Page 140

Dean jabbed a finger toward the office door. “Alright, out.”

Troy laughed, turning on his heel and walking out of the office before Dean found something to throw at him. His laughter died as he pushed back the curtain to the examination room, stopping when he saw the scowl on Oscar’s face.

“What?” Troy asked.

“What are you out there laughing about?” Oscar asked.

Troy shook his head. “Not you.”

For a moment, he thought about telling Oscar but realized he didn’t want him to know that Dean knew about the two of them. Oscar could be a difficult patient, and Troy didn’t want him freaking out because someone knew his ‘dreaded’ secret.

Troy set the supplies on a tray and got to work. “You know, I have to ask?—”

Oscar watched Troy prep the needle and thread. “What?”

“Why were you there?”

Oscar averted his eyes, clearing his throat. “I was...where?”

“At the club?” Troy asked.

Oscar nodded. “I can’t really drink with the meds, but sometimes I like to go out, see the sights, see people. Sucks being stared at all the time, but it beats hiding away in my apartment all day and night.”

Troy’s curiosity curdled as he felt sympathy for Oscar and anger at those who stared. It was the twenty-first century, for fuck’s sake. Why did people still feel the need to stare at injured or disabled people like it was a modern-day freakshow?

“People should keep their eyes to themselves,” Troy grunted.

“Don’t get in a tizzy over it,” Oscar chided.

“I’m not in a tizzy, and don’t change the subject.”

Oscar shrugged, still not looking him in the eye. “I saw you there. Thought about a dozen different things I could say to you, but instead, I just sat there, like an idiot, and didn’t say anything.”

“So, you were watching me?” Troy asked in amusement.

Oscar looked up, frowning. “Not in a creepy way!”

Troy laughed, patting Oscar’s chest consolingly. “Alright, alright, just in an awkward way.”

Oscar swatted at his hand. “Quit it, you ass. I saw the guy following you around. Kept his eyes on you, but he didn’t look like someone who wanted to fuck you.”

“You would know,” Troy muttered.

“And,” Oscar continued with a glare, “he kept out of your sight. When you bounced out of the club, he kept his eye on you and followed.”

“I didn’t bounce,” Troy huffed.

Oscar winced at the first jab in his brow. “Call it what you want. The guy was following you. No one doing that is up to any good, so I followed.”

Troy squinted, keeping his movements quick and precise. “And here comes my knight in shining armor.”

“Yeah, your one-armed knight who only won because you kneed the man in the balls, and he wasn’t ready for me,” Oscar scoffed.

Troy frowned at the bitterness in Oscar’s voice. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“That thing where you just...dismiss something nice I said. I wouldn’t have been able to knee Erik if you hadn’t surprised him, and even if I could, I wouldn’t have been able to fight him off. He had me at a disadvantage, and I never got the combat training you did. You saved my ass tonight, Oscar, and don’t you dare try to pass that off like it’s nothing.”