Saving Shane (Paranormal Gay Romance)

By Trina Solet

Shane is hearing and seeing things that can't be real. He's sure no one will understand, and that has turned him into a recluse. Until John comes along.
John, his next door neighbor, is everything Shane isn't. He's positive and outgoing, not to mention tall, blond and muscular. He's also a good, caring guy and that only makes Shane want to avoid him.
But when John notices that his neighbor is in bad shape, he can't just ignore his distress. John isn't lacking in confidence, but he doesn't know how to deal with the strange things happening to Shane or how to handle the strong feelings his troubled neighbor stirs up in him. While John wants to save him, protect him, above all, he wants to make Shane his.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trina Solet
• Release date: Jan 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9791220884006

Book preview

Chapter 1

John was working in his office while his little sister, Katie, was puttering around, making the guest room into her room and generally making herself at home. She was moving in with him so that she could finish middle school with all her friends before she joined their parents in California. They had moved for both Mom and Dad's jobs, and also bought a house that wasn't built yet. That was the other reason they let Katie stay with him.

Since John worked from home, having her constantly popping into his office wasn't ideal. Plus she was always making some kind of noise. At least she would be in school most of the day starting Monday.

But the next noise that made him jump wasn't Katie. It was the sound of glass breaking, like maybe a window. It was followed by a long loud yell of anguish.

The sounds came from outside John's office window. He looked through the blinds he always kept closed because the neighbor's house and his window were right there. Except right now, his neighbor's window was mostly gone. Only jagged pieces of glass remained.

Was someone breaking in next door? No. No one could have climbed in through that window without getting cut up. Whoever was breaking in might have run off though.

John already had his phone in his hand ready to call the police when Katie ran in. What's going on? she asked and looked around like she thought the noise came from his office.

It's next door. I'm... John trailed off and stopped himself before dialing 911 as he saw his neighbor come out to the side of the house. He was young, mid twenties maybe so about John's age or younger with shaggy, dark brown hair and slim build.

The neighbor was looking at the broken window then he bent down and picked up something from the ground. It looked like a pewter candlestick. Was that what went flying through the window? And what about that yell? What was going on next door?

Now that he had picked up the candlestick, his neighbor was picking up the broken glass too, but he had nowhere to put it.

OK, the neighbor is out there, he told Katie who was hanging over by his office door, looking scared. I'm going to see what's going on. You stay in here with the doors locked.

Feeling a little safer, she came over to the window to peer at the neighbor. He isn't ugly or anything, she said, obviously not as worried and scared any more.

Yeah, I'm locking the door, John told her.

He went out the front door and came out on his quiet street that was several blocks from the center of town and well away from the sprawl of the suburbs. On this side of the street, the houses were packed pretty close and across the street the brownstones had people crammed even closer together. But even a sociable guy like John still didn't know most of his neighbors, not even the cute ones.

From the corner of his house, John called out to the neighbor so he wouldn't startle him, but he startled him anyway. The guy jumped and started breathing hard. But Katie was right, he wasn't exactly bad looking. His hair was kind of disheveled and he was thin and didn't look too healthy.

Hi, I'm your neighbor, John McAllister. He helpfully pointed to his house.

Oh, sorry, the guy said and set down the pieces of glass he had picked up.

It's everything OK? John asked, going closer.

I ...Yes. I just... He looked from John to the window like he was at a loss to explain what happened.

Did you throw the candlestick? John asked him to simplify things.

Yes. There's no one else in there, he said oddly.

OK. I'm sure you had a reason, John said, hinting to the guy that he might want to explain himself right about now.

I... I was sleeping and woke up but not all the way, I guess, and I thought I saw someone breaking in.

Oh OK. That mistake just cost you a window, John said and hoped he didn't sound too unsympathetic. He then heard knocking on the window to his office and jumped. I guess my nerves are on edge now too.

It was Katie knocking, pointing and gesturing. From all that John gathered that she wanted to come out. He waved to let her know it was OK.

That's my little sister, he told the neighbor. John was about to ask him his name as Katie ran over.

So what was it? What happened? she had to know.

Just a false alarm, John told her. This is my sister, Katie.

Kate, not Katie, she said. That was new. No one called her Kate. No one.

John now looked at the neighbor to introduce himself. Katie did too but they got nothing.

What's his name, Katie asked John.

I don't know, John told her and that finally clued the neighbor in that he needed to introduce himself.

I'm Shane Meers. Sorry, I... He trailed off like he wasn't sure what to apologize for. I'm sorry I disturbed you.

The guy seemed way more freaked out than either he or Katie, so John decided to let him off the hook. It happens. But it's nice to finally meet you. I've seen you around once or twice. I work from home, John added so he wouldn't sound like a stalker or something, but it probably didn't help.

What do you do? Shane asked being polite and clearly not giving a crap.

I work in marketing. Sports related stuff mostly.

I believe it, Shane muttered.

See, he thinks you look like a jock too, Katie said. He isn't. John is just a boring business guy.

And I'm a boring tech guy, Shane said.

I hope I'm not going to be a boring adult like you guys, she said and pouted at both of them.

She doesn't mince words, John said as Katie went to look at a bush next to his house that had some impressive, colorful dry leaves on it. You want some help picking up the glass? he asked looking at it all over the ground, some of the pieces big, jagged and dangerous looking.

Oh no. I'll get it. Sorry about the disturbance, Shane said.

Just as long as you're OK, John told him. Don't cut yourself while you're cleaning up. He seemed like the kind of hapless guy who would totally slice open his hand picking up broken glass.

Right. I appreciate the concern, he said but he looked like he really didn't and wanted John to stay out of his business. Friendly.

You want to have lunch with us after you're done. We're eating out in our back courtyard, just some veggie fritters and salad, John said. It was an impulse to invite him, maybe a perverse impulse because he was being so standoffish. The guy looked kind of thin and pale. He could use a good meal.

But Shane was shaking his head even before John told him what was on the menu. I appreciate the offer. But I can't. Thank you.

They're good, the fritters. Don't knock them till you tried them, John told him.

Shane smiled weakly and thanked him again before saying he needed to get some newspapers for the broken glass then escaping inside.

Noticing Katie hovering nearby, John turned to her and shrugged.

It's embarrassing to watch you get shot down so hard, she said mercilessly.

It was the fritters.

She wasn't buying that. It wasn't.

~Shane~

As he went to get the newspapers and the trash can so he could get rid of the broken glass, Shane couldn't believe he made himself look like a lunatic to the hunk next door. He couldn't really call it making the wrong impression though. He wasn't sane. He wasn't OK. He was throwing candlesticks through windows and not because of any nightmare.

JC was there again, tormenting him, whispering words he couldn't make out over and over, filling his head with noise. But Shane knew what he wanted to say. Shame on you, Shane. You have blood on your hands.

He couldn't take it any more. He snapped. And what good did it do. His outburst wouldn't make JC go away. Nothing would.

But his brief talk with John was almost like a moment of normalcy. John even asked him to come over to have lunch with him and his sister. The man felt sorry for him, that had to be why he invited him.

Of course Shane could never say yes. He barely held himself together. Any day now his sanity would slip away from him completely.

Going back inside after cleaning up the mess he made, Shane steeled himself but there was no sign of JC. He would be back though. He always came back.

Chapter 2

His workout that morning was making John hungry, and looking at aisle after aisle of food wasn't helping. He could have had the grocery shopping done by now, but he had Katie with him.

Are you sure you're almost fourteen? Because this is like shopping with a five year old, John said as Katie pointed at yet one more thing excitedly and wanted him to buy it.

You think a lot of five year olds like hot sauce? she asked him like that was some kind of proof of maturity.

You just like the picture, he accused her since the bottle had a cute, cartoon devil hugging a bright red pepper.

Pft, I can handle hot sauce, she claimed.

Not that one, John told her as he put it back on the shelf and substituted something tamer.

But now Katie was pointing excitedly straight ahead. Neighbor guy! she gasped. That's who she had spotted.

I see him, John said and