Saturday's Series Spotlight: In Darkness by Alice Winters

Hidden in Darkness #1
Summary:
When Felix is hired to take care of a recently blinded man, he thinks his life might finally be turning around. It has to be better than where he came from, but he has no idea what he’s signed up for. Lane is depressed, rude, and difficult to be around. It doesn’t help that Felix is clearly not qualified for the job, especially since he can’t even make oatmeal right. But Felix is trying to make his life better, so he’ll put up with the man even if it requires some unconventional methods. Felix’s humor soon pulls Lane out of his depression, and Felix feels like things are finally going right in his life.

That is, until he’s attacked by someone who wants to keep Lane quiet. It’s clear that Lane isn’t who he’s pretending to be, and Felix should probably walk away. But Felix has finally found a place where he belongs and he’s willing to go to great lengths to stay by Lane’s side. Even if it involves kidnapping, stealing, and Felix’s overwhelmingly bad ideas, Felix will do just about anything because Lane is there for him unlike anyone else has ever been. Felix might be out of his element, but one thing he is sure about is that he doesn’t want to leave Lane… even if it costs him his life.

Hidden in Darkness is 90k words of snark, car chases, and morally questionable choices.

*Newly edited with an updated cover.

A Light in the Darkness #2
Summary:
Felix and Lane are trying out their new normal. Normal means no more car chases, no more drug lords, and definitely no more kidnapping bad guys. All of that is a thing of the past in this new, normal(ish) life style filled with family get-togethers, torturous jogs through the park, and the occasional romp in the parking lot. Felix is done stealing (all but for the cat). He is actually enjoying the boring side of life, especially with Lane by his side doing what he does best: looking handsome. But when Felix’s brother wants to repair their relationship, he brings with him a secret that could cost all of them their lives. Lane isn’t complaining because the thrills of life-threatening situations are right up his alley. They may think they have a handle on the situation, but what they do not know is that someone has been working them from the shadows. Forcing them to do exactly what he wants as he drives them closer to his sick game of life and death.

Join Felix and Lane in a race against time, their only weapons being their humor and their wit.

Deception in Darkness #3

Summary:

Felix and Lane are struggling with just how boring a “normal” life is, so when they get a chance to jump into action, they do so without a second thought—especially since they’re offered a lot of money. The request is simple: find a way to retrieve a watch from police custody. But things are never as easy as they seem. Suddenly, they’re caught in the middle of a family feud that could turn deadly. But no matter what, through kidnappings, car chases, and cooking mishaps, Felix knows that as long as Lane is by his side, they will find a way to set things right.

Deception in Darkness is 100k words of snark, stripping gone horribly wrong, and true love. Oh, and Felix steals another animal. Of course he does.

Dancing in Darkness #3.5

Summary:

Ever since Antonio began working as a dancer at Frank’s club, he’s been trying to get Frank’s attention. To others, Frank might not be the ultimate catch, but to Antonio, he’s the man of his dreams. The problem is, Frank has already turned Antonio down out of fear for Antonio’s safety following an abduction and near-death experience. But Antonio is not ready to give up. He is determined to win him over on Valentine’s Day, no matter what he has to do. Even if it requires some unusual help from his friends, Felix and Lane. Nothing is too far for Antonio, not even a botched kidnapping.

Dancing in Darkness is a 20k-word novella featuring true love, abductions gone wrong, and a family that may be a bit too extreme.

This novella takes place after the events of In Darkness 3.

Hidden in Darkness #1
Original Review November Book of the Month 2019:
A couple of weeks ago I went into one of the M/M book recommendation groups on Facebook and asked for 2 different type of books and Alice Winters' In Darkness series was rec'd for both of them coupled with follow bloggers that I have always valued their opinions on recs have talked great things about her work, I knew it was time I gave her a try.  What took me so long to do so I'll never know because her writing is great.  Character chemistry, humor, danger, romance, heart - it's all here.  Hidden in Darkness is A-Freakin'-Mazing!!!

On the surface Lane is  . . . well to be ladylike, a jerk but he has reason to behave the way he does having been recently blinded after a lifetime of sight can't be an easy thing to adjust to especially as we learn more about his occupation and the things he did.  Felix is a smarta . . . well once again to be ladylike😉, brash, cocky, cheeky - you get the picture.  Together they are a perfect fit, they are exactly what the other needs even if they both fight it, the chemistry is instantaneous.  Having said all that I still wanted to whack their heads together many, many times😉😉.

As I said above I was asking for recs on Facebook and one of the recs was a Nick and Nora Charles-like chemistry, well Felix and Lane definitely have that.  Their bickering banter is hilarious, their differing detecting styles is dangerously effective, and their lust-filled attraction is explosive.  Put these all together and Felix and Lane are highly addictive.

Now the other rec I asked for was caregiving and though Felix's approach to Lane is a bit unorthodox at times it fits with Lane's personality and Felix takes his job seriously, even if it doesn't always appear so.  It is the unorthodox moments that you realize Felix isn't only helping Lane and putting up with his crap but he's also trying to teach Lane that being blind isn't the end of living.  It may take a while and Lane may fight it every step of the way but before you know it he is trying to prove to others that he can still be useful all the while never losing that snarky spark that brought him and Felix together.

Now whether the bad guys and life in general allows the pair to continue forward is something you will have to read for yourself and trust me you will definitely want to read their journey.  Hidden in Darkness is only the beginning of Lane and Felix' story and as much as I want to jump right in to the next installment unfortunately I'll have to wait until after the holidays but it will definitely be one of the first things I read once my Christmas 2019 reading list is done.  As I said before, this is my first Alice Winters story but it won't be my last.

A Light in the Darkness #2
Felix and Lane just keep getting better and better.  From navigating their ongoing love, the drama of Felix's brother, the the complete awesomeness of Lane's family, Felix's penchant for finding trouble, and of course their wicked banter there is absolutely nothing to not love.

It is characters and stories like Felix and Lane that I've come to classify as "snark and cuddle".  By snark and cuddle I mean they pull no punches in their banter and dialogue but you never doubt for even a split second that it comes 150% from the heart.  They appear to fight and get on each other's nerves but it's done with such deliberate tones of love that it's just a part of who they are, without the banter the love wouldn't be there.  To some people it comes across as mean and spiteful but as someone who grew up in a household with that kind of banter(on a much smaller scale of course) I can spot it a mile away which is why I loved these two men from the very beginning.

As for Felix's brother, well the less I say about him is probably better because Darius is the kind of character you have to experience to understand.  Don't get me wrong, I wanted to hate him, I wanted Felix to get Lane to "work his magic" but I couldn't help but feel there was more going on then what the author was letting us see and boy was there more going on!  That's it! No more in that department you'll get from me other than: when you thought it was over it is so not done. #sorrynotsorry😉😉

I had been hearing great things about Alice Winters' work from friends who's opinions mattered to me and I respected but I never took the plunge until this past November when book 1 came up in 2 different posts I made in a FB rec group.  I absolutely LOVED IT!!!!  Because of the holiday I only read book 1 but 2 & 3 were at the top of my 2020 list.  Now I'm off to read book 3, can't wait to see what's next for Felix and Lane.

Deception in Darkness #3
I probably should have just written an overall series review because though I read book 1 back in November for my Caregiver Month 2019 post, I read books 2, 3, & 3.5 back-to-back-to-back now. However, I wrote them up individually so don't be surprised if some of what I've said previously shows up again.

On to Deception in Darkness.

Felix and Lane are brilliantly snarky and cuddly as always.  They are perfect together and by "perfect" I mean completely imperfect with brutal honesty, zinger and one-liner filled banter that to the outsider may seem mean and spiteful but to those of us who get Felix and Lane we know it's all done from a place of compassion, friendship, and respect fueled 150% by love.  I understand how that kind of relationship isn't for everyone and why some might see it as mean and spiteful but as I said previously my parents have a similar zinger-filled banter relationship(on a smaller scale without the danger addiction😉😉) and they'll be celebrating their 50th in October so when I see that kind of relationship in books I get it and find it completely heartwarming to know that others out there have experienced it too.

As for the danger I mentioned above, well I don't know who is more heavily addicted: Felix or Lane?  They both have a penchant for trouble, Felix is probably more of a magnet for it, Lane may not go looking for it but he certainly doesn't shy away from it when it presents itself.  Just one of the many reasons why they are perfectly matched.

I'm not going to say any more specifics to Deception's plot or the situations the guys find themselves in but I will add that not a single character is extra, page-filler, or unnecessary because each and everyone plays a part.  New and old, each makes their mark and earns their spot in the In Darkness series.

Whether there is more to come in Felix and Lane's journey I don't know but I will definitely welcome any of their adventures for years to come.  More or not, this will definitely be going on my re-read/listen list.  The blending of humor, romance, heat, danger, and adventure makes this one I'll never tire of visiting.

Dancing in Darkness #3.5

After finishing Deception in Darkness(#3) I found there was a short novella about Antonio and Frank and it was evening of February 13th so I figured what better way to start my Valentine's Day than reading Dancing in Darkness, a Valentine's Day short.

I instantly fell in love with Felix and Lane last November when I first dived into Hidden in Darkness but with Deception I also found myself falling head over heels in love with the friendship between Felix and Antonio.  So it's a bit grudgingly friendship on Antonio's part at first but their banter is nearly as delightful as Felix and Lane's, definitely a bromance in the making.  So even though Dancing is Antonio and Frank's Valentine story, Felix and Lane(more heavily Felix) play a part.

Flirting(badly at times😉😉), mix-ups, family, friends, tons of banter, and Alice Winters has created a great little gem worthy of her In Darkness stamp.  Just want to add that one of the things I love most about this series' characters, from Felix & Lane to Antonio & Frank to Cal to Lane's family to Felix's brother and even the bad guys, the physical characteristics are real they aren't the cookie cutter Hollywood type of perfection.  To me it's their realistic physicalities that actually make them perfect because to me "perfect" is imperfection and this is what makes this novella and series as a whole really pop for me.

RATING:

Hidden in Darkness by Alice Winters
Prologue
Lane
I know I have to run.

I know I have to get away.

But I can’t. I can barely move.

My hand hits my leg, and I’m shocked by how close it is. I jerk my hand back as everything compresses around me until I feel like I can’t breathe, but I can’t let the darkness take me. Not yet. 

I know that I have to move. 

There’s noise outside the room. I can hear it, but it’s getting farther and farther away from me. Desperately, I grip onto the noise since it’s the only thing that feels real at this moment. 

Calm down, Lane. This is what you’re trained to do. 

Is it? Am I trained for situations like this? Situations where I have been thrown into the darkness, where the walls collapse down tight on top of me until I can’t breathe? It’s almost bad enough that I can forget the throbbing that is consuming every inch of my body. 

My hand is shaking as I strain my fingers in an attempt to reach down and touch my leg. My pants are wet, but I could have figured that out without even touching them. My wrist aches against the restraint, so I give in, letting myself rest at a more comfortable angle. 

I need help. I need medical attention. 

I need to get out. 

I need to live. 

The duct tape around my wrist is wet, slick with blood. I pull on it as the bruises scream, but I can’t stop because I don’t know when he’ll come back. 

Five hours? 

Five minutes? 

Five seconds? 

I need to get out.

Straining, I twist and pull my left arm as the tape bunches. The struggling is causing the blood to run against the tape until it begins to slide. My aching hand screams as I twist and pull until I feel it start to give. I pull it free and slump down in the chair. 

Now just one more hand. 

I feel like I’m going to pass out, and for a moment, I have to focus on staying alert. 

My fingers are shaking as I reach over until my hand bumps into the arm of the chair. This one is tight against the chair instead of loose like the other. The tape on this wrist is dry, so I run my fingers over it until I feel a slight catch. I can’t tell if it’s a ripple in the tape or the end of it, but I begin to dig at it with my fingernails. Each bump of my left hand against my right makes it ache. My hand feels like it’s broken, but I don’t think it is. All I know is that each tug of the tape makes me want to scream, so I grit my teeth and pull. I even my breath, breathing in for three seconds, breathing out for three seconds. 

I can’t pass out. 

My hand goes around and around, tugging and pulling at the tape, but I can’t tell how much is left. I can’t tell if I’m close to the end or still at the beginning.

I can’t tell anything in this dark world. 

The tape pulls free, and I can’t help the smile that touches my face. 

I’m free! 

For now. 

Instead of tossing the tape to the ground, I set it against my bleeding leg and begin to wrap it around the wound. I pull it tight and have to grit my teeth as I keep it pressed against the wound. I wind it again and again as heat begins to consume my body, telling me that I’m close to passing out. 

I can’t… not yet. 

I tuck the end of the tape in, praying it’ll stay. Slumping against the chair, I feel nauseous as sweat soaks my shirt. I have to waste a precious moment regaining my composure until I feel prepared to make my escape. If I make a single mistake, this will be over. I won’t get a second chance. 

It doesn’t matter how much pain I’m in, I know that if I don’t make it out of here now, I will die. 

Using my one good arm and the arm of the chair, I push myself to my feet, favoring my left leg. I know where the door is; it’s in front of me. But I can’t remember how far away. 

Four feet?

Six feet?

It feels like a mile as I take my first step. My weight comes down on my leg, and I nearly fall to the ground, but I manage to steady myself. When I hit the door, I am elated. I have made it this far. I can make it. I can do this. 

I set my hand against the cool metal door and slide it to the edge until I feel where the door meets the doorframe. Then I run my hand down until I hit the doorknob. Desperately, I grab onto it and pull. 

It gives easily in my hand, making me want to grin at their mistake, but I can’t get the grimace off my face. 

They’re not afraid of me escaping. 

How far can a blind man go?

I’ll show them how fucking far I can go. 

I step out into the hallway as I try to remember the path I was taken in through. Back when my world wasn’t consumed by darkness. 

There were stairs. I remember the stairs that I was dragged down; now I just have to find them. With my good hand against the wall, I begin to walk. Each step as painful as the last. It feels like the world is closing in on me as the darkness consumes me. 

There could be a man directly in front of me, and I would never see him until I am on him. They could be laughing at me as I drag my body through the hall, praying for stairs I am not sure I will ever find. 

My hand touches a door and I debate opening it, but even if there is a gun sitting right inside, I can’t do anything with it. I am useless now. 

No, I am not useless. I can get out of here. 

My hand slides forward, dropping as the wall falls away. I don’t realize how much weight I had been pressing against it until I am falling forward. Desperately, I reach out, hoping to catch myself, but the moment my right hand hits, my wrist gives, and I slam down onto the stairs. 

I dig the nails of my left hand into the step as I lie against them. 

Well… I found the stairs. 

I grab onto the next step and pull myself up, first placing one knee, and then the next as I crawl up them. I know I need to get to my feet, but I’m not sure I can. Carefully, I slide each hand forward, feeling my path as I edge up each step. 

When my hand doesn’t reach another step, I stretch it out, feeling the path before me until I hit a wall. I slide my hand along it until I find a doorknob and turn it. I pull the door toward me, but it won’t give, so I push it away. 

For all I know, I’m stepping right into the pit of vipers. I can’t check, I can just listen. As I step through the door, I feel the cool air on the left side of my face. Slowly I turn my head as if I could see something and move toward it. 

Could this be a door leading out? Could it be this simple? 

None of this has been simple so far. 

My hand hits a door, and suddenly I can feel the cool metal. I move my hand until I find another handle and pull it open. The smell of fresh rain fills my nose as I grasp onto the sound of birds in the distance. 

I have made it outside, but it doesn’t mean I’m free.

The wind blows, disrupting my hair and angering the wounds on my face. I want to lie down. Just rest for a moment, but I know that if I do, I won’t get back up, and I can’t give up. I’ve made it too far now, but doubt sets in regardless. I have no idea where I’m at; I can’t grab a car and drive away. I am lost in this world of darkness and can barely breathe. My chest feels like it’s compressing as I take my first step. I can hear gravel beneath my feet as I reach out, wishing to find a wall to support me. 

There’s nothing left, making me feel like every step I take could lead to my death. Like I would fall into a pit and drop straight to hell. 

Then I hear it. 

A dog barking. 

The sound is distant but steady. 

A rhythm, almost. 

Constant. 

It could be leading me to my death, but it could also be leading me to my freedom. 

So, I begin to walk. Slowly placing each foot in front of the other. It feels like a dream, almost like I am walking on nothing and everything. Carefully, I keep moving forward, forcing one step after the other. 

The barking grows louder. 

It feels like I’ve walked for hours.

Or days. 

Or a lifetime. 

I will reach that dog. I will reach it, and I pray that when I do, it will lead to my freedom from this hell.

Chapter One

Felix

I check my phone for the fourth time to make sure it’s the right address, as if I have forgotten how to read and might be at the wrong place. But I hate going to places I have never been to before, so I check it one more time, just in case. When I’m certain that I’m at the right location, I get out of my car and walk up the sidewalk, toward the gray, one-story house. It has a small porch with some weathered wicker chairs set out on it. I walk up the steps and across the porch to the dark blue door. I knock on it, before stepping back and waiting. It isn’t long before the door swings open, and a man in his forties looks out at me. 

He smiles at me as he swings the door open wider. “You must be Mr. Wake,” the man says as he holds his hand out. His brown hair is cut short and gray hair is starting to mix in. He has dark blue eyes that are hidden behind black-framed glasses. 

“Yes, I am,” I say as I take his hand and shake it. “Just call me Felix though.” 

“I’m James Dixon. I was the one that talked to you last night on the phone.” 

“It’s nice to meet you,” I say as I look up at him. Sadly, I seem to have to look up at half the population. Not half the adult population, but half the population as a whole. 

“Please, come in,” he says as he holds the door open for me. “I’m glad to finally meet with you in person. I’ve been very busy, so I was unable to do the interviews, but Dani thought you were the best choice, so here we are.” 

“Yes, thanks for giving me this opportunity,” I say with a smile. 

“Right this way,” he says. “You can meet Lane, and then I’ll show you around the house.”

“Okay,” I say, looking around curiously as he leads me through the kitchen and into the living room. The house is very nice but noticeably bare. It looks like someone had just moved in and had forgotten to decorate any of the rooms. There are no pictures on the walls or anything that looks personalized. Everything looks like it was bought from a home décor store and just stuck on the wall or on a shelf without any meaning to it. It reminds me more of a house ready for market than one actually being lived in. 

The television is on in the living room, and in the middle of the room is a man in a wheelchair. His back is facing us, but he turns his head a little in our direction, telling me he’s heard us. 

“This is Lane,” James says, and the man turns his head a bit more in our direction. 

“James, if that is someone to babysit me, I swear to God I’m going to be so pissed,” he growls. 

Clearly, I’ve made an excellent first impression, and I haven’t even opened my mouth yet. Generally, I get a few words out before people decide to hate me. 

“It’s not,” James says calmly. “Go ahead, introduce yourself.” 

I walk around to the front of the wheelchair the man is sitting in. His head turns as he tries to follow the sound of my footsteps with his ears. I can see a stretch of a healing red cut running along his left cheekbone, hidden slightly by the dark sunglasses he’s wearing. Even though he is in his own home, the fact that he is blind must bother him enough that he feels like he needs to hide it. He has a blanket lying over his lap, but I know from the interview that he had hurt his left leg. All this from a drunk driver hitting his car. He’ll be blind forever because of another man’s negligence. I guess I would be a bit of a grouch too if someone had ripped my vision away from me. 

“Hi, Mr. Price, my name is Felix Wake,” I say. 

“And, Mr. Wake, what are you doing in my home?” he asks as venom drips off his words. 

I look over at James and raise an eyebrow as I realize I’m not welcome. 

“Felix is going to be assisting you until you get better,” James says. 

“I don’t need help, because I am not helpless.” He’s scowling at us and I know that if I could see his eyes they’d be glaring at me. He looks to be in his mid or late thirties with rich brown hair that looks a bit unkempt. The right side is sticking straight up, and the left lies naturally. His facial hair looks scruffy, like it hasn’t been trimmed in a while. His cheeks look hollow like he is beyond exhaustion, but it is clear that this man used to be quite active by the way his T-shirt clings around his muscular arms and stomach. So honestly, it’s not my fault that I can’t help my straying eyes. 

“Felix will be staying in the guest bedroom and will take care of the cleaning, cooking, and care for you,” James explains, and I hope he hasn’t noticed my betraying eyes. 

Lane laughs, but it’s not a happy laugh. “It’s my house; I can decide what to do with it and how to take care of myself,” he says. It’s like every time he opens his mouth he looks just a bit uglier. Who am I kidding? The man is gorgeous. 

“Well, Lane, he’s moving in tomorrow,” James says. “So, you better get used to it.” 

Lane seems to decide that he’s done with the conversation and starts to ignore us. Instead, he aims all his concentration toward the TV, making James sigh. “Right this way, Felix.” 

I follow as he leads me over to the hallway. Even these walls are empty of pictures and color. Just white walls, white trim. It feels sterile, like a hospital or a school.

“First door on the left is the bathroom,” he says. I glance through the open doorway as he continues walking. “Next door is Lane’s room. Then yours is right here.” 

Lane’s bedroom door is closed, but James pushes open the door to the guest bedroom. I peek in, but from here all I can see is the full-sized bed. I run my hand through my ear-length, blond hair and pray that I had made the right decision coming here. I worry at a tip of my hair before dropping my hand down. 

I glance over at James, who is staring at his phone. “Is it alright with me being here?” I ask a bit skeptically. Clearly, the occupant of the house didn’t want me within ten miles of him, and we hadn’t even shared words yet beyond an introduction. 

“Of course. Don’t listen to Lane. I make the decisions, not him. He thinks he can do everything, but I don’t want him alone all day. He can be reckless at times, and I know if he’s alone he’ll end up doing something stupid and hurting himself. Really, he’s not a bad guy. He’s is just… not taking this well. He’s angry and upset, so he seems to be lashing out at anyone that looks his way. He is used to being independent and self-sufficient, not relying on others. You alright with this?”

“Yes, of course,” I say as I glance into my room. It looks as bare and lifeless as the rest of the house. 

“Here,” James says, pulling my attention back to him. I notice that he’s holding out a credit card, so I reach for it. “Buy groceries for Lane and yourself with this. It can also be used for whatever necessities are needed. Dani said she’d already gone over all the details with you. Are there any questions?” 

“Not that I’m aware of,” I say as I clutch the credit card in my hand, slightly unsure of what to do with it. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” he says. He shakes my hand again, but for some reason, I feel like “if you decide to come back” had been hanging onto the end of his words. 

He turns around and continues back through the hallway, so I follow him into the living room. 

“He’s not gone yet?” Lane grumbles. 

“Not yet,” James says. 

“Did you tell him the last babysitter didn’t make it a day?” he asks like he’s proud of himself. I’m kind of proud of him because I can’t imagine that would be easy to do. 

“Nope, but now he’s well aware,” James says with a grimace. 

I can’t help but grin. To me, that sounds like a challenge, and one thing I do enjoy is a challenge. “I’ll be back tomorrow to start,” I say, trying to sound very happy about it. “Can’t wait to see you again, Lane!” 

“Don’t bother coming back,” he growls, and I almost laugh as I head out the door. 

*****

I knock on the door, but James must have seen me pull up because he pulls the door open before my hand even hits a second time. 

“Good to see you back,” he says eagerly. “Sorry to run, but I need to be home by six. You have any questions?”

The bag is weighing down my arm, and right now I just want to find a place to put it. “Not that I can think of,” I say. 

“Here’s my number. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call,” he says as he passes me a piece of paper with a list of contacts. His number is handwritten at the top, and I notice the rest of the numbers are for doctors. Not a single contact looks like a family member’s. 

“Thank you,” I say. 

He smiles and passes by me, leaving me in the house alone with the man who hates my guts. That’s alright, I’ve lived with people that hated me before. How could this one be any worse? I carry my suitcase down the hall, between the white, looming walls, and set it just inside my bedroom door. Then I walk into the living room where Lane is sitting before the TV that’s playing a movie. He doesn’t even look in my direction as I walk in, instead, he stays facing the TV with his blanket around his lap and sunglasses firmly in place. 

“Lane, it’s Felix,” I say. “How are you doing today?” 

He doesn’t move, just completely ignores me as he taps the edge of his wheelchair with his finger. 

“Do you need anything?” I ask.

Silence. The TV is playing The Hangover, which he doesn’t seem to be enjoying. It’s the part where the man jumps out of the trunk, but he’s acting like it’s a movie about the Holocaust. 

I walk over to him. “Is your water full?” I ask as I pick the bottle up. It’s full, but the water is warm. “I’ll get you something cold. Just water or something else?” 

“Maybe I want my water warm,” he says. 

I debate saying something, but I don’t. It probably wouldn’t look good to bad-mouth a blind man, so I put the lid back on and set it down. “Alright, one warm water coming right up,” I say. I pause, waiting to see if he’ll say anything, before sighing. “I’m going to go unpack. If you need something, don’t hesitate to ask.” 

I walk back to my bedroom where I toss my suitcase on my bed and open it. The room is bigger than the one I’d had at my last apartment, which really isn’t saying much. This one has a nice full-sized bed, which is an upgrade from the twin I had still been sleeping on at the age of twenty-five. There is a dresser in the corner and a desk, but the room is simple. When I pull the dresser drawers open, the smell of fresh wood touches my nose. I put my underwear and socks in the first drawer, shirts in the second, pants in the third, and sweatshirts in the last drawer. There isn’t much else in my suitcase. A few books, a few movies. Everything else I own is in my car since I had decided to completely move out of my apartment. I didn’t need it if I am living here, so what’s the use of paying rent on it? And it isn’t like I would have trouble finding another dumpy apartment if this didn’t work out. 

I walk back into the living room. “Do you need something?” 

“Please, just go away,” he says sharply. 

Alright. I walk into the kitchen and rummage through the cupboards, but there isn’t much. Thankfully, there is enough to get by until tomorrow because I really don’t feel like grocery shopping today. I’m sure I won’t feel like grocery shopping tomorrow either, but it has to be a little easier using someone else’s credit card. I walk back into the living room and sit down in a chair. There’s not much left of the movie, so I wait until it’s over. 

“I need to go grocery shopping tomorrow, so I’m wondering if you could tell me what types of food you like?” I ask as soon as the credits roll. 

He keeps his face forward, refusing to even turn his head a fraction in my direction. “How about meats? You like chicken?” I ask. 

He ignores me, so I just lean back and watch the TV. 

“You want to sit in a chair? That wheelchair can’t be comfortable.”

Ha, like I would actually get an answer! 

When supper time comes around, I cook rice and chicken since that is basically all that I can find in the house. I dish it up into a bowl, grab a fork, and carry it into the living room. After setting his tray up in front of him, I place the bowl on it. 

“I made rice and chicken. There wasn’t much else in the house, so this is what we’ll have to make do with. I put your fork on the right,” I say. 

He doesn’t even turn his head toward the food. 

“I’ll be back,” I say before getting up and walking into the kitchen. I watch from the doorway as he slowly reaches for his fork. He has a brace on his right hand, but he tries to set it against the bowl, so he can feel it. I know that his hand isn’t broken, but he seems to be having trouble using it. I know he doesn’t want me to watch him fumble, which is why he refused to eat in front of me. I sigh and eat my food from the doorway of the kitchen, so I can watch in case he needs something. 

When he’s done I walk back in. 

“Was it okay?” 

“No,” he says. 

Of course not. 

“What would you have liked different?” 

“All of it.” 

Of course. 

“Well, I’m sorry, but that’s how I cook. If you’d like something specific, I’ll make it for dinner tomorrow.” 

I don’t even expect an answer, so I pick up the bowls and wash them in the sink before drying them. After a few hours of TV, I get no response when I ask if he wants a snack or if he wants to take a shower. 

“Alright, bedtime,” I say. 

“I’m not a child.” 

“Never said you were,” I say. But since he can’t do anything about it, I grab the back of his wheelchair and wheel him down the hallway and into the bathroom. “Toothbrush… where’s your toothbrush?” 

“Up your ass,” he says. 

“Nope, I think I would have noticed it there,” I say. 

I open the cupboards and finally find it in the end drawer. I put toothpaste on it and wet it. “Here you go,” I say as I place it in his hand. He instinctively grabs it, and I’m thrilled when he finally brushes his teeth. When he’s done, I put the toothbrush back where I found it. 

“I need to pee, so leave,” he says as he tries to show me out with a wave of his hand. 

“You expect me to leave while you try to pee alone?” 

“Yes.” 

“No.” 

“What, you want to fondle my dick or something?” 

Maybe. 

“Your leg is hurt, and your hand is hurt, so I think I’ll help you onto the toilet. I can leave then if you insist, I just don’t want you to fall,” I say as I wheel him over to the toilet. 

He’s bigger than me, so I put the lock on the wheelchair and wrap an arm behind his back. With his help, I manage to get him up. He slides his pants down, so I guide him onto the toilet. 

“Alright, I’m leaving but only if you promise to tell me when you’re done. Don’t do something stupid on your own.” 

He ignores me as I walk out and shut the door. It isn’t long before I hear a loud crash, so I yank the door open to find Lane half on the ground with everything knocked off the countertop. Quickly, I rush over and grab him, so I can help pull him into the chair. 

As I help him, I don’t even bother saying anything because I can tell he’s mad at himself and would probably snap at me if I did. Instead, I kick the stuff on the floor out of the way and wheel him through the doorway and into his bedroom. “I want to check your wounds and then you can go to bed.” 

I ruffle through the mess that James had left for me, but I get the gist of what’s there. “I have to pull your sweatpants down, alright?” I say as I do just that, so I can get to his thigh. I look at the staples, which seem to be healing well. It won’t be long before he’ll be able to get them out and get out of the wheelchair. I clean the area and help him back into his sweats. He also has a cut on his arm and a small one on his other leg that I check. “There. Everything feels alright?” 

He ignores me, so I help him up into his bed and pull the sheets over him. 

“Can I check your eyes?” I ask since I haven’t seen him with the sunglasses off yet. 

“No, I’ve already taken care of them.” 

“Are you sure?” I ask. 

“They’re fine.” 

“Goodnight. If you need anything, wake me up. What time do you usually get up in the morning?” 

Silence. “Yeah, me too,” I say before walking out of the room. 

*****

I wake at eight and help Lane into the living room without much incident and without any kind words from him. 

“Do you want to sit in a chair or lay down?” 

Silence. 

Oh, I can only be nice for so long. “Lane, I am speaking to you,” I say. “You’re not deaf. Answer me.” 

“Just leave me alone. I want to be alone!” he says as he slams his hand down on the arm of the chair. 

I honestly think he just wants to rot in that chair and let depression consume him. “Well, sorry, but your pity party of one just gained a new member,” I say. “And guess what? I’m not leaving. I’m going to help you whether you like it or not because I get paid, which I like.” 

He turns his head toward me. “Did you seriously just say that?” 

“I did, and in retrospect, it might have been a bit mean. But I feel like you also thought it was slightly funny,” I say. 

“So, you’re a comedian now?” 

“Oh no. I just say stuff that gets me in trouble, but no one’s here to yell at me. If I keep getting paid I’m staying. It’s your choice whether you want it to be a fun and pleasant experience or hell.” 

“My life is already hell.” 

I snort. “Trust me, buddy, I can make it worse. I could… put you in the corner… take away your blanket… feed you dog food,” I say as I try not to laugh. 

“Can’t be any worse than what you fed me last night,” he says, and I feel like I can see a slight upturn of his lips. Maybe he isn’t all bad. 

I laugh in surprise. “You are pure evil.” 

“Then maybe you should leave now.” 

“No, I’m not going to.” I grab his water bottle and go into the kitchen where I run the water until it is almost hot. I fill up his cup and carry it into the living room where I hand it to him. “Here’s your water.” 

He takes it from me and I watch with a grin as he takes a sip of it and spits it out. “What is this?” He shakes the cup and water sloshes out. 

“Yesterday you said you liked your water warm.”

“Oh, really funny,” he says, but his words don’t have the venom they held earlier. He throws it at me, and let me say, for a blind guy, he has a really good aim. It hits me square in the forehead and I stumble back as water showers me. 

“Ow!” I snap as I grab my head. It feels like I should have a welt the size of an egg on my head. 

“Did that hit you?” he asks as he tries to hide a grin. 

“I’m going to have a brain tumor now.” 

“I don’t see anything,” he says as he looks quite content with himself. “Not even a red spot.”

“Hmm. I’m going to buy you cat food for lunch,” I say. 

“From the limited amount of time I have spent with you I have decided that you’re actually quite mean. I guess you’re really not the little happy boy you were pretending to be yesterday,” he says. 

“Being around you for any amount of time can turn a saint into a sinner,” I say. 

“If you’re insistent on joining this ‘pity party,’ go make me some oatmeal.” 

“I thought you didn’t like my food,” I say. 

“Hopefully even you can’t ruin oatmeal,” he says. 

“One could hope,” I say as I turn from him and walk into the kitchen. I pour the little packet of oatmeal into a bowl as well as some milk and slip it into the microwave. Then I pull open all the wrong drawers before finding the spoons. Once the oatmeal is cooked, I carry it into the living room and set it down in front of Lane. “Spoon on the right.” 

He reaches for it and touches it gingerly. I think he is waiting for me to leave, but I don’t. I honestly can’t. I also can’t wipe the grin off my face. He sticks his spoon into the oatmeal, grabbing a spoonful before raising it to his mouth. 

“What is this? Soup?” he asks as he tips the spoon and everything runs off. 

“I may have added a bit too much milk,” I admit. I hadn’t done it on purpose, but instead of trying to drain any of the milk, I had decided he could drink it with a straw if he is going to be mean.

“How did you get hired?” he asks in shock. 

“Honestly, I’m not sure,” I say. “I guess I’m good at talking women into things. Alright, I’m going shopping. You going to tell me what you want?” 

“I want you to leave. I mean, if I have to suffer and be taken care of like I’m an invalid, I would at least like someone that cooks.” 

“Yeah, I don’t think I can buy cooking skills at the store. So, think of something edible. How about meats. Are you picky?” 

He tries to eat the oatmeal, but every spoonful is just milk. “Is there actually any oatmeal in here?” he asks.

“Just drink it,” I suggest. “So, I’m just going to go buy you things and hope you’re not allergic to any of it. You want to go with me?” 

“Absolutely not.” 

“Okay. What would you like to do while I’m gone?” 

He gets a look on his face like he has a bright idea. “Why don’t you go get me a book? Oh, and set up a puzzle for me, too,” he suggests. 

“Alright,” I say. I walk into the hallway and turn left into his bedroom. There’s a bookshelf shoved against the wall filled with books. The man must have loved to read because it’s overflowing out onto the floor. I pick the first book off the top of the pile, walk back into the living room, and set the book on his lap. “Here you are. I couldn’t find a puzzle though, but I can pick you up one at the store. A thousand pieces wouldn’t be too hard for you, would it?” 

The expression on his face shows me his shock. “Oh ho… that’s mean,” he says, unable to hide his grin. He grabs the book and chucks it at me. Thankfully, this time he misses and the book skids across the floor. 

“You asked for it!” I say as I pick the book up off the ground and set it on the coffee table. “Want the TV on?” I ask as I pick up the remote.

“As long as you don’t do it,” he says. I turn it on anyway and flip through it until I find the Spanish movie channel, really hoping he doesn’t know Spanish. 

“How’d you know that this is my favorite channel?” he jokes. 

“I’m good like that. I’ll be back in an hour or so. I have my cell, so if you need anything I have my number dialed in it. All you have to do is ask Siri. You do remember my name, right?” 

He picks up his phone, holds the button and lifts it toward his face. “Siri, call shit for brains.” 

“I don’t see Shit in your contacts. Should I look for locations by that name?” Siri asks. 

Nice. 

I grab my car keys and walk out the door.

A Light in the Darkness #2
Chapter One
“Lane!” I scream.

I don’t know where he is, but I can’t get up. I can’t move.

“Lane!”

I might die here if he doesn’t reach me in time.

“What?” he asks as he steps into the living room. He’s a little hesitant as he walks in since he’s still trying to remember where everything is in his parents’ house. Even though he lived in this house as a child, it’s been hard for him to remember the placement of everything now that he can’t see any of it. Probably because he’s so old it feels like a lifetime ago that he lived here.

“What happened?” he asks.

“I ate so much that I can’t move,” I moan from where I lay on the couch. I peek over the armrest to get a good look at him. The first thing I notice isn’t his handsome face covered in just the right amount of stubble. It isn’t the sunglasses that he insists on wearing even when we’re at home. Nor is it his dark brown hair that seems to have a mind of its own. What I do notice is how sweaty he is. He’d been working out on the treadmill in the basement, and now his clothes are sticking to his chest, giving me a very nice view of his muscular frame. “Why is your mother’s cooking so good, Lane?”

He shakes his head, clearly disbelieving the fact that I may die after consuming too much food. “You’re going to turn into an Oompa Loompa if you don’t slow down,” he says.

I snort. “Thanks Lane, you’re the sweetest. I love you the most!” I say sarcastically.

“You do understand that just because she cooks it, doesn’t mean you have to eat all of it, right?” he asks as he slowly walks further into the room.

“It’s like hibernation. I’m creating a fat storage for when we move out and have to go back to starving,” I explain since my cooking is anything but edible. With a yawn, I stretch out my arms just as he touches the back of the couch.

“Well, you’re doing a splendid job of it because I went in to grab a cookie, and the cookie jar is empty. How many did you eat today?”

I watch his handsome face as he leans over me. He may not be able to see me, but he sure can scrutinize me when he thinks I’m not being honest. But I notice that there’s a slight upturn to his lips that makes it hard to keep my grin at bay. I kind of want to lean forward and capture those lips as my own.

“How many what?” I ask innocently. I’m not sure how he could point fingers at me when there are two other people staying in this house.

“How many cookies have you eaten?”

“In the past…five minutes? Or today?”

“Just choose.”

“Lane, I don’t like you making me feel bad about myself,” I say as I push my blond hair out of my face. Lane reaches down and touches my chest before feeling his way to my stomach and patting it.

He looks thoughtful as he feels it over. “That’s weird…it’s about the same size as the cookie jar,” he says.

I laugh and push his hand away. “No! Your mom said I could have them!”

He shakes his head in disbelief. “I heard the phone ring, who called you?”

I sit up as I grimace. “The realtor called, but I told her that we don’t need any of the lies she’s selling.”

“A house? The lie of a house?” he asks.

“Lane…I don’t want to leave,” I say as I look around the quaint living room with its walls smothered in pictures of the family.

If there is a span of the wall twelve inches wide that isn’t covered by a picture of someone in this family, then I’d be willing to bet my right hand that the photo fell down and Lane’s mother hasn’t gotten to putting it back up. It was cute when I first walked in, especially getting to see all the photographs of a young Lane, but the family photo in the bathroom that I have to look at while taking a shit is a bit too much. Yesterday I put a post-it note over everyone’s face in the photograph, and the others must think it’s an improvement because no one’s fixed it yet. Besides the family pictures, there are way too many sunflower decorations, but if I’m being honest, I love every inch of it. Even the picture in the bathroom.

“We can’t live with my parents,” he says.

“Says who? You? Because your mom said we can live with her forever, and I think she meant it.”

He grins as he shakes his head. “She was just being polite.”

“Lane…she loves me,” I say defensively. “Yesterday she bought me Gushers. Have you ever heard of those things? They’re like…gooey on the inside and absolutely amazing.”

“Yes, I’ve heard of Gushers before. So what time are we meeting her?”

“Three,” I say grudgingly. “We’ll leave in about twenty minutes to pick up Copper.”

“Then I better go get a shower,” he says as I stand up. “Can you pick my clothes out for me so we can keep moving?”

“Sure,” I say as I stretch again. These past few weeks have been good to me even though my body has begun to complain about inactivity.

“Thanks,” he says as he reaches for me, most likely to hug me, but I dodge him like the plague.

“I love you, Lane, really I do, but right now you’re past the point of attractive and into the field of disgusting. Way too sweaty,” I say with a grimace because I feel like we are definitely at a good enough point in our relationship where I can tell him how disgusting he is. He’s past the sexy, slightly sweaty version and into the disgusting, don’t touch me version.

“You won’t hug me?” he asks, looking offended.

I can tell he’s joking, but I wrinkle my nose as I stare at him. “Absolutely not.”

“Really,” he says, like his feelings are hurt. “Come on. Give me a hug.” He grabs for me so I scamper away.

“No! Go away!” I say. “I’m getting changed.”

“What? You mean you’re actually going to get out of your pajamas?”

“I feel like you’re being very critical when I’ve needed this time to recover,” I say. “I need to recover from all the shootings, the running, and all that other junk I would like to never think about again.”

“You act like we’ve only been here a couple of weeks. You’ve had a lot of time to recover.”

“Lane,” I say warningly.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure you look very sexy in those pajama pants,” he says.

“They’re your mom’s, so thanks,” I say.

“I don’t know how I feel about that,” he says as his eyebrows furrow.

I laugh and head back for his bedroom.

*****

I pull up to a small brick building with a large painting of a dog overlapping the door. It’s neat until someone opens the door, then it looks like the dog has a big gaping hole in its face.

“I’ll run in and get him since whenever Ned gets a hold of you, he won’t shut up,” I say.

“Good plan,” Lane says, so I get out, leaving the car running.

We had decided that instead of getting Lane a different dog, we would use our dog Copper as a service dog. Since Copper had been trained to be a police dog when he was young, he already has a large range of commands and knowledge. So, a man who works with service dogs agreed to do some private training with him. It was also easier to get Copper registered as a service dog than to get on the waiting list for a trained one, so now all we need to do is teach him a few of the commands.

This is Copper’s fourth week working with Ned, and I’m already not really fond of the man. He’s amazing with Copper, but I’m not sure he likes me or maybe we have a difference of opinion. I drop Copper off in the morning and pick him up later in the day at least three times a week, and he works with him throughout the day. I miss my little Copper when he’s gone, and Lane has to remind me that I have to share Copper when he returns.

I push through the door, into the office area and walk inside to where I notice Ned rushing on by. He’s a lanky man who seems to have one speed.

“Hey, Felix!” he says sounding joyful, like he’s forgotten that the last time he saw me, he chewed me out.

“Hey,” I say with a forced smile. I do not forgive as quickly. “Copper good?”

“He’s fantastic. He picks everything up with ease, and you can tell he loves having a job. At home, I still want you guys just to be working on that follow command. He understands it pretty well, but don’t forget that when he follows, you click and reward.”

“Got it. That’s awesome to hear,” I say with a smile.

“I’ll go get Copper,” he says before disappearing through the open door. He returns after a few minutes with the black German shepherd at his side.

Copper’s tail starts going a hundred miles an hour when he sees me, and no matter how much I want to drop to my knees and pet him, I’m not allowed to say anything to him. The first time we came to pick him up, I greeted Copper with love which in Ned’s eyes is a “preposterous” thing to do. He assured me that I would ruin the dog by giving him such joyous affection as soon as I see him, so I keep my eyes on Ned and take the leash without a word to Copper.

I see Copper’s tail begin to slow as he looks up at me in devastation, black ears falling like he thinks I’m upset with him. “Thanks,” I say grudgingly.

“See how much calmer and wellbehaved he is when you greet him properly?” Ned asks.

“Totally,” I lie as I lead Copper to the door. “See you Monday.”

“Have a good night.”

“Thanks, you too,” I say as I lead Copper out to the blue four-door car. I open the back door and send him inside before getting into the driver’s seat. Then I turn to Copper who is already crawling over the middle console onto my lap. “Aw, my sweetie pie. Did you have fun today?” I coo, and his entire body wiggles as his tail whaps Lane mercilessly across the face.

Lane laughs as he pushes Copper’s tail down. “Didn’t he tell you to stop babying that dog?”

“Yeah, well…he clearly doesn’t understand love,” I say as I glance up at the building and see Ned standing in the doorway, watching my deplorable display of affection.

“Shit, shit, Ned’s watching us, Copper, get back,” I say as I shove him in the back. “Play it cool.” I wave to Ned who is staring at me with clear disapproval on his face. “I think he’s pretending like he doesn’t see me.”

“Now I’m going to have to hear all about it when I see him again,” Lane says.

“Oh well,” I say as I put the car in drive and gladly pull out of the parking lot. Even when it’s long behind me, I can still feel Ned’s stare and judgment.

I glance down at the GPS as I turn out onto Main Street. “You sure we can’t live with your mother forever?”

“I lived with her for twenty years, it was enough,” he says. “We need to get a house.”

“We do?” I ask skeptically. “Last I checked, I definitely don’t have enough money to buy a house. Or do you mean you’ll buy it, and I’ll just live in it and mooch off you?”

He nods. “Yeah, that one.”

I grin as I turn where the GPS tells me to. “Yeah…I thought so.”

“You can work it off,” he says.

“Oh, you mean like sexy time,” I say with a grin.

“No, like by cleaning and taking care of the lawn and stuff.”

“What else would I have meant by sexy time?” I ask. “You should see the way I tug on that push mower.”

He looks slightly concerned when I glance at him. “Hmm…is that supposed to be sexy? Sometimes I really can’t tell with you.”

“Good, I like you on your toes,” I say.

“Your destination is on the right…”

“Here we are,” I say as I pull into the driveway of a gorgeous one-story home. “Ooh…I like it.”

“Why? Is it just like a little hole in the ground with a tiny round door?” he asks.

I slam the car in park as I look over at him. “Ha ha. It’s not a hobbit house,” I say.

He grins. “Well, I just thought that’s where you’d be most comfortable.”

“Again, I am not the size of a hobbit.”

I notice the realtor get out of her car and wave to us, so I smile and wave back.

“Come on,” I say as I get out.

I walk around to Lane’s side of the car as he gets out. Opening the back door of the car, I call Copper out before reaching in for his leather harness which I press into Lane’s hands. We’ve only started working with the harness, so Lane’s still a little uncertain of it. He feels it over to make sure he has it facing the right way before holding it out and, without prompt, Copper pops his head through the harness. Since Lane is still trying to juggle the harness, the dog, and the leash, he fumbles for the clicker Ned gave us. When clicked, the noise signals positive reinforcement so the dog knows that he did the correct thing, and then he gets a treat.

I could help, but Copper patiently waits until Lane finds the clicker, hits it, and then gives him a treat.

“This is a mess,” Lane says as he just drops Copper’s leash. “I can never find this stupid clicker. The dog probably thinks it’s getting the click and treat for just standing there.”

Reaching down, I unhook the leash and toss it into the backseat. “What if I find a way to strap it to your belt or something? That way it’s always in the same spot, because I’ve literally seen you stick it in your pants, your coat, the treat bag, and the pouch on the harness.”

“Good idea,” he says as he reaches down to Copper and feels him over before running the strap of the harness between his legs and hooking it. “Is it on right?”

It looks good to me, so I shrug. “Yup,  let’s go,” I say as I walk up to the realtor. Today is our third time meeting and the second time she has shown us houses.

“Good afternoon,” the realtor says with a smile. She’s an older lady with gray hair that looks like a ball of cotton on her head. “I really think you guys will like this one. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. I think you guys were leaning toward more of an open plan and that is what this is.”

She heads for the front door, and Lane tells Copper to “follow.”’ He doesn’t miss a beat as he starts following the realtor. Whether it’s because he really understands the command or because I’m walking with them and he just wants to follow me, I don’t know. But we rave how smart he is and give him a treat which he swallows without chewing.

The realtor unlocks the door and pushes it open before walking inside. I shut it after us and look around the living room.

“The living room, dining room, and kitchen are all one big room which I think you’ll like, Lane. It gives you plenty of nice open space, and you don’t have to worry about walls or steps.”

I’ve been inside for a total of twenty seconds, and I’m already in love. “Do you think Lane and I could just walk through it?” I say. “Then you can tell us all of the specifications?”

“Of course!” she says. “I’ll step outside and check out the garage. You let me know when you’re ready.”

As soon as she leaves, I reach out for Lane’s free hand. When he feels the nudge of my hand, he holds his out and I slide my fingers between his, gripping them tightly.

“You like it, don’t you?” Lane asks as he squeezes back.

“I love it,” I admit. “As you walk in, it opens right up into the living room. They have their couch pushed back against the wall here with one of those electric fireplaces in the corner. Stone surrounds it, and there’s a wooden mantel above it. To the right of it, they have their TV which I think is really the only good spot for it. Then as you walk in further, it opens up into the dining room. There’s a table here, but to its right is this little alcove with a big bay window and a bench big enough to lie on.”

“Oh yeah, that’d be a nice spot for reading.”

“Oh…yeah…that’s what I was planning on doing there,” I say and Lane snorts.

“Oh? Have a better idea?” he asks as he waggles his eyebrows.

“Yeah, like stuff my face with your mom’s cookies.”

“Yeah…that’s definitely not where I thought you were going with it. Just really put a damper on my idea when you started with ‘stuff my face with your mom.’”

I laugh. “Gross. So…back with the tour now that I feel nauseous…here’s the kitchen. The counters are all along this wall, but there’s a bar here with stools.”

I turn to the hallway and head down it. “First room on the left is the bathroom. Pretty simple really, sink and toilet on the left and the bathtub on the right.” We leave the bathroom, and I take him into the first room which they’re using as a kid’s bedroom. “Bedroom, looks like we could use it as an office or something. The walls are a pretty nice black too.”

“Oh? Kind of like your heart?”

“That must be why I feel at home in here.” I head into the master bedroom and look around the roomy space. “It’s huge. You could fit like…five of my bedrooms as a kid in here!”

“That’s because you lived in a little hobbit hole.”

“Funny.”

He grins. “Then the second bathroom is off this room?”

“Yeah, it’s right over here,” I say as I lead him into the bathroom. “There’s a whirlpool tub.”

“Ooh.”

“And it’s big enough for like three men,” I say.

“Three?” he asks skeptically. “Why would we need three?”

“What? Who said that?”

He laughs. “I’m not worried.”

“So, what do you think?” I ask eagerly.

“If you like it, then I know I will,” he says.

I don’t know why those words make me so happy, but I can’t help but grin. “You’re so sweet.”

“No, I just want your first experience outside a hobbit hole to be a good one.”

“Oh…Oh ho…well, I’m leaving. I’m going to go tell your mom you got lost, and we’ll probably never find you again and that she might as well adopt me to take your place,” I say, and he grins as he reaches out to me.

He wraps me in his muscular arms and pulls me up against him. “You’d miss me,” he says.

“Just your muscles…them I would miss,” I say as I run my finger down one. “Sure wouldn’t be your horrid personality.”

He kisses my forehead as he squeezes me tighter. “So? You like this one the best?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s talk to her and put an offer in on it, alright?”

“Sounds good. I offer five dollars, you offer the rest?” I suggest as I look up at him.

He looks surprised. “Five? That’s a whole lot more than I thought you’d offer.”

“Oh, it was the five dollars I took from your wallet, so that’s why.”

“Of course it was.”

“I’ve been slowly replacing the money in your wallet with Monopoly money and pretty much everyone just feels bad for you, so they let you get away with it.”

“The thing is…I’m not sure that’s even a joke. You’ve been folding my money up like origami, and it’s confusing as hell.”

“It’s not origami! It’s like…blind people tricks,” I say.

“One day you’re like, the one dollar bill is the long one then the next, the ten is the long one,” he says.

“Your long one is a ten,” I say with a grin.

“I walked right into that,” he realizes before laughing. “Go get the realtor.”

“Going, going,” I say as I pull away from him. “If I don’t come back, see if this family will adopt you…I’ll take really good care of your mother!”

Leaving Lane behind, I step outside and see the realtor messing with something in the backseat of her car. I take the concrete path out to the sidewalk, and as I step onto it, someone slams into me. I must not have seen him because I’d been focused on the realtor, but the force sends me stumbling back.

“Be careful,” he says, just above a whisper as he steps past.

“Sorry about that,” I say as I look back at the guy. His back is to me, and his hood is up as he waves his hand through the air before continuing on.

For a moment I just watch him, but I don’t know why. I’m so paranoid after the shit with Red. Like someone’s going to grab me and drag me back into an alleyway to threaten me again. I need to get the stuff that happened with Red out of my mind and move on with my life. Hopefully, this house is the fresh start I need so I can stop being suspicious of everything.

“How did you like the house?” the realtor shouts as she realizes I’m outside.

I look away from the man and smile at her. “Definitely our favorite so far.”

Deception in Darkness #3
Chapter One
I’m holding the gun so tightly that I’m convinced there’ll be a permanent impression forever etched into my hand. It’s fully loaded. Ready. But am I ready?

I know I need to move. There’s only so long that I can remain crouched behind this half wall. Lane is nowhere near me. Am I going to wait for him to save me? I don’t need to be saved. I need to grow some big, thick balls and get out there.

Okay…

Slowly, I sidle with my back against the wall, moving until I can see around it. There’s junk lying everywhere—pallets and tires, trees and rocks. Too much to hide behind. So, where are they?

Where could they be hiding from me? Maybe, if I can make it to that tree, I can see something, someone. Maybe I’ll be able to see Lane. I check both sides before rushing over to the tree. My foot catches on a root sticking above the dirt, and I dive forward, slamming face-first into the tree.

“Fuck!” I hiss before remembering that the key to survival is being silent. Not sharing a first kiss with a tree and screaming the F word out of pain.

I press my body tightly against the tree and listen, in case someone’s heard me.  Stillness surrounds me as I slide around the edge of the tree, which allows me to peek out. Just beyond the wall, I can see Lane. He’s lying facedown on the ground.

I want to yell out to him, rush to him. Someone couldn’t have gotten him, could they? “Lane?” I hiss.

He’s not moving. Why isn’t he moving? Did someone really get him? Who could have shot him?

“Lane?”

No, no, no.

I hear someone and turn to see who it is. I watch them step around the corner of the wall, oblivious to my position. When he turns, I realize that it’s Lane’s brother-in-law, Robbie. Could Robbie really have been the one who did this? There’s no way Robbie could have shot Lane.

Right?

Robbie’s eyes settle on mine as I jerk my gun up. He lifts his, but I’m quicker. Line the sights, just like Lane told me. Front sight, rear sight, lined up perfectly.

I pull the trigger.

It hits him in the chest and he stumbles back with wide eyes. “Felix? How could you?” he asks as he grabs for his chest.

The look on his face makes me hesitate. It almost looks like betrayal. “What? But you shot Lane!”

“He’s on our team, Felix,” Lane grumbles into the ground.

I look over at Lane before eyeing Robbie. “Wait… what? When did he switch teams?”

Robbie stares at the paint coloring his vest red. “I was coming to tell you that we won, and you shot me. Your own teammate.”

Like I’m supposed to know he jumped ship. “This is entirely not my fault. When did you switch teams?”

“Clearly, back when you weren’t paying attention,” he says.

“Can someone explain to me how Felix is the only one left alive?” Lane asks as he rolls onto his back.

I grin, proud of myself while hoping that everyone forgets my minor mistake of shooting my teammate. “Because I’m amazing, obviously.”

“How many bullets did you shoot?” Lane asks skeptically as he sits up, blue paint splattered across his stomach. Whoever got a hold of him did not want him to ever get up again.

I hesitate. “One.”

“And who’d you shoot?”

“My teammate,” I say reluctantly. “But look here, fucker, I changed the rules. Last one standing is me. Every man for himself. Robbie, how did you get shot? I mean, besides me.”

“Tom,” he says.

It makes sense that Lane’s father took him out. I assume he’s the best with a gun in that group since he does work as a homicide detective. “Ah, Tom is silent and majestic. He’s like a fox. A silver fox.”

Robbie and Lane grimace. I think it makes Lane really uncomfortable when I speak about his father that way, which makes me do it more often.

“But then who shot him?” I ask.

“We kind of… shot each other at the same time. Couldn’t decide who went down first, so we both went down. Which left only you alive,” Robbie explains.

That’s when I hear Jenny, Lane’s sister, tromping across the field like an elephant. “Did you find them?” Jenny asks as I notice her mother and father are in tow.

Robbie points at his vest like the red paint is proof of my insubordination. “Yeah, right after Felix shot me.”

His wife grins as she pulls her safety goggles down to hang around her neck. “And somehow we still lost.”

Lane’s mother, Janet, begins brushing Lane off in an attempt to free him of the leaves and dirt. “This whole thing is a bit silly, isn’t it?” Janet asks like she’s begging for us to agree with her.

Jenny shakes her head quite adamantly. “No.”

“Not in the slightest,” Robbie says.

Lane turns his attention to his mother, who is now picking teeny-tiny pieces of leaves off his shirt, before turning toward the rest of us. “Only thing silly is that Felix won. How could that even happen?”

Robbie raises his gun. “Oh! I bet it’s because he’s so petite, he was able to hide easier.”

I shoot him right in the gut. I was aiming for his balls but my gunslinging skills still need work. “I shot him for being mean, Lane,” I explain since he isn’t able to see me in action.

Lane is grinning proudly. “Don’t piss the dwarf off,” Lane says, so I shift my gun to him, but there’s a high chance of hitting Janet, and I can’t imagine upsetting her.

“My question is, who was cruel enough to shoot the guy who can’t see?” I ask curiously.

Jenny raises both hands in the air, clearly proud of herself. “Woo-hoo! That would be me!” She seems to have enjoyed shooting Lane. She even does a little jig.

Lane points at his vest. “Do you know how many times she shot me? Six. Six times.”

“Remember that one time it was my birthday party, and all my friends came over, and you told them that I have five-inch-long butt hairs?”

Lane grins, clearly fond of the memory. “You were like ten.”

“Remind me not to piss Jenny off,” I whisper to Tom, who grunts. Our conversational skills have become next level recently. Soon, I think he may start confessing his undying love for me. “Jenny, are your butt hairs still that long?”

Jenny stares at me with so much love and adoration hidden behind such a cruel glare.

“Longer,” Robbie says. “After we married, everything on that woman went to hell. Show them your legs.”

“Fine, I will.” She pulls up her pants to reveal a perfectly smooth-shaven leg.

“Pull them up another inch. She only shaves her ankles in case her pants get pulled up.”

Jenny glares at Robbie, who is still grinning. “I do not have to show them anything.” She aims her gun at Robbie. “Turn around and bend over.”

I tap Lane’s shoulder. “Oh man, that’s what I was telling you to do last night, Lane. Remember?”

A grin forms on his lips. “I remember.”

“Don’t want to hear it. Lalala!” Jenny says.

Janet is disappointed in us. It’s clear by the look on her face. I have disappointed my new mother, and for that, I am mortified.

“It wasn’t anything sexual,” I assure her. “I wanted him to pick the soap up… while in the shower. You know what? I love you, Janet.”

She smiles at me. “I love you too, sweetheart.”

I could commit a murder in front of this woman, and I believe she’d still love me. “Tom?”

“What?” he says as he looks at me.

“We’ll work on that,” I decide.

He grunts, which I believe translates to, “I love you more than Lane and Jenny.”

“Lane, you know what this means?” I ask as I walk over to him.

“What?”

“We won free food!”

A smile consumes his face. We probably look like two hyenas hovering around our next meal.

“Hold on, you guys made that up,” Jenny says accusingly. “We didn’t agree to it.”

“Oh, I’m so excited to eat edible food,” Lane says, thrill apparent in his voice.

I grin, not even letting Lane’s diss pull me down. “I’m so excited I don’t need to worry about burning the house down.”

Janet, always the loving and giving mother, smiles at us. “Alright, I’ll feed you guys.”

Lane reaches out to me, so I take his hand in mine. “Good job winning. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

I grin as I step into him. “Thanks, I used the strategy you taught me.”

“Hide?”

I chuckle. “I hid so damn hard. Tom was so close one time he nearly tripped over me and didn’t even see me.”

“That’s my babe.”

The others head toward the exit gate as Lane and I hang in the back.

“I want you to do one last thing for me,” he says.

“Anything for you.”

“Shoot my sister in the ass.”

“Did she shoot you in the ass? Is that why you have paint down here?” I ask as I jab between his ass cheeks with my finger.

He jumps before grabbing me in a bear hug so he can pin my arms down. “Why? Why do you like to violate me when I’m unaware?”

“I like being a violator.”

He kisses the side of my head before releasing me. “Let’s get family-sized meals so we can have a lot of leftovers.”

He’s so smart. I knew I picked him for his brains. “We’ll get two buckets each.” Oh, and his muscles. Honestly, everyone must be jealous of me as I walk around with the ultimate human.

“Three if we have to.”

“We could eat edible food for weeks.”

“I can hear you two back there,” Janet says.

“We were just talking about who our favorite mother is, and we both decided it would be you,” I assure her. “It wasn’t much of a competition, but you still won. There’s no prize other than our love.”

She shakes her head as she glances back at us. I notice that she doesn’t have any paint on her. Did she just lie down and pretend she was shot?

She smiles so sweetly at me that I feel like I’ll taint her just by looking at her. “I’ll be your mother, Felix.”

“Did you hear that, Lane? Now we don’t have to role-play being brothers anymore. We’re REAL brothers.”

“I’m going to puke,” Jenny says.

For some reason, I’m the only one laughing at my joke. Even Lane looks like he’d enjoy forgetting my very existence. The rest are ignoring me, like my words are meaningless.

“Are you guys still on for the haunted prison?” I ask Jenny and Robbie. I’d invited Lane’s parents too, but they seemed to like the idea of passing out candy instead. Who would really want to hand out candy to strange children when they could keep it all for themselves? I used to go trick-or-treating until I was fifteen, since everyone still thought I was a kid. It was the only time my height has been beneficial.

“Of course we are,” Jenny says, clearly more excited than Robbie is.

“Are you excited, Robbie?” I ask.

“Yay.” He says it like I asked if I could kick him in the nuts.

Since we borrowed the paintball gear from Robbie’s paintball group, we stop by his car and unload all our junk on him. While he’s organizing it, Lane and I head to our car where our dog Copper is sleeping in the back seat with the windows cracked so he can enjoy the beautiful fall weather. He hears us and starts wagging his tail as I unlock the door. As Lane and I get into the car, Copper climbs into the front seat as he greets me by stuffing his face next to mine and greets Lane by whapping him in the face with his tail. He’s a black German shepherd that I stole from a man who clearly didn’t appreciate how sweet and loving he is. The man wouldn’t even let him on the couch, and now Copper has his very own couch. I also let him lick his butthole on Lane’s pillow if that’s what he wants to do. That’s how much I love him.

“Did you think we left you forever?” I ask as I kiss his muzzle before pushing him into the back seat. “You’ve disappointed me.”

“Me or the dog?” Lane asks curiously.

“You. You were supposed to shoot all of them.”

“Jenny cheated. I shot her first. She came running at me like a rhino. She claimed that it wasn’t a lethal shot, then shot me six times since I had lowered my gun.”

I shrug. “Sounds like her.”

“She was savage. I put my hands up and started going down after one shot, but she kept going. Why didn’t you come save me? I yelled for you. I was all, ‘Felix, my love, save me!’ Nothing.”

“If I remember right, you and Robbie told me that I was holding you back and you guys ran off without me!”

He turns his head in my direction. He can’t see me, but he doesn’t need to. Since he didn’t meet me before he lost his sight, he doesn’t know what I look like, but he knows me better than anyone else does. He also knows what I think about him ditching me.

He rubs the scruff on his face like he’s thinking. “I would never say you’re holding me back.”

“I’m sorry, what did you say, then?”

“That we would sacrifice our lives for you.”

I snort and start driving since he definitely hadn’t said anything like that.

Dancing in Darkness #3.5
Chapter One
“Antonio!”

Oh no. Please. No. Not him.

“Antonio!”

I quicken my pace, deciding that I really don’t need that pack of Oreos. If I can make it through the checkout line and out the door before he notices me, cookie withdrawals will be worth it.

Felix slides in front of me, clear irritation on his face.

I look down at the man, though I’m not sure there are many who look up at him.  Five-year-olds, maybe? I’m not super tall myself, only five foot eight, but I feel tall around him.

“Are you running from me?” he asks.

“No?” Oh no. I made it a question.

“He made it a question,” another man says as he comes up behind me. I turn to look at Lane, Felix’s boyfriend, who is truly God’s gift to mankind. He looks like what horny women would dream up if they were allowed to have a mold maker for men. He has the tall, dark-haired, handsome thing going on which is why I question how he ended up with Felix. Visually, they are complete opposites but together, they work strangely well.

By Lane’s side is his seeing-eye dog, Copper, who is wagging his black tail. Honestly, he may be the only one out of the three I’m glad to see.

It’s not that I dislike Lane or Felix. Actually, I secretly kind of like them. I’ve never met two people who get into more shit in my life. The issue is that they recently dragged me into their shit. After being tied up, threatened, then held at gunpoint, I feel like I’ve had my Lane and Felix quota for the next ten years.

“You’re looking rough, Antonio,” Felix says with a grimace. “You're letting yourself go.”

I glare at him. I take it back. Twenty years would be too soon. “What am I letting go, exactly?”

Felix shrugs. “I don’t know, I just wanted to make myself feel better. Did you pop your cherry yet?”

Fifty years would be too soon. I glare at him some more. “Excuse me?”

“Felix told me about that. Are you sure you want to waste it on Frank?” Lane asks. “How old are you? Twenty-seven? You’ve kept it so long, save it for the perfect man.”

Now he’s getting in on it too?

“You should keep that until you hook a man like I did,” Felix assures me. “Then again, there’s no one like Lane.”

Then he says cute things and I kind of forgive him a tiny bit.

“How about a threesome?” he suggests.

Make it sixty years.

Lane shrugs and I realize that he’s lost his mind as well. The poor man is blind and probably can’t figure out how to get away from Felix. Maybe he has Stockholm Syndrome. It’s the only reasonable explanation for why these two work. “We were talking about buying a sex swing to add some excitement into the bedroom, but I suppose you’ll do,” Lane says.

“Yeah, just FYI, sometimes the dog watches. It’s only a little creepy the first few times. Then you get used to it. You’re all, ‘Oh harder, Lane, harder!’ and then you look over and the dog is staring you in the eyes. Right in the fucking eyes. Then you’re like, shit, I made eye contact, now it’s kind of weird. But he won’t—”

“Felix, babe, you’re rambling,” Lane says.

Felix grins as he pats my shoulder. “Alright, all joking aside, how is the Beauty and the Beast thing going?”

“Frank isn’t a beast.”

“You mean he transformed into a prince? Now, this I gotta see,” he says, clearly still joking.

I sigh. Just because Frank isn’t gorgeous doesn’t mean that I can’t like him. “It’s going like shit. Valentine’s Day is only a few days away and I really thought I could get him to go out with me on it. It was supposed to be special. Instead, he just runs whenever I’m around.”

Felix looks disappointed. “But you kissed him! I thought for sure… he turned you down? There’s no way he could turn you down.”

“He thinks it’s too dangerous. Told me that he doesn’t want me to get hurt. Blah blah.”

Felix is silent for a moment before looking at Lane. He leans into him and whispers. “Why do I kind of feel like it’s our fault?”

“Maybe it was the safe you stole,” Lane says. “Are you feeling guilty about that?”

He shakes his head, brownish-blond waves flopping into his face. “No, not at all.”

“The evidence?”

“No, not that either.” He shrugs. “Antonio, I’ve decided that we’re going to help you woo Frank.”

“I don’t want help.” I want help. “Especially not by you guys.” Even if it’s you guys.

“Good. Do you work tonight?”

“Yeah. Please don’t come.” Please do. I need some excitement in my life.

“We’ll be over later to check out what’s going on. I have a special ability for these things, you’ll see,” Felix says as he pats my shoulder reassuringly.

“You must, to have been able to hook Lane,” I say.

He gives me a wink. “That’s because he’s blind. He literally can’t figure out how to get away. All I need to do is rearrange the furniture every few days and he can’t find his way out of the house.”

I look over at Lane who just shrugs like he isn’t bothered by this at all. “We have a very healthy relationship, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“I wasn’t.”

Felix reaches out and squeezes my shoulder. There’s a gentle, kind smile on his face. “Valentine’s Day is only a week away; it’ll be the perfect day for you and Frank. I assure you, I will make it happen, even if Lane and I have to pay him to go on a date with you.”

“Great,” I say sarcastically.

Felix suddenly looks panicked as he grabs Lane’s arm. “Lane, we forgot the ice cream. Go fetch me ice cream.”

“Alright,” Lane says, but before leaving, he leans into me. “You’re going to regret this.”

It’s not a threat, it’s a warning. But the joke’s on him–

I already do.

He turns around and heads off with the German shepherd in tow.

I point toward Lane as he charges forward, leaving other people to part for him.

“Is he actually going to figure out how to get you ice cream?” I ask curiously.

“I don’t know. I’m kind of curious myself.  See you tonight. If you want me to dance a number with you, I’ll bring some clothes.”

“You do not know how to dance. I’ve literally never seen anyone not understand the concept of dancing as much as you.”

“Thanks, I always strive to be the best. If I can’t be the best dancer, I can be the best at being awful at it. Oh god… What’s he doing?” Felix hurries off, leaving me standing in the middle of the store alone.

Author Bio:
Alice Winters started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to turn her ideas into written words. She loves writing a variety of things from romance and comedy to action. She also enjoys reading, horseback riding, and spending time with her pets.

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Hidden in Darkness #1

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A Light in the Darkness #2

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Deception in Darkness #3

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Dancing in Darkness #3.5

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Series

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