An Inner Darkness Book 5 Bay City paranormal

Chapter One
    “Happy birthday, dear Sean, happy birthday to you.” The song ended and the group burst into applause as Sean Broussard blew out the nine candles on his cake. He grinned, big hazel eyes shining at his family and friends gathered around the kitchen table.

    Sam Raintree watched with a smile. The boy’s obvious joy made the effort of being civil to his mother worthwhile.

    As if he’d sensed Sam’s thoughts, Sean’s father, Dr. Bo Broussard, turned and met Sam’s gaze. Sam gave his lover a wide grin. Bo grinned back before turning to cut his son’s cake.

    “Give Sam a corner, Dad,” Sean instructed. “He likes lots of icing.”
    “I know.” Bo arched an eyebrow at Sam. “Sam has very strange tastes sometimes.” From somewhere to his right, Sam heard a faint snort. He glanced over at Janine, Sean’s mother, who was standing a few feet away wearing the big fake smile she’d had plastered on her face ever since she and her boyfriend, Lee Rogers, had arrived. Her gaze met Sam’s, and her smile faltered. For a second, hatred blazed in her eyes. Then she turned away, the corners of her mouth hitching up again as her bland mask slipped back into place.
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Ally Blue
    Sam swallowed a sigh. She was trying, for Sean’s sake, just as they all were. He knew she was. But her feelings were crystal clear. She hated Sam just as much now as she had when she’d first learned he was the reason Bo had left her.
    When he thought about it, Sam supposed it was a minor miracle that the three of them had managed to be in the same room for almost an hour already without one insult being hurled at anyone. Of course, it might’ve been a different story if they hadn’t all promised Sean an argument-free birthday party with his whole family and all his friends together.
    Sam smiled to himself. Only Sean could sweet talk people who hated each other into spending an afternoon together without fighting. Bo held out a plate with an icing-laden corner slice on it. “Here, Sam.” Moving to Bo’s side, Sam took the plate and picked up a red plastic fork from the pile beside the cake. “Thanks.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “So far, so good, huh?”
    “Yes, thankfully.” Bo handed two plates to his oldest son, eleven-year-old Adrian, who stood silent and sullen beside his father. “Take these to your mom and Lee, okay?” Adrian gave him a baleful look, but did as he was told. Sam watched as he handed Janine and Lee their cake. Janine’s smile morphed into a more genuine one, though the expression in her eyes was guarded. She thanked Adrian and patted his head, which Sam knew Adrian detested. Lee took his plate with a muttered thanks. His expression was tight, his discomfort with Adrian clear. Even after six months with Janine, he always seemed to wear that look around Adrian, and it hurt Sam’s heart to see it.
    His own relationship with Adrian had never been easy, but he had to give himself credit for the effort he’d put into getting along with the child. Lee never seemed to try very hard, at least as far as Sam could see, and Janine didn’t even seem to care. Adrian was a smart boy, every bit as intelligent and observant as his father. He must’ve felt Lee’s uneasiness around him, and his mother’s apathy toward that fact. He was already struggling to come to terms with his parents’ divorce, his father’s homosexuality, and 6
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An Inner Darkness
having Sam in his life. How hard must it be for him to live with a stranger who didn’t like him on top of everything else?
Bo’s hand on the small of his back brought him out of his thoughts. He blinked and focused on Bo’s face. “Sorry, was I zoning out?”
    “Yes.” Bo took Sam’s arm and steered him into the open kitchen on the other side of their small apartment. “Is everything all right?” That was their secret code for “what’s Janine done now?” Nodding, Sam set his untouched cake on the counter. “Everything’s fine.” Bo didn’t look convinced. “What were you thinking about?”
    “Nothing.”
“Sam.”
“Really, it was nothing.”
    Bo crossed his arms and leveled an “I know better” look at Sam. Sam sighed. “Okay, I was thinking about Adrian. He’s having such a hard time adjusting to everything. I just wish Lee would make more of effort with him, and I really wish Janine would at least pretend she gives a damn.”
    “She does. It just doesn’t always