“I thought that you’d trust me, considering everything we’ve gone through.”
The sweet thing didn’t even know that he should be the one to be wary of Shane, not the other way around. Rosen watched him with a soft expression, like a puppy unsure whether it was about to be petted or struck.
“It’s… dangerous to trust people. That’s what I’ve learned since I was this fucking little,” Shane said reaching down as far as he could without actually bending over.
Rosen’s mouth stretched into a smile, and he winked. “Is this a life lesson? Are you trying to tell me I should assume everything you say is a lie?”
Yes. You should. You definitely should.
The question left Shane stunned.
He’d gotten attached to the boy, and while the brief relationship he’d started with cruel intentions would end in tears one way or another, he couldn’t bring himself to protect Rosen by pushing him away.
Worse yet, he was no longer sure whether he wanted to go through with his revenge plan either.
When had he gotten so soft?
“I’m not a good guy. I’ve seen some terrible shit. Even my own parents didn’t want to keep me, so why—”
Ros got up and hugged him, pushing his pretty face into the folds of Shane’s T-shirt. “You’ve been amazing to me. You matter to me. My heart’s never pounded so hard and fast. For anyone. All I want is to cuddle, feed you cake, and then fuck your brains out. I can’t explain why, but I don’t really want to overthink it.”
Shane’s exhale trembled, and despite initial hesitation, he slid his arms around Ros and rested his chin on the top of his fluffy head. His chest felt weird, as if his heart were about to die and was frantically trying to knock its way out through bone, but he ignored it and smelled Rosen’s hair. “You remind me of Goofy, this puppy I trained just before getting out.”
“What was he like? Was he a good student?”
Shane snorted. “Yeah. And didn’t treat me any different than he did the lady who supervised us. He slept by my bed and was always so happy to see me.”
“That does sound like me.” Ros sniggered and kissed Shane’s jaw. “You’re gonna keep the dog if he survives, won’t you?”
Shane stilled. He already knew it would cost a lot of money to get the critter back into shape, but to keep him? Care for him as if he were Shane’s own? It was a commitment that he wasn’t sure he was ready for.
“I haven’t decided,” he said, wanting to leave himself a way out.
“We could call him Cerberus, and he’d be guarding your lair.”
Since when was it their dog?
Heat shot to Shane’s head, rendering him speechless for several seconds. “My lair?”
“You know, at the junkyard. Cerberus belonged to the god of the underworld, Hades, and after tonight, I’m pretty sure we’re both going to Hell. We’ll need all the help we can get.”
Shane might’ve known who Ros was speaking of, based on a Disney movie he’d seen as a kid, but he chose to make sure. “The gray guy who hated Hercules?”
Ros laughed and kissed him. “Exactly. He fell in love with the goddess of Spring, Persephone, and stole her away from the life she knew.”
This sounded dangerously close to real life, but Shane still asked, “And that makes you… her?”
“I suppose so.” Ros looked at him with so much affection Shane felt like a speck of dirt, undeserving of this beautiful, good-hearted creature. “There was a rule in myths about having to come back to a place if you ate anything from there, and so she ate some pomegranate to give herself that option. I guess I’m doomed to always come back to you, because I’ve willingly tasted you and liked every bit of it.”
Shane felt hot. Then cold. Then hot again.
He pulled at the front of Ros’s T-shirt and kissed him, leaning close as strange sensations danced all over his body, driving away every bad thought.
Screw it.
He’d find a different way to get back at Ed Beck, but he would let Rosen cherish him and give the same back.
And he’d get the goddamn dog.
Chapter 10 – Shane
Shane never particularly liked Thanksgiving. For him, it was the holiday of eating a whole supermarket pie on his own after breaking into a house that had been left empty for the holiday. A friend’s family had invited him once, and that had been a fantastic night until Shane had been caught helping himself to some precious family heirloom he didn’t even remember anymore.
He and Frank had only spent one fall in each other’s company. Back then, his friend hadn’t been big on celebrating, but now that his nephew stayed with them, Frank’s big bear heart longed for a massive meal and a fun time for everyone. Despite laughing at him openly, Shane did look forward to the prospect of having special food with friends. Even if he’d be forced to endure a whole evening with Jag at the table.