Publication date: February 18th, 2022
Synopsis:
I hired him to protect my body, but who will protect my heart?
He's a thief, a convicted felon.
A cocky guy with tattoos and a smirk for days.
He needs a bodyguard and I need a job, so here we are.
And the more time I spend with Ronan Michaels, the more I realize maybe he isn't the bad guy after all.
But why do I feel like he's hiding something or protecting someone?
Or both?
My Angel Gabriel has a devil on his shoulder.
He's not a sinner--but certainly no saint.
He's been lied to and abandoned. Hurt by people who should love him no matter what.
Gabriel's discovered my secrets, yet the more I push him away, the closer he stands by my side.
And when his past crumbles, leaving him searching for answers, I'm right there for him, holding his hand.
Holding him up.
Because love is catching someone when they fall.
And never letting go.
From Lambda Literary Award-winning author Felice Stevens comes an irresistible bodyguard romance about two men busy fighting the demons of their past--and their attraction to each other.
Available at:
Excerpt
With a six-pack in hand, I turned the corner and came upon that small group of protesters Isaac and I had seen the other night; only this time, they had a man surrounded. Though he was tall and muscular, his eyes were wild with fear, his face panic-stricken. My instincts kicked in, and I ran toward the mob.
"We want all our money! We want justice!" The swell of voices grew louder as I drew closer, and I heard his voice rise above the crowd.
"Please, let me go."
Suddenly he was knocked to the pavement, and glass shattered at my feet. I ducked my head to the side to prevent the shards from getting in my eyes. The group scattered and grew quiet, and then people started running.
"What the fuck are you people doing?" I called out to the crowd, kneeling at his side. "Are you all right?"
I gazed into the deep blue eyes of a man with jet-black hair and dark stubble that shadowed a hard jaw and high cheekbones. And... damn. He was gorgeous.
"I-I think so." His slightly raspy voice washed over me like a caress. I blinked and noticed the blood trickling down the side of his scalp.
"You're bleeding. Is this your building? Do you want me to help you inside?"
At the mention of blood, he grew even paler and closed his eyes. "Uh... give me a sec. I've always hated the sight of blood."
He put his head between his knees, and I stayed with him on the ground until he glanced up at me, a little smile tipping the corner of his mouth. It made him stunning face even more attractive, highlighting dimples along with a tiny scar running into the top of his lip. It did nothing to mar the perfection of his face.
"Who are you? Aside from my guardian angel."
I grinned. "I'm no angel, although my name is Gabriel. I was taking a walk and saw the commotion. Looked like you needed help."
"Well, Angel Gabriel, should I break the cardinal rule of a New Yorker and trust a stranger?"
"You're Ronan Michaels, so I guess we're not really strangers." Hell, was I flirting with him? I couldn't help it. Something about this man made me reckless.
He didn't reciprocate, his smile fading at my words, and he brushed me off. "I'm fine." Without another word, he rose to his feet and left me crouching on the pavement with my beer, feeling like a fool.
Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. She believes that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner. Her characters have to work for it, because just like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.
Felice is the 2020 Lambda Literary Award winning author in best Gay Romance. She lives in New York City and has way too much black in her wardrobe. If she's not writing, you'll probably find her watching reality TV or procrastinating on FB in her reader group, Felice's Breakfast Club.
