Page 322 of Shadowman

They’ve chosen a place that’s supposed to have excellent Chinese food, and Byron and I arrive to find them already seated at a table in the back, with privacy.Makes sense, all things considered.

They barely notice us at first—typical. Too busy kissing and smiling and whispering things to each other that are most likely a combination of sweet and filthy. As we approach, they finally look up.

“Hey!” Felix cheers, jumping from his seat to hug us both. “I’m so happy to see you guys!”

Lem stands as well, though much slower and less outwardly enthusiastic.

“Look who it is… Our cum buddies,” he sneers and Byron chokes. Lemuel chuckles, “How was your trip?”

He hugs me first, then Byron, giving us each one-half of a Mississippi. Still, it’s fascinating. I never so much as grazed his flesh in all the years he treated me, pre-Alabaster Pen. I was beginning to think he was a mirage…

Or an imaginary friend.

Oh, come on. Not even fair!

“Long,” I mumble my answer to his question, taking a seat beside Byron, across from Lem.

He chuckles—something he’s started doing much more since the wedding. Smiling, laughing, general human behaviors. Of course, they’re still done in quiet, blasé sanguinity, because that’s who he is. But I wouldn’t want him any other way, and I’m certain his husband feels the same.

I’ve come to realize over the last year that I do love Lemuel, but not in any romantic sense. I think of him a bit like a father figure—okay, maybe more of a hot uncle. Either way, he’s always been a supportive and stable presence in my life, something I never had before him. The crush I’d developed in the past was more about having someone reliable in my life, someone who listened and understood. Whosawme.

But now I have Byron for that, and he’s much more my type—not to mention infinitely less infuriating. Byron is the perfect person for me, similar to me in ways that keep him alwaysempathizing, but with enough differences to keep us forever bickering and laughing at each other. Truly, I cannot imagine a better partner in crime.

I love Byron Kang in every single facet of my existence.

“Please,” my love scoffs at me. “Eight hours is nothing. Just wait for our trip to Seoul.”

I bite off my grin, taking his hand on the table. “I absolutelycannotwait, sweet fury. It’s going to be magnificent.”

“I’m jealous,” Felix sighs dreamily. “We haven’t gotten to anywhere in Asia yet, and I’m dying to go.”

“Honestly, I’m amazed you’re traveling at all.” Byron blinks. “Isn’t it dangerous?”

“Yes,” Lem grumbles, but Felix waves him off.

“Life is dangerous. After what we’ve all been through, we have to make the most of this.” He smirks at Lemuel, who narrows his heated gaze in return.

But then he takes Felix’s hand, kissing the ring on his finger. “What am I supposed to do with you, Mr. Love?”

“Whatever you want, Dr. Monster,” Felix purrs through a sickeningly love-drunk grin.

Byron and I share a look, one of our wordless passes of relationship hubris that has us both chuckling.Yes, we’ve made it to the stage in our relationship where we think we’re better than every other couple. Amazing in itself, because I never thought I’d make it past sleeping with someone, let alone to a place where my partner and I feel comfortable lofting our love over others.

But then he kisses me, and it’s slow and passionate. Because we’re equally bloody disgusting, so who are we to judge?

The four of us order food—actually, we let Felix and Lem choose for us since they’re the Chinese food connoisseurs—and we eat together amidst casual conversation. We haven’t seen them in months, so there’s a lot to catch up on, most of itpertaining to what’s happening on the island. They talk about their honeymoon in Belize, and we talk about Montreal, Maui, and Mexico. And then we laugh about how the last three places we visited start with “M.”

We discuss our friends, and what they’ve been doing since we all parted ways. And of course, we talk about the reason we all know each other; the person who brought us together, for better or worse.

“No one’s heard from him,” Felix says, breaking open a fortune cookie. “At least, no one in our neck of the woods.”

“Not even Velle?” Byron asks, surprised.

Felix shrugs. “If he has, he hasn’t mentioned it.”

“It’s better that way,” Lem adds. “For everyone.”

“Did Dash say anything? When you saw him?” Felix tilts his head at Byron.