This story was originally part of the Hostage print anthology.

    After Amos betrayed him, forced him out of Lucas’s life and ended his career, Brett vowed to never to never to speak with, much less help Amos, until the end of eternity. But Brett can’t deny his need to save Lucas, the one guy he’s never been able to get out of his system, even if it means working for Amos.The trail is cold, with Lucas missing for more than a month. The cops are clueless, unable to find even a hint that the young man was abducted instead of just wandering away. When Brett latches onto a trace of evidence, it looks like he’ll find Lucas, but the clue doesn’t pan out the way he thinks it should.Lucas can’t take the abuse any longer. He’s at the end of his chain, literally. If he could escape into the mountains, he would, but the sick bastard attached a manacle to his leg, exerting his control physically. Lucas is desperate to escape his captor; all hope has vanished, crushing his spirit. Lucas dreams of a savior, but Brett walked away a long time ago, and he’s the only man strong enough to save Lucas.

    Now with a pending divorce, recently promoted Matt's life is about to take an entirely new direction.Matt's first case as detective turns out to be a challenge. Desperation sets in when all leads in the child serial killer case leave the police department empty handed. Paul Whittington, psychic and medium, may be the only solution in finding a break in the case. Matt and Paul are forced to work together. But when a work relationship turns into something more, it challenges everything Matt's known about himself, his life, and desires. Then, a turn in the case could put everything at risk.In the end, can Paul win over Matt's resistance and claim him as his own?

    Shy, geeky Kayden likes birdwatching and has an unsavoury past. He’s really not Mason’s type, so Mason can’t explain why the chemistry between them soon rages out of control.But any relationship is doomed. Kayden’s a wanted man and Mason can’t risk the witness’ life by getting close. Can they find a way to be together, despite the federal red tape and danger surrounding them?Reader Advisory: This book contains themes of past drug abuse and dealing, rape, prostitution and attempted murder.

    He sees art in the world around him yet is never truly part of it. There's a line that keeps him just on the outside of everything and everyone except his best friend. Thomas Harrington has everything--the money, the car, and the designer suits. But something is missing from a seemingly perfect life, lost when his mother fell ill. After attending a local art show, Blu is contacted by Tom and offered his dream--a chance to show at a gallery. Though there is a growing attraction between the men, their worlds couldn't be more apart. Blu speaks through paint and brushes, and Tom's life is filled with words and paperwork. Though opposites attract, these differences might push them apart.

    Will Kansas City’s finest solve the case before the madman strikes again?Detective James Dixon is determined to track down the most recent serial killer terrorising the people of Kansas City. The chase leads him to the Last Chance Bar and Grille, where he meets and immediately falls for the sexy owner, Bryan Scott. But things at the bar aren’t exactly as they seem.No one there remembers seeing the latest victim the night before she was brutally murdered. So why do the clues keep pointing back to the Last Chance? When the attacks strike close to home, Dix and Bryan must work together to save the next victim and whatever chance they have for happiness.

    After his second stint at rehab, Gus realizes he needs to take control of his life. He won’t live much longer if he continues the journey he’s on. So he chooses to be clean. Six months of being sober gives him a better outlook on life, but he’s still alone.One night he meets Morris Pierce and his world starts to change. Morris is rich, successful, and gorgeous, leaving Gus to wonder why the man is interested in a skinny, scarred mechanic/waiter like him. Yet interested Morris is, and Gus finds himself on the verge of a whole new life.Can Gus forgive himself enough to reach out for what Morris offers? And can he find someone he loves more than heroin?

    No, he says, and hotfoots it across the lawns of the family estate. KT isn't his own worst enemy anymore; there's a new candidate for the title. Suddenly, Kendall's on the lam, trying to outrun a murder rap. Helping -- by locking KT naked in their motel room -- is his cousin Turn. KT has some issues: he manages to censor himself only when he lies, he's been in love with cousin Turn since forever, and he really would rather kill himself than get more rest at another clinic.

    So, when Jimmy sees an elderly man wearing a collar standing in the middle of the park and apparently in some sort of trouble, he approaches him and offers the guy his help.All isn’t as it first appears. Maybe it’s Jimmy whose about to get the help he needs.This short story was first published in Kim Dare’s newsletter in June 2011. The inspiration image was chosen by Chris of Stumbling Over Chaos website.

    Now twenty-five and eight months out of prison, Red has nothing to his name and no one to help him through the horrifying memories of his past.Then he meets Silo Winters, a man so much like him yet so different that it drives Red crazy. How could someone who went through the same trauma he did in prison still look at life so cheerfully? And though Silo tries to show Red that life after hardship isn’t bleak and meaningless, Red finds it difficult after all he’s been through to let anyone in.CONTENT WARNING: This books deals with themes some readers may not find agreeable, including forced intimate encounters that are not described on-page.

    Micah wants answers. Able has his own letter to show Micah. Together they set out to find who killed Micah's mother and why. Their first clue leads them to an attorney and the police. Micah and Able fall in love while going back and forth from the ranch to the city, from one crisis to another. The characters at the ranch keep things hopping with their own lives filled with comedy, tragedy, and love. They get their answer, but it comes hard.

    His job is to get close to the mob boss' brother Jason, who might just lead him to bringing down the crime boss and all his cronies. Problem is, he doesn't count on the things Jason makes him feel. Jason knows Ryan is bad news for his family, but can't help falling for the hot cop. Things go bad in a big way when the investigation heats up, and Jason and Ryan have to deal with danger, coming out, and figuring out if their love is worth fighting for.

    This particular coyote is even more problematic when it turns out to be the younger brother of a close friend. In this story by James Buchanan, not everything is as it appears in this Coyote Crossing, especially when the leader of the pack winds up with his head bashed in. Josh Lanyon entertains readers with In A Dark Wood. Being lost in the woods isn't a fun first date, especially when the forrest is the very one in which a teenage boy finds a human skull. Escaping your past is hard when you're a former porn star. In L. Picaro's Gamble Everything one man is trying to do just that, but someone else is intent on making him remember all that he'd rather forget.

    Sam Jamison knows he’ll have to keep a tight rein on his rising passions, as Donovan McNair is straight as an arrow—or so Sam assumes.Though they won’t let each other give up hope of discovery by a passing ship or plane, each passing day takes them further from the easy existence they once knew. Each man must find the inner strength and courage to continue in the face of possible permanent exile. With no idea if or when they’ll be rescued, Sam and Donovan forge a bond far stronger than mere friendship.Experiencing a freedom not possible back in the real world, desire boils over, inhibitions melt away and passion burns bright. Sam takes Donovan on an erotic journey into the world of m/m love. Can such intensity survive beyond the sandy shores of their tiny tropical paradise?

    When a crazed fan with a knife ended his acting career, he withdrew to a secluded island off the coast of Maine. There he remains locked away, his solitary existence lightened only by his dog, his garden, and the rare sea glass washed up on shore, communicating only with his two estate keepers and his agent. Without his legendary face, what does he have to offer anyone? Especially someone as vital and beautiful as Ruby Keagan. The young man mistakenly hired as his personal assistant for the summer is the last thing Holland's fragile self-image needs. Ruby never really thought about his teenage crush on Holland Faust. The poster on his wall had become nothing more than a memory until Ruby took a summer internship for the Faust Charitable Foundation. Hol far exceeds those youthful daydreams; a sensitive, caring man who deserves so much more than his lonely existence. Now, if Ruby can just get Hol to realize he doesn't need to hide any longer...