An Inner Darkness Book 5 Bay City paranormal

of the boys.”

    Janine shut her eyes. She looked tired and worried. For the first time ever, Sam felt a pang of real empathy for her. If only she could meet them halfway, accept that he and Bo just wanted to keep the boys safe, they could work out the rest.

    Her eyes opened. For a second, they stared straight into Sam’s. He held her gaze, wishing he could bring himself to make some sort of overture of friendship, or at least compromise. But his cheek still burned, and his pride wouldn’t let him do anything more than keep his insults to himself. “Look, Bo, I know you think you’re doing the right thing. That’s the only reason I’m not pressing charges.” Janine turned a hard gaze to Bo. “But I’m taking the boys with me.
    If you try to stop me, I’ll have to call the police.” www.samhainpublishing.com 71
Ally Blue
    Bo drew a deep, shaking breath. One hand crept up to clasp Sam’s where it rested on his shoulder. “Take them to Rita’s, then. Or to Lee’s sister, she lives in town, right? Just don’t take them to your house. Please. It isn’t safe.” Her mouth thinned into a stubborn line. “I think I can decide for myself what is and isn’t safe for my children. Now are you going to get them, or should I do it?” Pushing Sam’s arm off, Bo took a step toward Janine. “Fine. But just remember, I’m not the one who’s been trying to sabotage your relationship with our sons all these months. I’m not the one who’s deliberately tried to keep you away from them every chance I got. I have to wonder what a judge would say about all the times you’ve tried to take the boys when it’s my weekend.”
    A grimacing smile twisted Janine’s lips. “I wonder what a judge would say about a parent whose lover tries to convince his child that he has some sort of supernatural power. Wonder whose visitation might be taken away in that scenario?” The threat was clear. Sam couldn’t see Bo’s face, but he could practically smell the raw fury pouring from the other man. Bo’s hands clenched into fists at his side. For one terrible second, Sam thought Bo was going to punch Janine in the face. When he turned away and stalked off toward the boys’ room instead, Sam breathed a silent sigh of relief.
    He wondered if Janine had any idea how close she’d just come to getting a black eye.
“He’s upset for no reason. The kids will be fine.” Sam turned toward Janine, keeping his expression carefully neutral. “They’d better be.” Her lips tightened. “Believe it or not, I want to keep my children safe just as much as Bo does.”
Sure you do. Bitch.
He didn’t say it. Name-calling couldn’t possibly help matters.
    Forcing back the part of him which wanted to verbally cut Janine to ribbons, Sam took a deep breath and tried to explain his point of view rationally. “I don’t doubt you have their best interest at heart, and neither does Bo. But they won’t be safe if you take 72
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An Inner Darkness
them back to your house. None of you will be, not as long as Adrian’s there. Not until he learns to control what he can do.” “My son is not a freak.”
    “No, he’s not. What he is, is a kid who has an ability he has no idea how to cope with.” Sam glanced toward the hallway, where Sean’s sleepy voice protested getting up so early, then turned back to Janine. “I can help him. I can teach him to control his gifts.

    Please let me do that.”

    She let out a harsh laugh, and Sam knew he hadn’t gotten through to her. He hadn’t expected to, really, but nothing ventured nothing gained, as the saying went.
    “We both know you have nothing of value to offer my child.” She glared up at him, her knuckles white where she clutched the strap of her purse. “I can’t do anything about you being with Bo. But if I ever hear about you putting these ridiculous ideas into Adrian’s head, I will call my lawyer and have Bo’s visitation revoked. Am I clear?” Sam gave her a cold smile which he knew did nothing to hide the pure loathing in his eyes. “Crystal.”
    “Good.” She turned, a genuine smile lighting her face as Bo emerged into the living room with both boys dragging half-asleep behind him. “Hey, sweeties. I’m sorry to have to wake you so early, but Mommy’s got to get to work early. Rita’s going to come pick you both up at my office and take you to school when it’s time.”
    “I can’t go to school,” Adrian said, sounding exactly like his