Page 1 of Midnight Roots

Prologue

Heston

My body is covered in sweat as I wake up in a state of absolute terror.

Craning my neck, I glance at the clock on the bedstand next to me.

Twelve o’ three in the morning.

It’s always the same goddamn time lately.

Fuck,I think as I angrily swat my blanket away.

I thought I had finally managed to get these flashbacks under control, but they still seem to find me in my dreams.

Coming to Ironhaven and working for Mr. Harvey for a few years got rid of the day terrors, but the night ones still linger.

I swing my legs over the side of the bed, angry that I can’t stop them no matter what I do, and walk over to my dresser. I pull out a fresh pair of boxer shorts from the top drawer, placing them on top before I walk back over to my bed and strip the sheets.

It's become something of a ritual lately.

Midnight showers.

Midnight laundry.

Midnight hopelessness.

Midnight regrets.

Once I’ve got the sheets piled up on the floor, I lean down, pull down my sweat-soaked boxers, and toss them onto the sheets.

I can feel my flaccid dick slap gently against my inner thigh and sigh in relief.

At the very least, I didn’t wake up hard over the nightmares.

Maybe I’m getting better after all,I dare to hope as I quickly bunch up the sheets and underwear in my arms and walk out of my room.

I make my way down the hallway and through the kitchen, using my foot to push open the door to the small room just behind it.

I set everything on top of the dryer, then reach up for the string above my head, pull it, and illuminate the room.

Once I can finally see what I’m doing, I make quick work of tossing everything into soak with a small cup of detergent, then go back to my room to grab the boxers still resting on top of the dresser.

I’ll feel better after I take a shower.

I always do.

Chapter One

Dillon

Catch + Candle.

It looks pretty plain from the outside.

It is made of shiny red bricks, large bay windows out front, and the diner's logo screaming at me from the sign that hangs above the door.

The neighborhood’s best café & grill.