I replied. "I've only been here once before back when it was under construction. It'll be interesting to see what Jake has done with it."
We walked into the building and checked in with the lobby receptionist before heading toward the bay of elevators.
There was a little more activity than I would have expected for an office building, but Jake had his fingers in a lot of different pies.
Each business venture needed its own space to operate.
Jake's personal assistant was waiting for us when we reached his floor. She smiled and waved her hand down the hallway. "Good afternoon, Mr. Scotton. Mr. D'Amato is waiting for you in his office."
"Thank you, Stella," I replied. "Zaq, this is Stella Dumont, Jake's personal assistant. Stella, this is my husband, Zaq Scotton."
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Scotton."
Zaq smiled at her. "How do you do?"
Stella just smiled at Zaq and gestured down the hallway. I knew it wasn't because she didn't like him or anything like that. She was just trying to be professional.
When we reached Jake's office, Stella knocked and then opened the door. She stepped inside and held the door open for me and Zaq.
Jake immediately stood and started out way, holding out his hand to us. "Patty, Zaq, thanks for coming."
"Thanks for asking us, Jake," I said as I shook the man's hand. As we walked farther into the office, I noticed that Jake was not the only one here. There were four other men that I didn't recognize.
One stood fairly tall with lush brown hair and a trimmed beard. The man sitting next to him had the prettiest sea foam green eyes I'd ever seen.
Next to them were two more men sitting close together. An auburn haired man and one that, well, he was brightly colored from his white slacks and multi-colored shirt right down to his deep red fingernails.
When Stella closed the door, Fred and another man stepped in front of it as if to block the way so no one else could enter the room. Two more were standing at attention near the windows.
That was a little nerve-wracking.
"Jake?"
"Patty, Zaq, I'd like to introduce you to Angus and Spencer King and Alejandro and Delancy Díaz."
"Alejandro?" I knew that name. "I haven't seen you since we were at the university. What have you been up to, man?"
I hadn't seen Alejandro since his dickhead grandfather showed up to school unannounced, caught him in a compromising position with another guy, and dragged him away.
Alejandro got up to shake my hand. "A little of this and a little of that. How about you? Did you ever finish medical school?"
"I did." I grabbed Zaq's hand and pulled him forward to stand at my side. "Baby, Alejandro is one of my old frat brothers."
I had no idea who the other men were.
Zaq shook Alejandro's hand. "It's nice to meet you."
"You look..." Alejandro's eyes cut to me, the man raising one of his eyebrows.
I gave him a small nod.
"I look...?" Zaq queried with a small head tilt.
"Are you in the medical field as well?" Alejandro asked, quickly diverting the conversation.
"I'm a nurse," Zaq admitted. It was the first time I had really heard him say it with such pride. Usually, he said it and then waited to be made fun of.
Alejandro pointed to the man beside him. "This is my husband, Delancy."
I nodded to the man.
"This is Angus King and his husband Spencer," Jake said. "In your line of work you might have heard of King's husband under a different name. Dr. Spencer Matisse."
My eyebrows lifted quickly in surprise. "I have actually heard of him." I frowned as I looked at the brightly colored man. "I expected him to be taller." And less colorful.
The man snorted. "At least you didn't ask me if I was old enough to be a doctor."
My frown deepened. "Are you old enough?"
He looked pretty young.
Zaq let out a small chuckle when Spencer's eyes rolled. Apparently, he found the man's attitude amusing. I kind of did, too, but I wasn't going to admit that.
"Sit, sit." Jake gestured to the small seating area before taking one of the lone chairs. "I asked Spencer here because of his experience in the medical field."
Made sense.
"Joe will be joining us in a few minutes," Jake explained. "He had a couple of phone calls to make. Lucas might be dropping by as well if he can get out of his meeting early."
I nodded my understanding. "Joe had mentioned to me when we met up a few months ago, that there might be a need for an on-call doctor. We never discussed any specifics, just that there might be a need."
"When Jake mentioned the idea to us," King said, "we felt there was some merit.
An on-call doctor is needed by a lot of us due to the nature of our businesses.
Having the money we do, it tends to put us in danger.
Having someone we could call day or night would be beneficial to all of us, but it needs to be someone we can trust and have complete confidence in. "
I glanced between King and Alejandro and then over to Jake. "What am I missing?"
"King runs Queens."
Ah. That explains it.
"Alejandro is running Brooklyn," Jake said simply. "Granted, he is in the process of trying to move most of his business to the legal side of things, but as it stands now, it wouldn't be a good idea for us to go running to a mobster's doctor husband every time we sneeze."
My jaw dropped as I slowly panned to Alejandro. "I thought you wanted out of that line of work."
"I do," Alejandro stated, "which is why I am trying to take things legal, but it's a slow process and I still have people I have to report to."
"Alejandro recently opened a security firm," Jake continued. "His company does everything from training bodyguards to security for your home, office, and vehicle. It seems to have been pretty lucrative so far."
"And I hope it stays that way," Alejandro said, "or Spain is going to be very upset with me."
"I'm feeling very lost right now," Zaq stated. "I only understand about half of what you are saying."
I pressed my lips thin for a moment before saying, "Alejandro is mafia, Zaq. He runs Brooklyn."
"No, I figured that part out," Zaq replied quickly. "I'm confused about the whole going straight thing. Can you do that in the mafia?"
"Yes and no," Alejandro said. "My superiors don't really care how they get their money as long as they get it.
If I can find legitimate ways to send them money, then I don't have to worry about them coming for me or the police arresting me.
" He smiled at the man at his side. "I'd rather spend my golden years with Delancy than behind bars. "
I could see the appeal there.
I glanced at King. "Your husband is a doctor. Why not just use him as your on-call doctor?"
"While I am licensed to practice medicine in several states," Spencer began, "it's not always convenient for me to treat people. I can in an emergency, and have, but its hit and miss."
"So, it's not convenient for Spencer to treat people because of your line of work?" Zaq asked.