He was back in the dark alley, wet and grimy, mud smeared all over his back and a cold breeze caressing his bare skin. In the darkness behind his closed eyes, Luke shuddered. No need to be afraid, Luke reminded himself. In a moment Jake would be there to gather him up and take him to a soft mattress beneath a clean sheet in a warm bedchamber.
He didn’t need to worry. Soon there would be a tray crammed with food: a bowl of steamy creamed soup, some slices of thickly-buttered whole wheat bread, strawberry jam, cheese, a glass of cold orange juice, and a pot of black coffee. Luke needn’t fret if he couldn’t use the cutlery, for that kind and compassionate man would always be there to help him. If need be, he would even rub Luke’s cold skin to make it warm again, let him nuzzle into him, take
