Page 326 of Shadowman

Afterward, the four of us went out for a few pints, got a little tipsy, and wound up singing karaoke until the sun came up.

When Byron and I returned to our hotel, we were drunk and high on the adrenaline of watching a serial killer murder and dismember my parents. We fucked until we couldn’t keep our eyes open, then passed out covered in lube, cum, and sweat.

A fantastic evening of debauchery.

We came down to the hotel restaurant for greasy burgers and bloody marys to cure the hangover and refuel for more sex. And I’m just staring at Byron in between bites, watching him stuff his face in the most adorable and somehow sexy fashion.

“I’ve gotta say… Darcey really knows what he’s doing,” he rambles, pouring out more brown sauce for his chips. “The dude is thorough. If there was a serial killer Olympics, I’m confident he’d take the gold. For America, anyway.”

I snort. “Who’d get silver?”

He thinks about it for a moment. “I hate to say it, but probably Bundy. The guy was an obnoxious conservative prick, but he was tenacious as fuck.Wily… You know he escaped prison twice?”

“That’s not that impressive… I know people who’ve done that,” I murmur, and he chuckles. Stifling an out-of-control grin, I pick up a pepper shaker. “I never knew you were so into true crime…”

He scoffs. “You definitely did. How many nights have we spent rotting in the apartment, binge-watching true crime shows?”

While he’s distracted, I’m nodding, casually dumping pepper into my hand. “You’re right. Hey, By?”

“Yea?”

I blow the pepper into his face like pixie dust, and he immediately starts coughing.

“Jesus fuck!” He’s frantically wiping his nose and eyes while I’m cackling wickedly. “What the hell did you do that for?!”

“Two truths and a lie, sweet fury.” I grip the edge of the table, staring at him in wait.

He pauses his freaking out to gawk back at me. “You’re out of your goddamn mind.”

I nod emphatically. “Are you really not going to sneeze right now??”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “Do I seem like I tend gardens in my spare time?”

“Hey, anything is possible.” I frown. “It’s a lot more believable than never sneezing in your entire life!”

He shrugs. “What can I tell you, gorgeous? I just—” His words cut out, his face scrunching.

My eyes widen in anticipation.

But he just shakes it off and takes a sip from his drink.More pepper! There’spepperin thebloodybloody mary! I can’t even right now.

“I’m awestruck,” I murmur, and he grins, winking at me. “No, seriously. Byron, I… Can we…”

“Can we what?” he hums, continuing on with his eating. “Go to the loo and shag?” Clearly proud of himself with that one, he grins wide.

I’m seriously about to cry.

“Can we get married?” I ask softly, and his face flings to mine.

I’m not sure his eyes have ever been wider. I sneeze, and he mutters, “God bless you.”

“Cheers.”

“Wait, hold on…Married?”

I nod. “You said we were way past dating…”

“Okay, but there’s a pretty big leap from whatever comes after dating and marriage… isn’t there?”