Kicked out of his home at eighteen, Cole ends up at The Haven, a drop-in spot for homeless teens, run by Adam Franks. Unable to spend the nights there, he ends up sleeping rough, is attacked by a pair of punks -- and rescued by a Bullmastiff he names Bull.<br><br>Cole and Bull become inseparable. Cole also meets, and is attracted to, Ky, a friend of Adam's, who twice saves Cole from more attackers. After the second attack, things suddenly change in Cole's life when he finds out why someone seems to be after him.<br><br>Will Ky be able to convince Cole he's told him is the truth, while dealing with his own attraction to Cole? And can Ky and his friends keep Cole safe from a man who claims to be Cole's real father?

Cole and His Dog

“I bet you’d like to take a walk,” he said to Bull, getting the leash that he’d hung on the door handle. It didn’t occur to him—until he’d locked the door and they headed to the elevator—to wonder if they were free to come and go from the building at any time or if there was a curfew.


He asked the guy at the desk by the front door when he got there, after introducing himself.


“I’m Norm,” the guy replied. “There’s no curfew, but if you’re going to be coming in after eight, you’ll need a key.” He handed one to Cole.


“May I keep it? I work until eight, except for Mondays and Tuesdays.”


“You bet. Just sign here so we have a record that you have one.” Norm slid a ledger across the desk and gave Cole a pen. He glanced at Bull. “Hell, you’d need one anyway, if you’re going to be walking him at night.”


“I guess so,” Cole agreed, putting the key in his wallet. I need to add a keyring to my shopping list, once I make one.


Chapter 20