A/N: Hello again everyone! A new chapter is here! :D

Before we get started, I would like to thank everyone that read last chapter! I would also like to give a huge thank you to winterschild11, RainbowDiamonds, Side1ways, Guest, jessv96, and Anno1701 for reviewing!

I hope you all enjoy!

Dak shivered as the evening breeze swirled around us. We walked through the downtown area, taking in the sights and smells. He had called me earlier in the afternoon and asked if I wanted to go out tonight.

"Not like a date," he had said in a rush. "Just for coffee or something. It'll do you good to get out of the house for a little bit."

I hadn't argued.

Other than leaving for groceries, I hadn't spent much time outside the manor. I had been too swept away by the mystery of James and the answers within his journal. Over the past three days, he had allowed me to read more of the entries-after I had written a little. But when I reached the last one, he had taken it from me again.

"How are things with James?" Dak asked, flicking his head to get his bangs out of his face.

"Great. I think we're friends now." I smiled at the revelation, though I felt more than friendship toward the hauntingly beautiful man in my home.

"Friends with a ghost." Dak shot me a lopsided grin. "Like Casper."

I snorted and bumped into him. "Dork."

He chuckled as he was knocked off balance. "Jerk."

"I found out something interesting," I said as we reached the coffeehouse.

"Yeah? What?"

I opened the door and entered the shop after him. The aroma of coffee and sweets was enticing, and so was the warm air. The October night wasn't cold, but it certainly held a bite to it.

"Alex is Edward. It's his middle name."

"No shit?" Dak gaped. We ordered our drinks and sat at a table in the corner. "I've gone through more of the attic and found some things about Edward. I didn't think much about it though, because I was searching for an Alex. But I'll take another look and let you know what I find."

"Awesome. Let me know if you want help."

"Will do." Dak sipped his coffee and bounced a little in his seat. He was such a bundle of energy and was refreshing to be around.

I hadn't realized how heavy the air in the manor had become, especially recently with learning about the abuse James had suffered within the walls. But being around Dak was like having that weight lifted off.

"How's work?" I asked.

"Not bad at all. We got a bunch of anime merch in that I'm super stoked about. Have you ever watched Tokyo Ghoul?"

"Can't say that I have."

As Dak started explaining the plot of the show and obsessing over the characters, I sipped my coffee and smiled. I didn't have the heart to tell him I had no interest in anime, but his excitement was too endearing.

"Is the book going well?" he asked.

"Extremely well. Which makes me worry it's a load of trash."

Dak laughed. "I'm sure that's not true. You're passionate about this one. I can tell. When you talk about it, you get a certain spark in your eyes. See. Just like now."

I looked at my cup and wiped away the trickle of coffee from the lid. "It's special to me."

The story was about James. I had changed a few details, of course, and had exaggerated others. But I had taken to heart what he said about adding a romance within the layers of horror and suspense. And so far, it was working out exceedingly well.

After finishing our coffee, we went back outside and strolled down the sidewalk at a leisurely pace. It was just after nine on a Saturday night, and the bars were slowly filling up. Music thumped in the distance from a car that had its windows down and the radio turned to the max. A band played on an outside stage from a restaurant down the block.

"Would you like to come over to my place?" Dak asked, blushing under the streetlights.

My heart skidded to a stop before restarting. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he was propositioning.

"I...I'm not sure, Dak." Then, before he could jump to conclusions, I added, "What we have is great, and I don't want to do anything to ruin it. In my experience, I tend to fuck up the good things in my life."

"I'm not your type, am I?" He stared ahead, his brow creased.

"I don't have a type. But if you're asking if I find you attractive, then the answer is yes."

He flashed a smile. "I think you are, too."

We reached his car minutes later. He unlocked the doors and we got inside. The drive home was quiet. He stared at the road as he drove, and I stared at him, wondering why I couldn't just go home with him. Sex would be an amazing release right now.

"Please do not betray me," James had said the day in his greenhouse.

I knew he meant it in a different way-that he didn't want me using his secrets against him. But I'd seen the desire in his eyes when he was close to me. Even though he wouldn't admit it, I was pretty sure that there was something between James and me and that he could feel it as well. Fucking Dak would feel like a betrayal to James, even though we weren't together.

When we pulled into my driveway, I turned to Dak.

"Thanks for inviting me out tonight."

"Thanks for agreeing." Dak said, his eyes zeroing in on my mouth. "I'm not ready for it to be over, but I understand why it's being cut short."

"Do you want to come in for a drink?" I asked without thinking it through first.

Dak looked as shocked as I felt. "You want me to come inside?" His gaze shifted to the house. "Do you think he'll show himself to me?"

"Probably not," I said. "He's kind of shy."

Although reluctantly, Dak agreed to have a drink. We walked up to the house, and before I opened the door, I saw a shadow pass by the window. Hopefully, James wouldn't be upset that we'd have a visitor. Once inside, I locked the door and removed my jacket.

Dak looked around, his eyes big.

"He won't hurt you," I said. "Come on. I'll pour you a drink."

As we headed for the kitchen, I searched for any signs of James. I doubted he'd show himself while Dak was here, but I didn't know that for a fact. I grabbed an unopened bottle of rum from the freezer and took two glasses from the cabinet.

"I have Coke and Mountain Dew. Which one do you want?"

"Coke," he answered.

After I made our drinks, I handed his to him and we went into the living room. The house was too quiet, lacking the usual creaks and odd sounds. I got the distinct feeling we were being watched. James was playing the invisible game again, it seemed. He was probably in the same room with us.

"I won't lie, this is creepy, Kendall." Dak's roaming gaze made me inwardly laugh. He would've shit himself if James randomly appeared in front of him like he had done to me a million times.

"Don't think so much about it," I said before tilting my glass back for a big gulp. "Do you want to watch a movie?"

"I swear to God, if you put on some scary ghost movie, I might have to kill you."

"Oh, come on, Dak."

He glared at me but scooted in closer against my chest on the couch. "Fine. But if I have nightmares tonight, I'm blaming you."

Browsing the horror movie category on Netflix, I searched for the scariest ghost film I could find. I settled into the couch, drink in hand, and smiled as Dak sighed and quickly drank nearly half of his rum.

The movie played, getting scarier by the minute. A ghost with a decaying face jumped in front of the main character, vomiting blood on him.

"I hate you," Dak said after screaming so loud it echoed in the living room.

I laughed as he pressed his face against my chest.

A familiar creak sounded behind me, and I turned to look behind the couch.

James stood there, and the expression on his face made my gut twist. He stared at me before looking at Dak. I knew what he saw; me and Dak getting cozy together.

But it wasn't like that. At least not for me.

"What are you looking at?" Dak asked, following my gaze.

James had already faded from sight.

"Nothing," I said, my heart racing.

An hour and a half later, the movie ended, and I turned off the TV. Dak sat up and stretched, yawning as he did.

"Guess I better get home." He'd only had one glass, so I knew he was okay to make it home.

"Yeah. I'll walk you out."

The chilly night woke me up as we stepped outside. The leaves rustled in the trees as the wind blew, and I smelled rain in the air. Good. It had been too long since we'd had a good rain.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I said.

"Do you think we could ever...I don't know, try to see where this goes?" Dak stopped walking and turned to me. "I really like you, Kendall. You get me, and not many other guys do."

"I…" I honestly didn't know. "I think we should let things happen naturally. Don't force it."

"I can accept that." He said with a smile. "Thanks for the drink and for scaring the shit out of me. I appreciate it."

Laughing, I continued toward his car. Just as I grabbed the handle to open the door for him, Dak slipped his arms around me. I stilled. Then, I turned and looked at him, my heart pounding. It had been so long since I'd been held. Since someone had looked at me with lust-filled eyes in the way Dak was looking at me now.

My body heated as he moved in closer.

And then his lips touched mine.

For a moment, I kissed him back. He was a hell of a kisser and it just felt too good, and I'd been so lonely. But then James' face appeared in my mind. I made a sound between a whimper and a groan before gently pushing Dak back a step.

"Dak, we talked about this."

"I know," he said as tears welled in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

He got into his car and slammed the door. I called after him, but he backed out of the driveway and sped off down the road to his house. Once his headlights disappeared, I put my hands in my pockets and walked back inside.

"You kissed him."

Guilt clawed my chest. James stood in the archway leading to the parlor. I could barely meet his eyes.

"He kissed me," I said.

"But you let him. You kissed him back. I saw you."

"So?" Guilt-ridden and angry, I finally met his gaze. "I don't see why it's any of your business. You said it yourself...nothing can happen between us. I've made it clear that I want you, but you don't want me. What does it matter if Dak and I kiss? Hell, I might just fuck him too, if the urge strikes."

James' jaw loosened as his mouth popped open. "Kendall…"

He started to say something, but instead he vanished, and the crack in my chest that had formed earlier deepened.

"James?" I rushed forward, touching the spot he'd just been standing. It was slightly colder than the area around it. He wasn't here. I didn't even feel him watching me. "You can't run away when you get upset! Let's talk about it."

I waited for an answer that never came.

"You're not being fair," I tried again. "You push me away then get upset when another guy shows interest in me. Make up your damn mind."

More silence.

Eventually, I went up the stairs and collapsed in bed, fully clothed.

Dak was crushing on me, and James...well, I was still trying to figure that one out. No matter what happened, someone would get hurt. One thing I hated about romance novels was the infuriating love triangles. And damn it all, I felt like I was stuck in one right now. I cared about Dak, but what I felt for James surpassed that.

I couldn't be with the man I really wanted. I shouldn't want to be with him. He was dead. A ghost. But no time or space could change my feelings for him. That much I knew.

"I'm so sorry, James," I whispered to the dark room, hoping he was close enough to hear me.

The next morning, I opened my eyes to see James standing by the window. The silver light streaming in told me I'd been right about the rain. The soft thrumming of it could be heard against the windowpane.

I sat up in bed, and the rustling of covers-which I had somehow gotten under during the night-made him turn his head.

"Good norming." His indifferent tone matched his expression.

"Morning." The mattress dipped as I scooted toward the edge and stood up. "About last night-"

"No, you will stay silent and let me talk, Kendall Knight." James spun around and was in front of me within seconds. The indifference broke away like water bursting from a dam, and sadness radiated off him. "I know I cannot have you. I know it's not fair for me to be hurting this way. But I do."

I went to say something but snapped my mouth shut.

"I've been lonely for so many years, and I suppose finding you has made me feel less alone," He continued. "Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I feel a bond between us. The weeks together have brought us close. Each morning, I eagerly wait for you to wake so we can begin our day. You've given purpose to my existence, Kendall, and I fear losing what we have." He paused and his body flickered. "I fear losing you."

"You won't lose me. I told you, I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise me something, Kendall." He reached for my hand but withdrew it before contact. "Promise me we'll keep whatever this is between us just as it is right now. No more and no less. I can be your friend and nothing more. All I ask is that if you and Dak do decide to be together...please don't bring him here, for I could not bear it."

So he felt the connection between us, too. There was no rhyme or reason to it, but neither of us could deny it anymore. That didn't make anything easier.

"I promise." I stepped toward him. "It doesn't have to be like this. If you want me, just say it. Dak is a great guy, but it's you I want, James."

He shook his head. "Stop, Kendall. Please."

"Why?" I ached to hold him.

"We aren't right for each other," he whispered. "Excuse me."

He vanished and left me alone in the room.

XxX

Two days later, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, drying the earth from the constant rain. James and I had gone about our usual routine, though things felt off. Every time our eyes met, I felt like my chest was slowly being crushed, as if someone added a heavier rock again and again until I was buried beneath them.

"You promised nothing would change," James said Monday morning as he caught me staring at him.

"I'm sorry." I averted my eyes to my coffee. "I just don't know how to act now."

"Be yourself. That's all I want, Kendall."

I couldn't ignore the spike in my heart rate when he said my name.

Things with Dak had been weird, too. I had called him yesterday to apologize, and he'd sounded way too chipper. Hiding the hurt beneath exaggerated happiness. It was exactly why I didn't want anything romantic-or sexual-happening between us.

I didn't want to lose my friend.

"I've placed the journal on your bed," James said, snagging my attention. "It's time for you to finish it. Then, perhaps, I can put the past behind me where it belongs."

I finished my coffee and headed upstairs. He didn't accompany me. I understood why he got nervous when I read it. I felt the same way about my own writing. When someone read my book for the first time, I felt nauseous. However, James' book wasn't just nonsense about monsters and gore. His was real life. His life.

I grabbed the journal off the bed before sinking into my reading chair.

The final entry was dated October 24th, 1917.

It must've been written only days before James was reported missing. I felt anxious. I wanted to know what happened, but I dreaded it, too.

The handwriting wasn't as clean as it had been throughout the rest of the journal, as if this entry had been scribbled in a rush.

Alex is married now. He has been for nearly a month. I shouldn't be angry, but I can't help it. It's not fair!

Why should she be able to have him when I can't? Why should our lives be governed by a book that was written so long ago?

My heart's beating so hard, so fast, I wonder if it will beat right out of my chest. With the way it's hurting, it's a miracle it's even beating at all. I'm shaking from anger, from sorrow, from the hand I've been dealt in life.

I can't forget the sounds of his moans as he pushed inside of her.

I was a fool for going to visit him, but I was desperate, much like he'd been when he came to see me the night he begged me to run away with him. Christ. Why did I have to go see him? I went to his window as usual and pushed it open.

That's when I saw them.

Alex was between her legs, the sheet around his hips slipping down to show his naked backside, and he thrust forward. Over and over again. She clawed his back, the back I had clawed and kissed so many times, and she gasped her pleasure. The bed banged into the wall so hard, so fast.

And the sounds Alex made, moaning and grunting. The ecstasy on his face as his body shuddered and he came deep inside her.

I felt sick. I still do.

My beautiful Alex who used to say I was his one and only. Our dreams of living happily ever after would never come true. We weren't meant to be happy.

I wasn't meant to be happy.

Now I'm drinking away my sorrow from the bottle of scotch I took from Father's collection. Lillian is Alex's wife. Of course they would partake in sex, but did he have to enjoy it so much?

I loathe him!

Did he kiss her the way he used to kiss me? Did he nuzzle her neck like he once did to mine?

We leave for war in a few weeks, and I'm looking forward to it just so I can get away from here. Alex will be with me, but I don't want him anywhere near me. I swear to God I will punch him the next time I see him.

He betrayed me. Deeply.

Father just returned home. I hear him bitching up at me from downstairs. I detest his voice almost as much as I detest the images of Alex's betrayal now seared in my mind.

This is the last page in the dreadful journal. Fitting, I suppose.

There's nothing more to say.

Slowly, I closed the journal. James had been drinking and upset when his father returned home. Had he said something in his grief that had triggered George? My suspicion of Geroge Diamond murdering his son was looking more and more accurate.

"You must think me a horrible person."

"No. I understand your anger."

"I didn't stay angry at Alex for long," James said, placing his hands behind his back. "Right after I finished writing, I stormed out of the house to go talk to him again. Father screamed at me to come back, and I told him to bugger off. When I arrived at Alex's house, I banged on the front door, screaming at him. When Alex answered wearing nothing but trousers that weren't even fastened properly, I...well, I sort of punched him."

My eyes widened.

"I was intoxicated." He smiled sheepishly. "Before I swung at him a second time, he caught my arm and shoved me against the outside wall. 'I saw you fuck her,' I said before spitting at him. He squeezed my jaw between his fingers and glared at me, saying, 'She's my wife! I can fuck her if I want!' But his eyes watered. 'And God, I wish she was you.' Alex kissed me then. I kissed him back, whimpering against his mouth. There were no close neighbors, but his wife was home. And she saw him kiss me."

"What did she do?"

"She came outside and shoved him, calling him a sodomite. It was a chaotic affair. She hit me too, and I let her. But Alex grabbed her and told her to stop." James puffed out a breath. "I've never heard a woman say such vulgarities before. I had to remind myself it wasn't her fault, that she maybe even loved him, too."

"Did she leave after that?"

"No." He shook his head. "Once she stopped shouting at us, she started crying. She said she could sense Alex wasn't really with her when they had sex because he kept his eyes closed, but she thought he was picturing another woman. Not a man. She laughed then, saying she was almost relieved. Both Alex and I were shocked."

"What happened next?"

"You'll think a liar of me, but as odd as it might sound, the three of us sat down in their kitchen and talked it out."

"Wait," I said, my head spinning. "What? The woman sees her husband kiss another dude and then sits down to talk about it?"

James shrugged. "That was Lillian for you. Her exact words before we went inside were, 'Get your arses in the house before I throw you both down the porch steps."

Even though sadness clawed at my chest, I chuckled.

"We explained everything to her, how we were in love since we were sixteen and how Alex felt forced to marry her. It was an arranged marriage, you see, between her father and Alex's. They were business partners. Lillian listened, and though she was still upset, she said she'd keep out secret."

It was a lot to process.

"So she agreed to let you two...what, sleep together behind her back?"

"I feel that she pitied us," he said. "She made us promise to be discrete in our endeavors, for she knew Alex loved me and always would. Her only condition was that Alex provide her with children. That's what she truly wanted after all. She even said, 'If you have to think of him to do it, then so be it, but I want children, Edward Alexander Jones.' Odd, perhaps, but it was the arrangement, and we all accepted it."

"Why didn't she just divorce him?"

"Leaving Alex would be cause for scandal, and she cared too much for him to tell the truth about his sexual appetites."

"That's not ideal, but it doesn't sound too bad. I mean, at least you'd still be able to be with Alex in an environment where his wife knows."

"It would've been the closet thing we had to a happy life." James sat on the edge of the bed, fiddling with his hands. "But that was the last time I saw him."

I knew better than to ask for more.

"Thank you for letting me read it." I stood beside him, tempted to sit but knowing if I did, I might not be able to resist the urge to touch him. He'd made it clear he didn't want anything happening between us.

"You should get to work," he said, standing up and moving across the room. "The book won't write itself."

"Fuck work," I said, going after him.

He spun to face me, and as he did, I caught him against my chest. Goosebumps spread down my arms at the iciness of his skin.

"Kendall?" His lids grew heavy as his hazel eyes searched my face. "We can't."

"Why?" Lavender drifted to my nose, and I leaned in closer to him.

"Because…" He sighed and tilted his head back, surrendering to me. "I cannot think of a reason right now."

I kissed his neck, loving the coolness on my lips. The soft moan that left him made my cock harden. James gripped my shoulders and I slid my hands down his sides.

Even with clothes between us, I felt the muscles of his body. Felt his strength. I wondered if he could feel my arousal. Wondered if he was as hard as me. I had no idea if ghosts could even have sex, but I was more than willing to experiment and find out.

"Can I kiss you?" I asked a hair's breadth from his mouth.

"Yes." The word was spoken breathlessly.

I cupped his cheek, noting the softness of his skin. My pulse raced through my veins and it was hard to breathe. His lips were so close, but I didn't want to rush it. James could only be savored.

An incessant ringing pulled me from the moment.

"It's your telephone," James panted.

Telephone. God, he was too precious.

Still with one arm snaked around his waist, I pulled my phone from my pocket.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kendall. It's Eric. I hope you won't be pissed about it, but I ran it by your publisher, and we think it's a good idea for your brand if you did another signing. It's been a while since you've done a public appearance, and I researched Ivy Grove and found a cool location. A signing around Halloween would be a great way for you to get back out there and stay relevant."

"Wow, Eric, that was a mouthful. Am I allowed to talk now?"

"Don't be an ass."

James wound his arms tighter around me, and when he rested his cheek on my shoulder, I felt so light I could float away. Had we really been so distant not even five minutes ago? And now he was holding onto me, and I to him, like we'd been together our whole lives.

"A signing actually sounds nice," I said, moving a hand down James' back. "I don't have many copies of my books on me, though."

"All taken care of. You should receive boxes within the next few days. I'm also making a trip out to join you."

"Is Jett coming, too?"

"Um...would you hate me if he did?"

"No."

"Okay, then he'll be there."

"When and where is the signing?"

"October twenty-sixth at six o'clock. Sorry for the short notice, but I know you can swing it. It's in a place called Redwood or something. Supposed to be haunted. I thought it'd help draw in more people."

You've got to be shitting me.

"Redwood?" The fucking mad house? "Got it."

I hung up and pocketed my phone.

"You're going to be signing books?" James asked, letting go of me. "In town?"

"Yep. It's been a while since I've done one." I missed the feel of his arms, and I hated that we'd been interrupted before I could kiss him. "I wish you could come with me."

"It's impossible."

I didn't want to ruin the mood by agreeing with him.

"Should we continue where we were before the call? I owe you a kiss."

But something had shifted in James. He backed farther away.

"James? Come on, don't close yourself off again."

James ran a hand down the front of his shirt and cleared his throat, returning to his proper stance. "It was a moment of weakness, Kendall, that we best not repeat."

"What? Why are you being this way?"

He had done a complete one-eighty. One moment he'd been holding onto me, nuzzling my chest, and now he was distant. Cold.

Briefly, pain flashed in his eyes. He covered it well, though. "Enjoy the rest of your day."

I didn't look for him after he disappeared. I was too pissed off.

After I stormed down the stairs and went to my office, I was sure to close the door. He could more than likely walk right through it if he wanted, but at least this way if he tried he'd know he wasn't welcome.

He never tried.

Periodically as I worked, I glanced around the room-more specifically, to the chair he always sat in when reading. Each time I found myself alone. I felt...well, lonely.

I didn't see him for the rest of the day. The next morning, I went into the kitchen and he wasn't there, either. Pain hit me square in the chest. No, not quite a pain-a heaviness. For so many mornings, James had made my coffee and we'd sat at the table while he read the paper and I watched him read said paper. I missed our routine.

Dammit, I missed him.

"Are you ready to stop being so damn stubborn and show yourself?" I asked around lunchtime when he still hadn't appeared. In the kitchen, I forewent a sandwich and poured some more coffee instead. I had no appetite.

No response, other than the grandfather clock softly ticking in the living room.

By dinnertime, James was still gone. Not hungry but knowing I needed to eat, I poked holes in a frozen dinner before tossing it in the microwave. Once it was done, I barely ate any of it.

James had started making me dinner, like he said he would, and while it hadn't been every night, it had become something I looked forward to and enjoyed. I had stood there in the kitchen with him as he worked, fascinated by his skills, and I'd pitched in and helped when he asked.

I shoveled more of the goopy mashed potatoes into my mouth before spitting it out and wiping at my mouth.

Yep. I'm done.

I threw the rest of the food away before going back to my office. I might as well try to get more words written seeing as the only people I wanted to spend time with apparently weren't speaking to me. Dak hadn't responded to any of my text messages or calls and James refused to even show himself.

Just great. The exact thing I was trying to avoid happened anyway.

I let out a sigh as I sat at my desk, tapping my pen on my notebook and reading over my story notes. I had set up the plot to include a romance, but with how I was feeling, I knew it wouldn't be a very happy one.

"Wait." I sat up in my chair and started writing out my thoughts, the pen moving so fast that my sentences meshed together. No one other than me could read my excited scribbles.

I'd had the romance set up between the main character and a man he meets while unraveling the mystery of the haunted mansion. But what if I changed the romantic interest to the ghost?

"Perfect! This is what I was missing."

Everything started clicking together now, and I scrolled through the document to change a few small details. I typed three pages in ten minutes and kept going.

Creak.

I looked over at the door, hope blossoming in my chest. "James?"

He didn't answer me, but I knew he'd made the sound. And even though I didn't see him, it helped to know he was there.

Done! So, quite a bit happened this chapter, and it ended with this rocky between not only Kames, but Kendall and Dak as well.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, as well as if you happened to have a favorite part/moment!

Again, I hope you all enjoyed and that you all are staying safe out there! The next chapter of this will most likely be up sometime next week.

Until then!

-Epically Obsessed