Page 31 of Psychopath

“Spontaneous?”

“He bought me the watch when I was having a rough time. Months ago, I was struggling to get this study together; I kept getting rejected. Long nights, lots of bargaining, and begging. I was stressed and snappy. I got home in a horrible mood, and he—he changed that. He’d tidied the house, had dinner set out for me with candles, and then he gave me the watch. It was the perfect night.”

“Damon…the douchebag.”

A chill wrapped around Quinn’s spine, and he pressed himself into his chair. “I never told you his name.”

Zane shook the watch. “It’s written on the back. Along with a quote.”

Quinn dragged his hand down his face and huffed. “Yeah, course it is.”

“Well, it all sounds very romantic.”

“It is.”

“Sadly, for you, you’re wrong.”

“What?”

“I love you more than the moon and stars,” Zane read from the back.

Quinn let the words wash over him. His heart hurt.

“How disgustingly cliché…”

Quinn made a grab for the watch, but Zane moved out of the way quickly.

“What’s wrong with that?” Quinn hissed.

“You think it’s romantic. That’s what’s wrong.”

“It’s sweet, meaningful—”

“To you. Not to him. He doesn’t care for the moon or stars. He just knows you do. They mean nothing to him; those grand words mean nothing to him. Just as you mean nothing. If you did, he would’ve got you a watch that complemented your eyes and a strap the same brown as your hair.”

“Stop it—”

“A spontaneous gift can also be one of guilt. I reckon he bought you this after he started his affair. Got it engraved with those oh-so-romantic words to keep you blind to what he was doing behind your back.”

“Him cheating was a one-off.”

Zane rolled his eyes. “You disappoint me, Doctor Quinn.”

“Damon bought the watch months ago—”

“Exactly. No doubt he’s been at it behind your back for all that time. And I’d bet the man he had the affair with has olive-green eyes and darker brown hair than yours.”

Quinn stood up fast, and his chair clattered to the ground. He braced his hands on the table, panting hard as he tried to scrape his control back together. He could not lose it. The study, his career in the field, depended on him staying professional and keeping his private life separate.

Zane’s slumped in his chair. “Look, you needed to hear it.”

“You have no idea what I need.” He held his hand out for the watch. “Give it back.”

Zane dropped it in Quinn’s hand. “It’s scary breaking a habit, but if you don’t break it…it’ll end up breaking you.”

Zane got to his feet and left the office without a backwards glance. Quinn tightened his fist around the watch and threw himself down in his chair. He stared at the scattered papers on his desk and resisted tearing them to shreds. He had worked too hard, and sacrificed too much for his study, and he wasn’t going to let Zane Black push him over the edge.

“Zane again?” Cleo asked from the doorway.

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