Page 131 of Shadowman

I could really use the rest.

“Byron…?” He chirps again, and I groan.

“What??”

There’s a moment of pause before he asks softly, “Why is there a hole in this mattress?”

My eyes shoot open.

So much for that idea.

Warmth surrounds me.

Like a sheet of serenity, it wraps me up. More than just my mind… My body too. It’s a heaviness, apressurethat mollifies me, and I pretend not to know why.

But I do.

I’ve been searching for this feeling ever since…

The last night I felt it.With him.

Easing into it, the sensation of being held down and cherished, I reach for Michelangelo. I run my hands up his frame, breathing out a soft sigh of relief because he’shere.

I got him back.

His soft breaths brush my chest, and I hum. “I missed you, baby…”

The fingers gently grazing my hip become less gentle. They grip me possessively. My brow furrows as consciousness slowly descends on my mind, blurring away the comfort.

A voice, distinctlynotbelonging to Michelangelo, hums, “Mmm… I’d hoped you would.”

Fluttering my eyes open, I see black hair, messily strewn about. But when his face lifts, I’m met with purple eyes, and I jump.

“What the fuck?!” I gasp, still hoarse, having just woken up. Yanking myself out of his hold, I scoot away and sit up. “What are you doing in my bed??”

Trevel rises onto his knees, pouting. “You just looked so warm and peaceful…” His violet eyes sharpen. “Who were you talking to?”

“No one. None of your business,” I bark, crawling out of bed. Unfortunately, I’m still on the tail-end of morning wood, and adjusting my visible dick in my pants isn’t really helping my cause. “I thought I said no cuddling.”

Trevel slides off the bed himself, stretching before me. In times like this, I hate that he’s a solid five inches taller than me. I don’t like it when he’s hovering over me, wearing that knowing expression, like he doesn’t believe a damn word I say.

“You’re awfully stubborn, you know that?” He folds his arms over his chest, drawing my attention to his shirtless torso and how cut he is. Not as thickly muscled as me, but he has that slim definition really working for him. But I’mnottrying to notice these things, so I force my eyes to remain on his face. “Prison gets lonely, Raph. What’s wrong with a bit of shag-n-snuggle between mutually attracted mates, hm?”

I’m gaping at him like he’s a mental case, but I think he likes it… It only serves to widen his grin.

It’s too early for this nonsense.

Releasing a relenting breath, I rub my eyes. “Whatever, dude. Just… don’t do it again.”

Turning away, I’m going for my toothbrush and toothpaste, ignoring him as he murmurs, “No promises,” behind my back.

I have to pause my morning routine to note all of Trevel’s things, which have joined mine, lining the sink. That Kent guy showed up last night to drop off his stuff while I was fighting with my mind to stop running enough for me to get just a fewminutes of sleep. I only dozed off about an hour ago, but at least it was something.

Too bad I was woken up by my new cellmate, spooning me against my will.

I’m concentrating on brushing my teeth as Trevel skips over, nudging his arm against mine. I jerk away and peer at him.

“May I take a guess?” he asks. I give him a puzzled look. “About the purpose of the hole… in the mattress.”