Page 36 of Benicio

Now, the building was under construction, repairs being made. When that was completed, David knew the entire landscape would get a facelift thanks to Benicio’s obscene donations. Even the local soup kitchen and food pantries were now well stocked. He’d even donated to a few other charities in Ridgeway that desperately needed funding.

“Hey,” James said as he pushed off the stoop and met David halfway. “Been waiting on you.”

David had been at home, at his and Benicio’s house under construction to add a new vivarium, replicating the one in the rental they’d shared. Only the one Benicio was having constructed was twice as big, because David had wanted one even bigger.

“Sorry it took so long to get back to you,” David said. “How are things going?”

James smiled. “I run the soup kitchen now, with Deon’s help.”

The guy looked so proud that David grinned. Benicio had offered to buy James and Deon their own homes, but they’d asked him to put the money to better use. As far as David knew, the men lived at the halfway house, coordinating things.

Not that David knew how programs like that worked. He would leave that up to James and Deon, two best friends who’d always stuck to each other’s side.

The front door opened, and a woman stuck her head out. “We have a ton of paperwork to get through, James.”

The look in James’s eyes said it all. He was infatuated with her. “Coming, Patty.”

When the door closed, David arched a brow. “Patty?”

James actually blushed. “She does the bookkeeping. We’ve just been spending a lot of time together. That’s all.”

“Sure.” David chuckled, so glad to see his friends happy. “Where’s Deon?”

“He’s still at the youth center. He normally doesn’t get back this early.”

It was after ten at night, but David didn’t point that out. “You let me know if there’s anything you two need.”

“Will do,” James said, right before the door flew open again and Patty stood there glaring. James hopped up and ran inside, as if he didn’t want to disappoint her.

David loved it.

Benicio and Eleazar were slowly talking, and that would take time. David didn’t think Eleazar would have taken the news of being someone’s experiment, having his true existence replaced, and false memories implanted very well.

It would take time.

David slipped into the passenger seat of the car.

“Everything okay?” Benicio asked as he pulled away from the curb.

“Because of you, yes.” He leaned over and kissed Benicio’s cheek then chuckled when Benicio blushed.

“Well, you did save my life, twice. It was the least I could do.”

Things had settled down in Ridgeway. There were no more humans hunting preternatural. No more disappearing coven leaders. Just wolf shifters hunting vampires who crossed the line. Just Eleazar and Rayne antagonizing each other. It finally felt like home again to David, even though he now lived three hours away.

Even Matteo had found a woman to spend time with, and David couldn’t have been happier for him. Now it was David and Benicio’s time. Their time to get to know each other, spend their lives together, and David couldn’t wait to see where their future took them.

THE END

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