An Inner Darkness Book 5 Bay City paranormal

he felt he’d do almost anything to protect Adrian. How much harder must it be www.samhainpublishing.com 117
    Ally Blue
for Bo to listen to his child beg him for something he couldn’t give, no matter how much he wanted to?
    Winding both arms around Adrian’s tense little body, Bo hugged him tight, resting his cheek against Adrian’s hair. “I’ll talk to your mother, okay?” Adrian nodded. He sniffed deeply, some of the tightness easing from his back and shoulders. “Can we go now?”
    “Okay.” Bo pushed Adrian gently back to look him in the eye. “You get your things together while Sam and I take down the equipment.” Adrian jumped up, his relief clear in his face, and fished a duffle bag from beneath his bed. While he went to his dresser and started pulling out clothes, Bo and Sam set to work taking down the cameras.
    Sam watched Bo from the corner of his eye as they worked. Bo’s shoulders were hunched, his face gray and lined with worry. He looked as heartsick as Sam knew he felt.

    Sam wanted nothing more than to hold him, caress the tautness from his back and kiss away his anxiety.

    When Adrian ran across the hall to get his toothbrush and change back into his clothes, Sam saw his chance. He dropped the cord he’d been holding on the desk, went to Bo and folded him in a tight embrace.

    With a soft, distressed sound, Bo leaned into Sam’s arms, clinging as if Sam were the only thing keeping him attached to the earth. “Fuck, Sam, I’m so scared.”

    “I know.” Sam turned his head and pressed a soft kiss to Bo’s temple. “I’ll keep working with him. Tonight, and tomorrow morning, and as often after that as I can.
    Maybe we can sneak him over to our place for a couple of hours after school sometimes.”
“Maybe so.” Bo lifted his head to meet Sam’s gaze. “It isn’t enough.”
    “No. But it’s all we have.” Sam leaned his forehead against Bo’s. “I don’t guess there’s any way you can actually talk Janine into letting him stay with us.” Bo let out a bitter laugh. “No way in hell. I’ll try, but it won’t work. I just hope Adrian doesn’t tell her why he wants to live with us now.”
    “He’s a smart boy. He knows telling his mom’ll just make things worse.” 118
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An Inner Darkness
    Bo didn’t answer. Molding one hand to Sam’s cheek, Bo brought their mouths together in a soft kiss. Sam shut his eyes and let himself relax into it. The warmth of Bo’s lips against his soothed his jangled nerves, and he knew Bo felt the same.

    The sound of footsteps and soft conversation mounted the stairs. Sam and Bo drew apart just as Andre, David and Lee appeared in the doorway. “So what happened?” David asked, darting a curious look around the room. “Andre and Cecile both felt some serious vibes from up here.” Bo shot a swift glance at Lee, who looked pale and shaky. “Adrian almost opened a portal. By accident, of course. Sam stopped it.” Lee went chalk white. He leaned against the doorframe. “Christ.” Frowning, Andre crossed his arms over his stomach. “I was afraid you were going to say that.”
    “So you felt it?” Sam asked, securing his arm around Bo’s waist.
“Cecile and I both did, yeah.”
David gestured toward the two cameras and their associated cords on the desk. “Are y’all done, then?”
    “Yes.” Bo’s hand crept around Sam’s back, fingers digging into his hipbone. “Lee, Sam and I are taking Adrian home with us, for tonight at least.”
    Lee nodded, his shell-shocked expression not changing a bit. “I think that’s a good idea.”
“Dad?” Adrian slipped through the crowd in his room to Bo’s side. He’d changed into jeans, sneakers and an Auburn Tigers sweatshirt. “I’m ready to go. My bag’s in the hall.”
    Bo smiled down at him. “All right. Give us a little while to get everything put away.” Adrian nodded, but Sam could read his fear in the set of his shoulders. Getting Adrian out of the room right now would be a good idea. Sam didn’t want a repeat of what had happened a few minutes ago. Things might not end as well this time.
    He was really interested in the investigative process before. Maybe that could distract him while we finish breaking down. www.samhainpublishing.com 119
Ally Blue
    Sam laid a hand on Adrian’s shoulder. “Hey, why don’t you and I head on downstairs? You can help us put away the other equipment, and while we do that I can show you how we use those