A dead prostitute. A mysterious meeting. And a
retiring cop set on righting past wrongs…
Blurb
Kyoto mafia don Nao Murata is enjoying a quiet reign. Now that his boyfriend,
Aki Hisona, has a clean bill of health, they can finally have some much-needed intimate time.
If only a persistent detective wasn’t about to throw a wrench in those plans.
Aki’s ready to fully consummate their relationship, but Nao doesn’t appreciate
his scandalous flirting in the office. Being left alone to deal with one of Nao’s top men, Aki
ends up learning about a secret that puts a crack in Nao’s control.
Amidst worries about whether they’re as compatible between the sheets as
they are on the streets, Nao and Aki are forced to work with the police to cement Nao’s
reign. As the secret begins to unravel, they’re pulled deeper into a treacherous game of cat
and mouse.
Now it’s no longer just their love life they have to fight for…
Prelude to Decay is the seventh book of The Yakuza Path thriller series. If you enjoy gripping
suspense, authentic Japanese traditions, and a healthy dose of gay drama, then you’ll
devour Amy Tasukada’s latest instalment.
About the Author
International best-selling
author Amy Tasukada writes thrilling times of crime, love, and gore. Readers who crave
diverse characters, unique settings, and edge-of-your-seat action will devour her Yakuza Path series. Readers who seek less blood and more love will swoon over the Yakuza Path Romance and Would it Be Okay
to Love You? Series. Amy is an atheist, queer
author who enjoys drinking tea, Japanese street fashion and visual kei music. Her calico cat,
O’Hara, is never far from her side. Amy lives in North Texas, but is always planning her next
trip to Japan.
In search of a story, he
found murder and romance.
Blurb
Author Christian Costner is researching material for one of
his dark thrillers and Nyemouth seems like the perfect setting for his next book. The small
seaside town has witnessed plenty of trouble over the years, and Christian thinks it will
provide him with the inspiration he needs.
He hires local tour guide and fisherman Harry Renner to
help him explore the coastline for a couple of days. Harry is knowledgeable and mature
beyond his twenty-eight years. Handsome too, though Christian thinks Harry is far too young
for him..
As the weather worsens, Harry cuts short their first sight-
seeing trip. Heading back to shore they spot a figure in distress in the water. A difficult
rescue is made far worse when they discover the casualty has a knife wound to his abdomen
and dies before they reach the safety of the harbour.
United by the trauma, Christian and Harry find comfort in
each other, but when another murder comes to light, they find themselves at the heart of a
dangerous mystery and the target of a killer more ruthless than they could ever
imagine.
Excerpt
Harry went to the bar. He didn’t know the bartender so
didn’t have to face another barrage of questions about Niko’s death. “Two of whatever these
were,” he said, holding up the empty tumblers. “Make them doubles.”
He glanced over his shoulder as he waited. Christian gazed
into the fire, looking lost in his thoughts. What was it about him? Just this morning Harry
had dismissed him as being far too old, but the more time he spent with him and talked to
him, Christian’s appeal grew stronger. He can’t
be that old, anyway, he reasoned. Ten, maybe
eleven years older than he was. It wasn’t like fancying someone his dad’s age.
Of course, Harry knew what really drove this new attraction
to Christian.
Death.
He’d learned from his time in the lifeboat how sex and
death went hand in hand. He had taken part in three failed rescues when he was a member
of the crew and afterwards he had always wanted sex. It wasn’t unusual. He’d even read an
article about it—how sex helped people to feel alive after a clash with mortality.
Is that what this is? Do I only fancy him because we
didn’t save Niko?
As he carried the drinks back to the fire, Harry realised just
how much he did want Christian. They had been through a gruelling experience. What better
comfort could there be than each other’s bodies? He didn’t want to go back to his flat on his
own and wondered whether Christian felt the same about his lonely hotel room.
Fuck it. One more drink and I’ll ask him. The worst he
can say is no.
Christian lifted his gaze from the flames when he returned.
Their eyes connected and, just for a second, a hint of a smile. “Thanks,” he said, accepting
the drink.
“Is this your favourite tipple? Whisky?” he asked, sitting
down.
“Sometimes. It depends on my mood. But at the end of the
night, when I want to unwind, it’s the best. I always bring a bottle with me when I’m working
away—for a nightcap.”
Their eyes locked again, and Harry wondered if there had
been a hint of an invitation in the last remark. Or
is it just wishful thinking?
He had never been good at reading signals.
“What’s your hotel like?” he asked in a rush. “I’ve had a
drink at the bar in Quay House, but I’ve never been upstairs.”
Christian’s brow furrowed in confusion.
Oh shit. I’ve judged this all wrong.
Then he smiled. “It’s nice. I’ve got a good-sized room that
overlooks the harbour. Actually, it’s pretty great.” He sipped. “You’re welcome to come up, if
you’d like to look around. I could also give you that nightcap.”
Harry’s pulse quickened, and a stiffness developed in his
groin. “I’d love to.”
This morning he’d been so dismissive about Christian
because of his age, and now there was nothing he wanted more than to spend the night in
his protective embrace.
About the Author
Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, North
Point and the Anthem Trilogy. His love of page
turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie
Collins book and confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.
Thom has lived in the North
East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County
Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-
busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many
titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new
recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he
realized cruising is the best way to see the world.
Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook, The Night.
He has far too much
nerve. He can blow things up with his mind. He’s got anxiety. Yeah. The world should
probably brace itself for this one.
Blurb
British superheroes, melodramatic Mages, snarky secret
agents, one hell of a found family, and a whole load of weird people. Also, there’s a duck. This is the painfully bizarre origin story of Rexley
Nova. When Rex was four years old, he became one of
the world’s first superhumans. When Rex turns twenty, he feels the drive to use
his scientifically given abilities to protect the world. He leaves home to become a member of
the Secret Superhero Security unit, alongside three of his friends and Danger City’s own
superhero, Polaris. Rex fights murderous Mages, evil organisations,
criminal mafias, his agency appointed psychiatrist, his own anxious brain, and the most
frightening of all, his attraction to a certain blue-eyed superhero.
Excerpt
“Come on, North,” I say, coaxing, spitting blood out of my
mouth. “Don’t be nice.” I get as close as he’ll let me. “Treat me like you’re paying for it.”
Damon’s nose flares, and his lips curl to form a jagged snarl. His
expression changing from robot to human in zero point five seconds flat. He makes a low
sound that’s just the right side of threatening to be a problem for me. And not in the way it
should be a problem for me.
Damon catches my arm at the right angle and twists me
around so my back is pressed against his front. He wraps an arm securely around my waist,
hauling me in even closer. A blaze of heat singes along my nerves when Damon runs his
hand under my T-shirt, his fingers dragging over the hot skin of my belly. I try to kill it dead,
the vulnerable quiver his intimate touch invokes, but that just makes it worse.
A full-on no-shit bonfire lights up inside my stomach. It sends a
fucked-up message to my head, which in turn sends an even more fucked-up message to my
cock. It’s like my body is playing telephone with itself.
You’re not supposed to want to get off with the bloke who’s
making you bruise and bleed. Not without a serious discussion about it beforehand,
anyway.
Pretty sure Damon and I aren’t going to be doing anything that
sensible. Especially since the most sensible thing would be letting go and walking away
before we can make this situation any worse.
Damon wraps his other hand around my throat, fingers digging
in lightly, his thumb pressing against the edge of my jaw. He tilts my head to the side,
exposing more of my throat to him. I resist the urge to lean my head back on his shoulder.
Because I’m not mad.
My chest rapidly rises and falls as I struggle to breathe. It’s not
really because of all the hits I’ve taken. I’m having more trouble dealing with Damon’s
proximity than I am to what he’s done to me with his hands. A sign that maybe he was
pulling some of his punches.
“You,” I say, barely getting the words out through all the
tightness and the pain and the blood, “have got some serious control issues, North.” I shift
against him, and he tightens his hold in response. I smile, oddly charmed by it.
“Might want—” Another few unsteady breaths. “—to see
somebody about that.”
Damon feels like solid stone against my back, his body so tense
I’m worried he might shatter if I tap the wrong spot too hard. As if in response to my
thoughts, Damon’s arm around my waist changes from tight to crushing. His fingers press
into my neck with clear intention. Not enough to choke. Just a reminder. Or a warning. A
warning to be careful where I’m going with all of this.
My pale skin bruises easily. I can tell I’m going to have some on
my throat. I don’t hate that idea like I should. And something about it being Damon who
made them, whose fingers dug into my skin and left behind a mark, speaks to a primal part
of my brain.
Damon’s mouth skates along my jaw, either by accident or on
purpose, I’m not sure which. It doesn’t really matter. A short, bitten-off moan leaves my
throat in a rush. I clamp my lips together to try to contain the rest of it. But it’s too late.
Damon heard it. A shudder runs through him, a ripple of feeling and skin and warmth. An
answering wave rolls through me, my body set to quaking.
I need to stop.
Damon bends his neck to speak directly into my ear. Our height
and size difference aids him in making me feel completely taken over, enveloped, held in
place, swallowed up and overwhelmed by my temporary loss of autonomy.
“Is this a game?” Damon asks, and he sounds, it beggars belief,
genuinely upset by the idea.
About the Author
BL Jones is a
twentysomething British author who spends all her free time reading and writing and
taming her three little brothers. She lives in Bristol with a temperamental bunny named
Pepsi. She’s been writing stories since she was five, rarely sharing them with anyone except
her numerous stuffed animals. BL has had a difficult journey into discovering and accepting
her own queerness, and therefore believes that positive, honest, and authentic stories about
queer people are very important. She hopes to contribute her own stories for people to have
fun with and enjoy.
women from all walks of life and from all sections of society, servants of the Crown who
work for the Home Office gathering information vital to the security of the
nation.
Blurb
Intelligencers: men and women from all walks of life and
from all sections of society, servants of the Crown who work for the Home Office gathering
information vital to the security of the nation.
London, 1855. While Great Britain is at war with the
Russians in the Crimea, a cadre of disaffected seditionists and insurrectionists, made up of
members of the aristocracy and wealthy industrialists, have set a plan into action that’s
been decades in the making—a plan that aims to overthrow the Queen and to install a
puppet king on the throne in her place. With the war raging and disquiet in the industrial
north and in Ireland, their perfidious plot, unless stopped, threatens to bring about anarchy
and revolution.
Aware of the imminent danger, Sir George Grey, the Home
Secretary, has tasked The Brothers, a band of four men, friends of over twenty years, to root
out the source of the infection, destroy the clique, and track down and eradicate its foreign
pretender by any means necessary. From molly houses to state banquets, from hospitals to
steam baths, from aristocratic households to the meanest of slums, the friends find
themselves in a succession of increasingly perilous situations.
Like the mighty Thames, undercurrents flow swift and deep
as they uncover plot after plot and treachery and treason in abundance.
Excerpt
“Fetch Christopher, if you please, Elam,” Lennard
said.
“What? Are you going to have me manhandled out the
door?”
“No, Terrence. Christopher is waiting for me with my riding
equipage. I was about to exercise my horse and I shall do so once I’ve seen to Miles. You’ve
paid me for the destruction of my window and given me a promise for the carpet, but surely
you realise you owe me for the mistreatment of my butler?”
“You can’t be serious, Lennard. We’re talking about chattel
here. Servants are no different from your carpet or your priceless window.
He’ll recover. A quick slash across the chops is a lesser thing than one of my own servants
might have received had one of them tried to grapple with me. How dare he touch a person
of—”
Lennard strode quickly to Astley and grabbed the fronts of
his jacket.
“Let me tell you this. Although I said I’ve changed, my hate
for you still burns in my chest. How dare you stride into my house, abuse my servants, and
feel free to do whatever you like. Remember this before you leave. One word from me to
the right person and you’ll find yourself gasping for air as you descend to the depths of the
Thames, your arms bound behind your back, and your feet chained to an anchor. You’d just
disappear. Like that!” Lennard snapped his fingers next to Astley’s ear.
“Have care to whom you make threats, Lennard. I’m too
valuable to the Prime Minister. I still hold a seat and a loyal group of Irish lords who keep
him in power.”
“Threats against other men interest me not, sir. I wish to
have nothing ever to do with you from this day henceforth … not ever. Do you
understand?”
“You’re making a big mistake.”
“Not so big a one as you made by appearing at my door
and forcing your way into my house.”
“I shall take my leave of you. But don’t think this is over. I’ll
put it about that you dishonoured your uncle’s word.”
“Do what you feel best, sir. But, by now, my coachman will
have arrived with my riding gear and is waiting outside the door. If I were you, I’d leave this
very moment before I grab my whip and thrash the living daylights out of you. You can
apologise to Elam on your way out for injuring his brother.”
“Apologise? Why, I—”
“Oh, and Astley?” Lennard added, interrupting the man by
violently releasing his jacket and pushing him backward, his knees hitting the edge of the
Chesterfield. “Putting it about that I dishonoured your agreement with my uncle? Well, two
can play at that game. It would not be hard to start a rumour that you’ve dealt with your
ward, Neasa, inappropriately, and that’s the reason you’re so reluctant to allow her to marry
into one of the most noble families in the land.”
“No one would believe that for one moment.”
“People have been wondering about your reluctance these
past four or five years, ever since Sir George’s son first approached you. However, now, with
my new title, I will have the ears of not only the leading members of society, but also those
close to the throne. An innuendo is as good as an oath, don’t you think? Even Irish baronets
who hold some sway in parliament are not immune to gossip. You’d not be invited
anywhere, whether the slander is proved or not. Everyone knows Sir Hugh was not a
businessman, and although the sum you offered would make you out to be a villain at the
best, the premature plucking of a tender blossom before its time … why, Her Majesty would
send someone banging at your door.”
About the Author
After a thirty year career as a
professional opera singer, performing as a soloist in opera houses and in concert halls all
over the world, I took up a position as lecturer in music in Australia in 1999, at the Central
Queensland Conservatorium of Music, which is now part of CQUniversity. Brought up in Australia, between the bush and the
beaches of the Eastern suburbs, I retired in 2015 and now live in the tropics, writing,
gardening, and finally finding time to enjoy life and to re-establish a connection with who I
am after a very busy career on the stage and as an academic. I write mostly historical gay fiction. The stories are
always about relationships and the inner workings of men; sometimes my fellas get down to
the nitty-gritty, sometimes it’s up to you, the reader, to fill in the blanks. Every book is story driven; spies, detectives,
murders, epic dramas, there’s something for everyone. I also love to write about my country
and the things that make us Aussies and our history different from the rest of the
world. I’m research driven. I always try to do my best to
give the reader a sense of what life was like for my main characters in the world they live
in.
They say we are all products of our environment. Those raised in happy households will become loving, well-adjusted members of society; while those raised in violence and darkness will grow to be angry, heartless, and unstable. Truer words were never spoken.
After surviving the terrifying events that occurred on the murder farm, Alex’s views of society have darkened. That once bright and hopeful light has now dimmed and given rise to rage and suspicion.
Alex’s views of humanity are tested even further when he stumbles across a man bleeding to death in an alleyway. Who is this man? And why was he left for dead?
Marc and Alex suddenly find themselves thrust into the seedy underworld of human trafficking and prostitution as they work to uncover the criminal organization preying on the weak and vulnerable.
This is a MM thriller dealing with the darker elements of the criminal underworld.
Excerpt
“While I might not say much at these hang outs, I do enjoy being there with you and being part of this circle of friends. You know that making friends has never come easy for me, but with you by my side, it makes things easier for me.”
“I’m glad to hear.”
“I do feel sorry for Seth though. I’ve never seen a guy look so terrified to come back to a table before.” Marc let out a chuckle as Alex’s head popped up.
“Hey! That boy needed a reminder to watch himself!”
“And you sure reminded him. It was kind of sexy watching you claim me as your own. You were like a caveman about to club Seth over the head, then throw me over your shoulder, and carry me back to your cave! I’ve never felt so special and loved.” Marc said as he pulled Alex back down against his body.
“Well, you are special to me. How many couples can say that they took down a pair of serial killers and survived a murder farm together?” Alex chuckled as he caressed Marc’s bare chest.
“I guess we do have that as an advantage over other couples. Couples that kill together, stay together. Or something like that.” Marc’s hand slid down Alex’s back and cupped the tender cheek of his ass. Alex let out a moan. “But in all seriousness, even if a guy flirts with me or tries to hit on me, always know that I only have eyes for you and that you are the only one that holds the key to my frozen heart. I would gladly battle my way through the fires of Hades if it meant that I got to spend the rest of my life worshiping you.”
“Well with words like that, I kind of feel bad for scaring Seth. The poor guy had no chance.” They both let out a laugh.
About the Author
Matthew Dante is a Canadian indie author who loves to write about magic, fantasy, and romance. He is an avid reader, world traveller, lover of all things Marvel and DC, and a romantic at heart.
Most of his stories center around gay main characters who are usually the love interests and the heroes of these stories. He writes these novels, so that other LGBTQ people will be able to read about characters and stories that they can relate to and be proud of.
There is nothing more
dangerous than a man alone with his thoughts.
Blurb
People have been disappearing all across the State with no
apparent connection to one another. Police are baffled and struggling to determine if the
disappearances are connected or are simply isolated incidents. There are no bodies or
evidence- only abandoned vehicles and missing persons reports.
Meanwhile, Alex Sanders is battling his own demons…
Almost a year after surviving a horrific weekend held
captive by his former best friend, Marc, Alex is now a freshman at the University of
Tennessee. Desperately trying to start over, he is consumed with depression, anxiety, and
guilt for the murder that he helped cover up. Always fearful of being discovered, Alex can’t
help but wonder, is Marc still secretly watching him?
Could Marc’s obsession with him have something to do
with the current flood of disappearances across the State?
All things seem to lead back to that fateful weekend… the
one that started with murder … and ended in betrayal. Warning: This book
contains scenes which may be considered triggering events for some involving extreme
violence, murder, kidnapping, and torture.
Excerpt
Alex had never felt such excruciating pain! It was as if his
shoulder was leaning against a furnace during a winter blizzard. His shoulder was on fire,
and he began to see stars in front of his eyes. He wished for the pain to stop! Please, God, if you are watching, please make
this pain stop! I’ll do anything you ask! I’m sorry I was not a better man!
Perhaps this was karma finally catching up to him for the
role he played in Shawn’s death. While Alex was not the one that ultimately ended Shawn’s
life, he also did nothing to report the murder or try to find Marc and bring him to justice.
Yes, Karma was finally here to collect.
The figure standing in front of Alex slowly began to turn the
blade as blood and flesh began to tear aware from his body.
Alex cried out again in pain as his tears mixed with the
blood that now slid down his arm and onto the straws of hay that peppered the ground of
the barn.
He deserved this. He watched a man die and remained
silent. Alex was finally getting what he
deserved.
Alex’s cry of pain was cut short as his face was splashed
with a warm liquid. He opened his eyes startled, just in time to watch his torturer fall to the
ground with a thump. Puzzled, Alex looked up.
Standing in front of him, holding a blood-stained bat, was
his demon savior… the man who had caused so much pain in his life… the man whom he
once cared for deeply… Marc.
“Marc?” Alex whispered, half in shock, half in disbelief.
This had to be one of his hallucinations brought on by the
pain he was enduring. There was no way that Marc was standing right in front of him. No
way.
Marc dropped the bloody bat and pulled the butterfly
blade from his back pocket. He knelt down and gently touched Alex’s tear-stained face.
Alex felt a slight tingling sensation when Marc’s fingertips
touched his face. It was as if a thousand little electric currents were running from Marc’s
fingers to his cheek.
Alex stared up into Marc’s soft brown eyes. There was so
much emotion in those eyes; fear, anger, and a hint of something else… longing??
Staring into those eyes, Alex thought about the countless
nights the two of them stayed up late chatting together. The days when it had just been the
two of them, living in a simpler world. A world before all the pain, murder, and betrayal.
Yes, Alex had broken Marc’s heart when he refused to help
him deal with Shawn’s dead body- a murder Marc had committed in order to protect Alex.
But being here now, staring into Alex’s soulful eyes, it seemed as though all that had been
forgotten by Marc. Marc was staring at Alex with such loving eyes.
“I’m here now. Everything will be okay, I promise,” Marc
blurted as the anger seemed to melt from his eyes and was replaced with so much love.
“Wh… what are you doing here?” Alex asked, still in shock
that Marc was actually standing in front of him.
“I’m so sorry it took me so long to get here,” Marc
apologized, as he touched the side of Alex’s bloody face.
Alex noticed the look of pain in Marc’s eyes as he wiped the
blood from Alex’s face.
“Marc… I can’t believe you’re… how…” Alex was at a loss
for words. He could not believe that Marc was standing right in front of him. Coming to his
rescue once again. After all that he had done. But how did Marc know?
The lights in the barn suddenly went black.
About the Author
Matthew Dante is a Canadian
indie author who loves to write about magic, fantasy, and romance. He is an avid reader,
world traveller, lover of all things Marvel and DC, and a romantic at heart.
Most of his stories center
around gay main characters who are usually the love interests and the heroes of these
stories. He writes these novels, so that other LGBTQ people will be able to read about
characters and stories that they can relate to and be proud of.
Two lovers seek shelter in
a storm of jealousy and passion
Blurb
Matt arrives in the seaside town of Nyemouth for a
much-needed vacation. As a successful lawyer, Matt has a hectic career, and with an
ex-husband still pestering him for money, he is long overdue a break. A holiday home
perched above the town and its breath-taking harbour seems like the perfect place to
unwind. Matt can’t wait to explore the beautiful, jagged shorelines and lose himself for a
couple of weeks.
Jake has made a home in Nyemouth. After growing up in
the city, living on the coast is everything to him. Running a business with his sister and
volunteering on the crew of the local lifeboat, he is exactly where he wants to be. But Jake’s
life is far from peaceful. Though he left his domineering husband Vince a year ago, Vince
refuses to consent to a divorce or loosen his controlling hold on Jake.
On Matt’s first night in town, he encounters the couple
having a blazing row. When Vince turns violent, Matt intervenes and takes Jake inside to
escape his angry ex. Despite what happened, Matt feels a powerful attraction to the
younger man. Jake is bright, endearing and unbelievably attractive, but the young man’s life
is complicated. Matt already has enough problems of his own. He came away looking for an
escape, not a starry-eyed distraction. As Matt and Jake get to know each other better, the
gamble on a holiday romance becomes hard for either of them to resist. They have both
been unlucky in love before. Maybe this time will be different.
Vince will not be shaken off so easily. He has no intention
of letting Jake go…ever. As Matt’s and Jake’s emotions deepen, they do not understand how
far Vince will take things to keep his husband. As far as Vince is concerned, they made a vow
to each other… “till death do us part.”
Excerpt
Matt opened the gate and approached Jake, who stood
watching as Vince walked away.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
Jake’s skin was rosy, and his chest rose and fell dramatically.
His hands trembled. Shock, Matt surmised. Jake turned to look at him. His eyes were wide,
the pupils huge. “Yes,” he said, out of breath, “I’m… I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“What?”
Matt pointed at his cheek. “Where he clocked you.”
“Oh.” He put his fingers to his face and looked at the blood
on the tips.
“Why don’t you come inside for a few minutes? I’ll get you
an Elastoplast for that.”
“No, I couldn’t. Sorry… We’ve caused you enough trouble
already.”
“Hey,” he said softly, “don’t apologise. I couldn’t ignore
what was happening. Come on in. You’re shaking, too. Take a seat until you get your breath
back. Give your buddy time to get away. I wouldn’t want you bumping into him at the
bottom of the road.”
Jake exhaled, and the tension left his neck and shoulders.
“If it’s no trouble, I could come in for a few minutes—just until things calm down.”
“Are you hurting anywhere else?” he asked, leading Jake to
the front door and inside. “From when you fell.”
“Only my pride,” he said. “If that counts.”
Matt smiled. “Nothing wrong with your sense of humour.”
He led Jake to the kitchen at the rear of the ground floor and sat him at the table. Matt
folded a piece of kitchen roll into a small square and gave it to Jake. “Press this tight against
the cut. There’s a first-aid kit in my suitcase. I won’t be a minute.”
“No need,” Jake said, pressing the paper towel against his
cheek. “This should be enough to stop the bleeding. It’s just a scratch. You’ve done more
than enough already. Thanks a lot.”
Being so close to him, Matt realised what a great-looking
guy Jake was, with those beautiful eyes and unblemished skin. His T-shirt was well-fitted,
showing the fine shape of his chest and shoulders beneath. His bare arms were muscular,
gently suntanned and covered in light-brown hair. Despite his serious expression, there were
very few lines on his face. Matt guessed his age to be around twenty-five.
“Do you want me to call the police?” he asked. “I got most
of what happened on camera—certainly, the assault part. With me as a witness and the
video evidence, they’ll have enough to charge him. It’ll get him out of your hair for the
weekend, at least.”
Jake shook his head. “I don’t want to involve the police. It
will only make things worse.”
“That guy assaulted you.”
“I’ll live. It’s just a scratch. If we phone the police, it will
only make Vince worse.”
Matt didn’t push it. He’d seen this so many times before
when victims of violence didn’t want to pursue a case for fear of inflaming the situation. “So,
who is that guy? Your boyfriend?”
Jake exhaled dramatically. “If only. That would make things
so much easier. No, Vince is my husband—soon-to-be ex-husband. At least I hope so. That’s
what tonight was all about. My solicitor wrote to him about the divorce and he got the letter
this morning.”
About the Author
Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, North
Point and the Anthem Trilogy. His
love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the
latest Jackie Collins book and confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy
novels.
Thom has lived in the North
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A gunshot. A bloody note.
And a relationship that might not survive…
Blurb
Now that the war with the Korean syndicate is behind him,
all Nao Murata wants is a vacation and a chance to nurture his new relationship with Aki
Hisona. They can punish those who abandoned the family later.
After six weeks trapped in a hospital bed, a quiet vacation
is the last thing Aki wants. Ready to prove himself to Nao and the rest of the family, Aki’s
desperate for some action. And not just the yakuza kind…
When Aki hears a gunshot, he knows the dust has far from
settled. Nao says it can wait, but Aki’s unable to understand why they can’t tie up those
loose ends.
Between Aki’s constant pushing and Nao’s uncompromising
focus on what he thinks is best for them both, are they too stubborn for their fragile
relationship to last?
Find out in The
Yakuza Path: Wrapped in Screams, the sixth
installment of The Yakuza Path thriller series. If you like gritty Japanese crime, complex
characters, and a high dose of gay romance, then you’ll love Amy Tasukada’s latest
novel.
Buy Wrapped in Screams to get your taste of romantic revenge
today!
The Yakuza Path Series
BOOK 1 – Blood Stained Tea
BOOK 2 – Better Than Suicide
BOOK 3 – One Thousand Cranes
BOOK 4 – The Deafening Silence
BOOK 5 – Flowers of Flesh and Blood
BOOK 6 – Wrapped in Screams
Excerpt
“Of course I want you to sleep with me.” Aki placed a hand
suggestively on Nao’s thigh.
Aki couldn’t think of anything else that would make him
happier than having Nao’s cock rip him in half. Though Aki doubted he could get his up even
if he wanted to. Skipping the pain meds to get his libido back was the next thing on his to-do
list. The hospital had only given him a two-week supply. So far he hadn’t hurt too much and
they’d mostly made him tired. It would still probably take a few days for the narcotics to
completely leave his system, but he and Nao could mess around until then.
“We need to be careful.” Nao brushed Aki’s hand
away.
Tightness gripped Aki’s chest and clawed at his throat. Nao
pushed him away again. After everything Aki had been through, after everything Aki had
done for him, it was like nothing had changed between them.
“We couldn’t even kiss yesterday without you becoming
breathless,” Nao added.
It sounded so cruel. Why did it have to hurt so much? Aki
looked away, but Nao cupped Aki’s face. The gesture lessened the pain, but it still
stabbed.
Nao’s eyebrows drew together. “I don’t want you hurt
because of something I did ever again. There’s a whole list of things you can’t do.”
“The doctors were being cautious.”
“There’s a gaping hole in your chest.”
“It’s six centimeters. That’s hardly gaping.”
“I don’t want you back in the hospital because of an
infection. It can happen to anyone. It happened to me when I didn’t listen to my
doctor.”
“And because you weren’t taking your antibiotics.”
“That’s true.” Nao laughed.
“Are you going to kiss me at least?”
Nao leaned over until their lips touched. He was cautious at
first as if asking permission. Aki opened his mouth, and Nao’s tongue entered. Aki’s muscles
relaxed, and he willed his fears to subside. Nao wasn’t going to bend him against the nearest
surface and screw him raw like in Aki’s fantasies, but Nao wasn’t saying it would never happen. All Aki had to do was convince Nao he was fine, and in a few days, they’d be
banging like rabbits.
Nao licked at Aki’s bottom lip before pulling away. He
pressed their foreheads together.
“Do you understand what I’m trying to say?” Nao
asked.
Aki nodded. “You’ll at least help me change my bandages,
right?”
“You’ll have to teach me.”
Aki pulled off his undershirt, hiding a grimace of pain in the
cloth. He wanted to be alluring. Nao had seen him shirtless plenty of times, but it would be
the first so close. Aki glanced over his shoulder suggestively, but Nao was focused on taking
the bandages out of the plastic bag.
Aki sighed. Changing his bandages wasn’t sexy, but he’d
hoped the undressing part would be.
About the Author
International best-selling
author Amy Tasukada writes thrilling times of crime, love, and gore. Readers who crave
diverse characters, unique settings, and edge-of-your-seat action will devour her Yakuza Path series. Readers who seek less blood and more love will swoon
over the Yakuza Path
Romance and Would it Be Okay to Love You? Series. Amy is an atheist, queer author who enjoys drinking tea,
Japanese street fashion and visual kei music. Her calico cat, O’Hara, is never far from her
side. Amy lives in North Texas, but is always planning her next trip to Japan.
