It’s love on the lam or almost certain death.
Buzz
and Cal have come to terms with their love for each other but there are
still enemies out there who haven’t including some that would like to
see Cal dead. With the very real threat of injury or death or public
exposure and arrest a daily constant the pressure builds until they have
to make a decision: to turn their back on their relationship and go
their separate ways or else flee to another city where they are not
known. Either decision is fraught with danger as Cal’s stalker is
closing in for the kill.
Excerpt
Lucifer was prowling the factory floor, sniffing the corners, marking his
territory when I left him and climbed wearily back up to the office and our
makeshift bedroom beyond. Leaving Cal to sleep, I powered up the computer; I
had a lot of calculations to work out to see if my plan was viable. Half an
hour of financial finagling and I was satisfied so I made a quick call to
Vinnie and Roy to check before waking Cal with an ultra-strong coffee.
"We need to talk, son," I said. He sat up in bed, his fine body as seductive
an aphrodisiac as ever I'd encountered.
"I know, dad," he said sadly. "I'm bad news. I've caused you nothing but
trouble all my life, starting with my visit when I was that arrogant little
twat at fourteen. If you'll lend me a few bucks, I'll pack up and clear out.
This town's like poison to me now."
I was glad of one half of what he said, at least.
"Where will you go? What will you do?"
"I haven't thought that far ahead. The main thing is to get as far away from
you as possible."
I admit it, his words stung me. He must have seen my reaction written large
in my face. I couldn't help it. He pulled me to him, enveloping me in his
arms.
"No, dad. Not like that. I'm sorry. I put it badly. I love you more than
anyone in the world. As my dad and as my lover. But I have to go or I'll
drag you down further."
"You've never dragged me anywhere I didn't want to go," I said.
"I could get you killed."
"Answer me a few questions, Cal. Truthfully. Not what you think you should
say, or what you think I want to hear. Speak from here." I tapped his chest
just above his heart.
"If you'll do the same for me."
I agreed. We both spilled our guts to the extent when Artie and Gene
returned some time later they found us both sobbing in each other's arms.
They retreated quietly, allowing us privacy to get ourselves in order before
we all adjourned to the boardroom where I laid out my ideas as Cal and I
wolfed down the lunch they'd brought back with them.
"We don't want you to starve and we didn't think it was a good idea for the
two of you to go outside the building today," Gene said.
I don't think either Cal or me knew what we were eating, only that it tasted
as good as it smelled and that we didn't leave a single crumb for later.
"That's just it," I said, pushing the plastic container aside, heading to
the coffee machine to make us all a new brew. "Cal and I can't live our
lives wrapped up in cotton wool, scared at our own shadows, reluctant to
leave the factory. That's no life at all. Cal needs to get back to his
studies and I need to get on with business. I don't want to have the
continual worry of wondering if he's safe. Even if those bastard friends of
mine are jailed for their part in Cal's auction, they won't be inside
forever."
There was no disagreement from around the table. Artie was quick to pick up
on my line of thinking. "You gonna take Roy up on his offer?"
"Cal and I have talked it over and, yeah, we think it's best for both of us.
No way do we want to split up, so."
territory when I left him and climbed wearily back up to the office and our
makeshift bedroom beyond. Leaving Cal to sleep, I powered up the computer; I
had a lot of calculations to work out to see if my plan was viable. Half an
hour of financial finagling and I was satisfied so I made a quick call to
Vinnie and Roy to check before waking Cal with an ultra-strong coffee.
"We need to talk, son," I said. He sat up in bed, his fine body as seductive
an aphrodisiac as ever I'd encountered.
"I know, dad," he said sadly. "I'm bad news. I've caused you nothing but
trouble all my life, starting with my visit when I was that arrogant little
twat at fourteen. If you'll lend me a few bucks, I'll pack up and clear out.
This town's like poison to me now."
I was glad of one half of what he said, at least.
"Where will you go? What will you do?"
"I haven't thought that far ahead. The main thing is to get as far away from
you as possible."
I admit it, his words stung me. He must have seen my reaction written large
in my face. I couldn't help it. He pulled me to him, enveloping me in his
arms.
"No, dad. Not like that. I'm sorry. I put it badly. I love you more than
anyone in the world. As my dad and as my lover. But I have to go or I'll
drag you down further."
"You've never dragged me anywhere I didn't want to go," I said.
"I could get you killed."
"Answer me a few questions, Cal. Truthfully. Not what you think you should
say, or what you think I want to hear. Speak from here." I tapped his chest
just above his heart.
"If you'll do the same for me."
I agreed. We both spilled our guts to the extent when Artie and Gene
returned some time later they found us both sobbing in each other's arms.
They retreated quietly, allowing us privacy to get ourselves in order before
we all adjourned to the boardroom where I laid out my ideas as Cal and I
wolfed down the lunch they'd brought back with them.
"We don't want you to starve and we didn't think it was a good idea for the
two of you to go outside the building today," Gene said.
I don't think either Cal or me knew what we were eating, only that it tasted
as good as it smelled and that we didn't leave a single crumb for later.
"That's just it," I said, pushing the plastic container aside, heading to
the coffee machine to make us all a new brew. "Cal and I can't live our
lives wrapped up in cotton wool, scared at our own shadows, reluctant to
leave the factory. That's no life at all. Cal needs to get back to his
studies and I need to get on with business. I don't want to have the
continual worry of wondering if he's safe. Even if those bastard friends of
mine are jailed for their part in Cal's auction, they won't be inside
forever."
There was no disagreement from around the table. Artie was quick to pick up
on my line of thinking. "You gonna take Roy up on his offer?"
"Cal and I have talked it over and, yeah, we think it's best for both of us.
No way do we want to split up, so."
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