Page 98 of Bleed the Shadows

I knew now that barbed wire was intertwined with the other images etched onto his skin, knew it because I’d traced it with my fingers when we’d been naked in bed. I hadn’t had to ask what it meant: Bram was a walking No Trespassing sign.

Except I wanted to trespass, wanted to keep working my way behind all the signs screamingDanger.

I waited for a warning from June, but she was quiet.

“I hope this is okay.” He tore his gaze from mine and looked down at his clothes. “I wanted to dress nice for your friend.”

My heart felt like a lemon squeezed to bursting. “It’s more than okay, but you can wear whatever you want for Bailey. She won’t care and neither do I.”

I wanted him to know that he was enough just as he was.

Then the intercom buzzed from the ground floor and I pulled away to let Bailey in, the nerves kicking up in my stomach all over again.

“Be right back.”

I could have let her in from upstairs, but I wanted to meet her at the door.

She was looking around when I got there, her cheeks flushed with cold, her hands stuffed into her navy wool coat.

“I wasn’t sure this was the place.” She stepped into the vestibule carrying a bottle of wine. “I knew better than to bring food.”

“You can always bring food.” I liked nice food but I wasn’t above junk food.

Case in point: Marv’s donuts, which had become something of an addiction.

We hugged and I took Bailey’s coat. She looked past me to Poe’s darkened studio.

“Are you living in a warehouse?”

I laughed. “It’s a loft. Trust me, it’s nice.”

I took the wine and led her to the second floor.

“Wow,” she said, stepping into the living area, warm and glowing with Christmas lights. “This is gorgeous.”

“Thanks.” Poe walked over to meet her. “I’m Poe.”

I introduced Remy and Bram and watched her face for judgement. Neither of us had ever dated guys — no, not guys,men— like this and I wouldn’t have blamed her for being a bit shocked.

And she was, a little, but not the judgy kind of shocked. More like theI can’t believe you pulled this off,you lucky whorekind of shocked.

“And who is this?” Bailey squealed when Ray came over, wagging his tail.

He wove his way between Remy’s legs — I was starting to believe he knew Remy was an easy target — and Remy stumbled before catching himself.

“That’s it. You don’t get to be that cute and be a tripping hazard.”

“That’s Ray,” I told Bailey. “Bram gave him to me for Christmas.”

“You have a dog?” Bailey crouched to pet him.

He ate it up, tongue lolling, tail beating a mile a minute.

“As of two days ago. I meant to tell you but I've been so busy with the food.” I headed into the kitchen. “Have a seat. Want some of this wine? Or something else to drink?”

“I’ll take some of the wine,” Bailey said. She exclaimed over the Christmas tree and looked down over Main Street. “Wow, Main Street looks so pretty from up here.”

I poured the wine and brought out the first of the appetizers and we all settled around the living room, Bailey, Poe, and I on the sofa while Bram and Remy took two of the chairs.