“Colin—” Joshua began, but Colin cut him off.
“No, Josh! I’m going to talk to this asshole. And I’m going to do it tomorrow.”
Chapter 11
Come to Jesus
The following morning when Joshua awoke, Colin was still asleep beside him. Enticed by the sight of his naked shoulder, he snuggled against him pressing kiss after kiss to Colin’s bare skin and was rewarded with the feeling of Colin’s arms sliding around him.
“Shouldn’t you be at work already? Or at least getting ready?”
“Going in later,” Colin murmured in a sleepy voice, then leaned away from their embrace and pressed a kiss to Joshua’s forehead. “I’m driving you to work.”
Joshua husked out a frustrated breath, which drew a soft laugh from his husband. “Bitch all you want,” Colin muttered, turning to climb out of bed. “It won’t change a thing.
After breakfast Colin drove them to the clinic, but instead of dropping Joshua off, he parked the car and unfastened his seatbelt. “I take it you’re coming in,” Joshua said.
“You take it right,” Colin told him. “C’mon. I want to talk to your boss.”
“Oh lord god,” Joshua moaned as Colin took his hand. “Now, Colin, please be nice.”
“Always my intention,” Colin replied, leading Joshua to the building and into Miranda Estavira’s office.
She glanced up from her desk as they entered.
“Alensworth accosted Josh in the parking lot yesterday,” Colin told her.
“Oh my god!” Miranda cried as she leapt to her feet. “Josh, are you all right?”
“I’m fine, Miranda. He did a bit of pushing and yelling but there was no real violence.”
“Yet,” Colin snapped. “I’m not taking a goddamned thing for granted when it comes to this guy! He’s dangerous! He’s drawn a bead on my husband, and I won’t fucking stand for it!”
“Colin, none of us will stand for it,” Miranda replied. “What do you suggest?”
“I want you both to come downtown with me right now and fill out statements with city police so that my office can file a restraining order.”
“Is there anything more we can do?”
“Not unless he physically assaults Josh. But he’s threatened violence, and between that and the bullet, I’m not willing to let it go on any longer without some kind of official pushback.”
Miranda stood. “I’ll follow you down to city hall,” she said. “Josh can ride back with me.”
Colin nodded, then pointed to his husband. “He does not leave this building without protection! If I can’t get here, I’ll send a cop.” His upper lip drew back over his teeth, and he hissed in frustrated anger. “Not that it’ll do any good. If Alensworth stormed this place with a gun, there’s not much here that could stop him.” He wheeled to Joshua. “Baby, I wish you’d stay home!”
Joshua reached to take Colin’s hand. “Colin, be sensible. If Dale wanted to get to me, being at home wouldn’t stop him. And you said yourself that he’s only making threat gestures.” He tightened his hold on Colin’s hand. “I’ll lock my office door.”
“I’ve seen your office door, Josh!” Colin grumbled. “A determined five-year-old could defeat that lock.”
“Be that as it may, I’mnotstaying home,” Joshua stated, his voice flat and unwavering. “I won’t be forced into hiding. I have patients who count on me.”
“I’ll see about putting a better lock on Joshua’s door,” Miranda offered.
Colin sighed and walked to the window where he stopped and stared out in silence. Miranda shot Joshua a swift, questioning look, but his only response was a tight shake of his head.
“And Iamgoing to see Alensworth today,” Colin muttered finally.
“Colin!” Joshua blurted out, surging to his feet.
