An Inner Darkness Book 5 Bay City paranormal

show on the outside.” Bo’s lips curved into a humorless smile. “You know better than probably anyone else how difficult Adrian can be when he sets his mind to it, and he makes things even worse for Lee than he does for you. You don’t see it like I do, since you don’t go with me to pick up the boys at Janine’s and take them back again, but it’s true.”
    A familiar resentment swelled in Sam’s chest. “I’d go with you if she’d let me.” Even though he wasn’t particularly anxious to spend more time with Janine, it still rankled that she ended up throwing Sam off her property every time he tried to go over there with Bo.

    “I know you would.” Bo’s fingers wove through Sam’s. “And I know it seems like Lee isn’t trying, but he is, really. He just needs more time.” “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Sam glanced at the group around the table. Sean was laughing with his friends, cake crumbs clinging to his chin and a smear of blue icing www.samhainpublishing.com 7

    Ally Blue

    decorating his cheek. Adrian stood a little apart from the rest, silent and glowering, his arms crossed over his chest like a shield. “He looks exactly like you—hell, he is exactly like you in most ways—but he reminds me so much of myself at that age. I just wish he’d let me help him.” Sam wasn’t certain how to help Adrian, or what exactly he wanted to help him with.

    All he knew was that he couldn’t bear to see a child looking as alone and out of place as he himself had once been, and he wanted to make it better if he could.
    Bo squeezed Sam’s hand. “You’re a good man, Sam. The boys and I are lucky to have you in our lives. One day, Adrian will realize that.” “I hope you’re right. I don’t want him to hate me forever. It’s too damn hard on all of us.”
“I’m right. You’ll see.” Smiling, Bo tugged Sam toward the birthday crowd. “Come on. Sean’ll be ready to open presents soon.”
    Sam let himself be led back into the thick of the party. For a second, Adrian’s gaze met his. He smiled at him. Adrian held Sam’s gaze for a heartbeat before turning away.

    It wasn’t exactly a declaration of undying affection, but it was as close as Adrian had ever come to being friendly to Sam. Right now, that was good enough for him.

    ***
    After the cake was eaten and all the presents opened and exclaimed over, Sean and his friends decided to go outside and play on the jungle gym in the backyard of the converted mansion where Sam and Bo’s apartment was located. Watching the gang of youngsters from the back porch swing, Sam thanked his lucky stars once again that he and Bo had been able to stay in the same building when they switched apartments back in April. With only one bedroom, Sam’s old place had been too small to accommodate the boys when they came for their every-other-weekend visits with their father, but neither Sam nor Bo had wanted to leave the lovely old house. The large, shady backyard with the jungle gym and playhouse was only one of the reasons they wanted to stay. The vacancy 8
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An Inner Darkness
on the third floor had come at the perfect time, and they’d snapped it up the minute the building’s owner informed them it was available.
    Sam drew a deep breath of fragrant autumn air. The mid-October day was warm and sunny and the yard rang with laughter. Away from Janine’s accusing gaze, he felt lazy and content.
    He looked up when the back door squeaked open. Adrian stormed out and kicked the door shut with a bang that shook the walls. He stomped across the porch and stood at the top of the steps with both small fists clenched tight, glaring at the back fence as if it had done something horrible to him. He didn’t seem to have noticed Sam sitting in the swing in the shadows at the edge of the porch.
    Sam didn’t much like trying to talk to Adrian when he was like this, and he knew Adrian wasn’t any more fond of it than he was. But the longer he sat there and said nothing, the angrier Adrian would be when he found out Sam had been sitting there watching him all along.
    Here goes nothing. Sam cleared his throat. “Adrian?” The boy’s head whipped around, sending a hank of his overlong black bangs flying into his eyes. His face twisted into a scowl when he spotted Sam. Lips pressed into an angry line, he shoved his hair out of his face and started toward the back door again.
    Acting on pure instinct, Sam stood and took a step toward