Page 6 of Adored

Poe knew what was expected of him, and he knew what was about to go down.

Soon, the eligible women would be coming out of the woodwork, and he was not the least bit thrilled that he was going to be their focus.

In fact, as a gay man, that was the last thing he wanted. His heart loved who it loved, and that would never change.

He was going to be a spinster.

Forever.

“You really fucked me good, Hemmingway,” he muttered. “I know why you did it because you were a hero, but you dragged me into this. You were the brave one, not me. Now, I’ve lost my life that I’ve built. I met a really great guy, and I had to leave him behind for duty to our mother and father.”

Why was he talking to his dead brother?

Why not?

One of the techniques he taught in healing was getting it off his chest.

Oh, and he was.

This was one hell of a trauma dump.

Absolutely.

This was his way of staying sane while he knew what he’d lost.

Gamble.

He’d lost Gamble.

Well, maybe it was a stupid technique after all because it didn’t make him feel any better.

Not.

Even.

Close.

As he was standing there, staring out over the land that he now owned, as the mist rolled across the hills, Poe heard barking.

That was out of place since all of the animals here were killed by Von Donore’s men. There weren’t even sheep left alive.

Yet, something was there and heading his way.

He’d bet on it.

Focusing on the movement, that’s when he saw something running through the mist and toward him in an awkward gait.

It was a familiar form too.

A dog.

That’s when he recognized it.

“Rufus?” he asked, as he watched the dog’s crazy gait due to a cast on his back leg. He hobbled like some pirate dog trying to get its sea legs.

When he reached him, he went nuts.

Scratching him behind the ears, he saw there was writing on the cast.