ANGEL: When Angels Cry by CJ Bishop Page A

about letting you get a job at one of the
corner markets or something. As a stock boy or something. He might
be okay with it if you’re making money. And you wouldn’t have to be
here with them the whole time.”
    Maddy looked at him, hopeful. “Do you think
he would let me?”
    “I don’t know.” Angel said. “Maybe. But,” He
looked at him seriously. “If he lets you take a job, you cannot
tell anyone about what goes on here. You understand? That’s why he doesn’t let
you go to school, he thinks you might talk. So he may not let you
get a job either. I don’t know. But if it involves money, he may
change his mind.”
    Maddy nodded. “I won’t say anything. I
promise.”
    Angel hugged him again and kissed his head.
“I have to go to work now. But maybe tomorrow morning I’ll talk to
Wade.” He drew back. “I would tonight, but they’re always drunk at
night. So I’ll wait till he’s sober.”
    “When do you think you’ll be home?” Maddy
asked with a measure of anxiety.
    “I don’t know.” Angel said and combed the
boy’s hair back from his face. “I usually work till after midnight.
But I’ll come straight home. I always do.”
    Maddy nodded silently, eyes worried.
    “Hey.” Angel murmured. “You’re gonna be okay.
Just…stay away from them as much as possible. With them, sometimes
it’s out of sight, out of mind. When they start drinking, they’re
easily distracted. So if they don’t see you, they will probably
just leave you alone.”
    Licking his lips slowly, Maddy whispered, “I
hope Byrd don’t come over.”
    Angel gazed at him, his stomach knotting.
“Has Byrd ever…tried anything with you when I wasn’t here?”
    Maddy shook his head. “But sometimes…” He
raised his fearful eyes to Angel. “He looks at me like…he wants
to.”

     

Chapter Eight
    Heavenly Reprieve
     
    “Thanks.” Max leaned against kitchen door
frame, eyes down. “You’re a good guy, Dane.”
    “So are you.” Dane gripped his shoulder. He
could almost feel the man’s pain resonating out of him and into his
palm. “You know…I’m a pretty good listener…if you ever want to talk
about it.”
    Max nodded slowly, then shrugged. “Thanks,
but…it won’t change anything to talk about it.”
    “Sometimes it helps to anyway.” Dane
murmured. “It can be a hell of a burden keeping something all to
yourself. I think we were created with that innate need to confide
in one another.”
    Raising his eyes, Max looked at him. “You
speak as if from personal experience.”
    His lips tight, Dane nodded. “Maybe so.”
    “And are you ready to talk about it?” Max asked
quietly.
    Pressure pushed out from the center of Dane’s
chest as he thought about it for only a moment. “No,” he whispered.
“I guess I’m not.”
    Max smiled and gripped the side of his neck
lightly then leaned close and kissed him. Their arms wrapped around
each other and Max chuckled low against his shoulder then kissed
his neck. “I guess maybe we’re both just a couple of basket
cases.”
    Dane hugged him tight. “I guess so.”
    Silence settled over them as they held on to
each other in quiet desperation. Max shifted and rubbed his lips up
the side of Dane’s neck to his ear, causing a pleasant shiver to
race down through his body. “Maybe talking isn’t what we need right now.” He
said softly, then drew back slowly, meeting Dane’s heated gaze. The
man rubbed his hands down Dane’s chest and stomach and let his
fingers play around the snap of his pants. “I think…I might need
something more.”
    “Me too.” Dane whispered thickly. Max kissed
him then took his hand and walked him down the carpeted hallway to
his bedroom. When they stepped into the room, Max hesitated, just
staring at the bed.
    “Max?” Dane spoke low, soft. “Are you
okay?”
    He shook his head slowly. “Not really.” There
was a sudden rasp to his voice, and when he looked at Dane, his
eyes were damp. “It’s just that… not