The head tailor then nodded his head. "This is good. At least you already told me before I forgo sleep just to make a suit you might not even wear. Please, pray tell, is there something else that you don't want?"
"Nothing else. Thank you, Mr. Fennec."
…
Rowan sunk into the firm seat of the lounge in the boutique. He could see some people entering and leaving as if it was not as dead as it should be in a sleepy city. He figured those people were only coming here to have something of good quality made without the added prestige fees. After all, the prizes on some hats were half the ones Rowan picked up for Scott.
Sitting there waiting made Rowan remember a lot of times when he did the same in the city. Scott had the habit of sending him away to pick up sensitive items himself. However, it was most likely because Scott didn't like his things touched by just about anyone… and that Connie was around.
Those seemingly naïve memories of Rowan made him angry now. Ten years—he chose to delude himself for ten years. The man didn't even just throw him in the streets; Scott even did it after an attempt on his life. Ten years didn't mean anything to a man like that.
"Are you ready to leave?"
Duke's voice punched through the void of memories. Rowan looked up to find the satisfied man and nodded. He didn't have to do anything now but stand around and sit when asked, follow when asked. It was less of a human than when he was with Scott; however, he was not treated like an animal, either. Perhaps it was a bit better.
The next place they drove to was a car shop. Rowan figured Duke sold his car here and hoped to have the replacement ready by then. He wasn't really off the mark, but he didn't realize Duke was going to pull out a thick wad of money from his jacket's inner pocket first.
"This should cover the difference in prices." Duke placed the money on the table, and the agent started counting it. "When can I expect it to be brought here?"
"I'll drive it to your place later at night, Dr. Hall." The agent finished counting and made the machine count it again. "It's such a shame that it didn't arrive on time. Thunderstorms interrupting a whole city grid is a pain in the ass, even for the people in the capital."
"All right. I'll be placing a call when it hasn't come by tomorrow morning." Duke only signed a few papers for the contract of the car sale. Not once did he hesitate or question anything as if everything had been discussed prior to this.
Rowan only watched Duke work on things on his own. He could remember how Scott made him do everything as if he had no more hands. Then again, the Rowan by then had two, so he didn't mind making use of them. This memory made things sour inside Rowan's mouth.
They walked up to meet with the lady again to go home. However, she was on the phone with someone, so Rowan remained quiet. It was Duke, who walked over closer and placed an arm around her shoulders. He listened to the voice of the person on the phone, getting so close to the lady that she blushed a bit.
Then, his devil smile showed. "Trig, as much as I want to help look for your wallet, I need your sister to ferry me back home. Can you wait for her to go home before talking again?"
"Dr. Hall, he was hoping for me to pick him up…"
"Hm, let me ask Rowan." Duke turned to face the man who paid attention because his name was mentioned. "Rowan, do you want to meet Trig again? He owed you for a few things, didn't he?"
Rowan only stared and slowly shook his head. "I'm more concerned about you and him meeting right now. Please don't get in trouble."
Duke laughed and spoke to the phone again. "It looks like I booked your sister first. Don't worry, a few minutes is not that hard to wait for. Locket, if you will…"
"Sorry, Trig. It'll be quick." The lady named Locket sighed. She didn't even say anything much anymore as she dropped the call. Facing Rowan, she didn't need more than her gaze to call him over. After all, time was of the essence for her.
…
Short trips were normal for Rowan, so when they reached home, he just went straight to cooking for dinner. Duke would have gotten them to eat out tonight, but the car would be delivered. Someone had to receive it, and Duke didn't have an attendant. Even if he could just make the agent wait, he figured Rowan would insist on not inconveniencing someone else.
The sounds of sizzling oil conquered the entire kitchen. Rowan was focused on tossing the sesame seeds, so they wouldn't burn. However, he still glanced at the side when Duke entered the kitchen. He smiled at the person. "It'll be done in a few minutes. Are you hungry?"
"Not really." Duke found a stray chair and sat nearby. He then started watching how Rowan cooked. "Don't you have questions for today, Rowan?"
"Mr. Fennec asked me if I knew your colleagues. Can you tell me something about them?" Rowan didn't force it. However, he was going to meet them. As to not make mistakes, he wanted to know a few things prior to the meeting.
Duke only smiled. He didn't say anything, so Rowan only glanced at the man. He then added, "Does knowing them more than I should… make it dangerous for me?"
"No. I just want to know what you think of them without knowing who they are or what they do for a living." Duke chuckled and crossed his legs. "Up until now, you're not having any questions about me. I want to see how they appear to you… as to how they relate to me."
"Duke is mean," Rowan murmured as he paused a little. There was a small pout on his face. Since Duke didn't want to say anything, it meant Rowan would have to be extra careful.
An amused smile curled Duke's lips. "At most, they're all just like Reeva. Do you not like Reeva, Rowan? After all, he was easily angered these days—like a pregnant woman."
Rowan glanced at Duke before curling his lips slightly. "Am I going to meet Mr. Reeva's husband, Duke? Should I mention how you stopped Reeva from taking home food from your table once?"