Page 19 of Cultivating Caden
Chapter 6
Quade strokedhis fingers over Ten’s forehead, grateful when the strange silver eyes fluttered open. “How are you feeling?”
“Hi, Mr. Martin. You look tired.” Ten struggled to sit up, but Quade stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. “You couldn’t sleep again? Do you need me to help you?”
Ten reached for Quade’s temple, but Quade lashed out and gripped his wrist. “What I need is for you to get some rest. What were you thinking, trying to help Caden on your own?”
Ten’s eyes drifted shut. “His dreams were screaming so loud that I couldn’t block them out. They were begging for help. What was I supposed to do?”
“Call Doc. Call me. You don’t risk yourself like that for anyone.”
“But he needed me. I thought he was better after our sessions, but there is so much fear inside him, and it’s crying for help.” He opened his eyes and pinned Quade with a harsh glare. “And isn’t that why I’m here?”
“No, and you know it’s not. You’re here because we care about you. No one, least of all Caden, would want you to hurt yourself no matter what the reason. Promise me you won’t do anything so foolish again.” Ten’s eyes slid shut, but Quade wasn’t having it. “Uh-uh, buddy. You’re not getting out of this one. Promise me you won’t do it again.”
A slight smile played on Ten’s lips. “Okay, but if I promise you, then you need to do something for me too.”
Oh God. Ten was about to drop something on him, Quade was certain. But if it kept him from doing something foolish, then he’d agree. “What do you want me to do?”
“Help Mr. Daniels. If you won’t let me work with him, then you’ve got to.”
Quade reared back in the chair. “Me? I can barely help myself. What the hell makes you think that I can do it for him?”
“I just do. Mr. Daniels is going to be important in your life, just as you’ll be in his.”
He said it with such certainty that it shook Quade. He’d learned long ago that Ten knew things there was no way he should be able to know. His psychic abilities were off-the-chart powerful. The doctors didn’t even understand all the things Ten could do. “How the hell do you know this stuff?”
“Just do.” He yawned. “Can I go back to sleep now?”
Quade wanted to tell him no, that he needed to stay awake and talk, but instead, he stood, leaned down, and kissed Ten’s forehead. It was an oddly touching gesture that Quade would never do for anyone else, but Ten was important.
“Sleep, buddy.”
“Okay.” As Quade turned to leave, Ten called his name.
“What is it?”
Ten yawned. “Don’t beat my butt. I like sitting down.”
Before Quade could say anything, Ten was asleep. Going back to his room was an option, but Quade wouldn’t be able to sleep. If Ten were better, Quade would have allowed him to help. He was always able to quell the anger and rage inside Quade, allowing him to sleep for a few hours. Even though his wolf was still quiet, Quade couldn’t rest. Each time he closed his eyes, he still saw that little girl, heard her screams.
Dammit, that had been years ago. Why was it haunting him now?
Because you almost killed an innocent man. Because you looked into his eyes and you were weak. A lycan would have ripped him open and not given it a second thought.
Quade grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. He wished he had something stronger, but for now the brew would have to do. He chugged one, then opened another and drained it just as quickly. What he wouldn’t give to get so rip-roaring, stinking drunk he couldn’t remember his own damned name.
Why was he still in Sanctuary? The only person he owed was Ten, and that was a debt he could never repay. Of course, if he walked away, would he have to worry about going feral again? Would the next kid he came up against not have anyone to save her?
“Fuck.” He tossed the empty beer bottle into the recycle bin and stormed out into the hallway. He glanced toward Caden’s door, but then turned and went in the other direction. Maybe a hard workout would exhaust him enough to give him two hours of sleep.
By the time he got to the gym, his anger had peaked. He walked up to the punching bag and slammed a fist into it. The satisfyingthumpas he hit the damn thing sent a jolt of desire through him. This was how lycans mated. A knockdown, drag-out, no-holds-barred brawl where the male had to show the female he was worthy of her while she did her best to show him how completely wrong he was. No wonder their population was so sparse. It was a wonder anyone even had sex.
When he had been with Alomir, Quade didn’t need to hold back. Alomir didn’t fight. He lay back, lifted his legs, and let Quade take what he wanted. And he did. Hard, deep, and fast. If Alomir wanted romance, he’d gone home with the wrong guy.
It dawned on him then. He didn’t want to hit the bag. He wanted to fuck. To rut mindlessly. At the thought of getting laid, his wolf perked up. It had been a few years since he’d had more than his left hand for company. He wanted to inhale the scent of a man, to hear him gasp when Quade thrust inside, to make him scream while he was being fucked hard.
Reaching down, Quade palmed his cock. He glanced around the gym, surprised no one was there. Of course, being three in the morning, anyone not insane would be asleep. He wanted to get off, but he wanted more than a jerk-off session. He wanted lips around his cock, needed to be buried balls-deep in someone’s ass.
