The Protectors Series by Sloane Kennedy

After four years abroad, artist Jonas Davenport has come home to start building his dream of owning his own art studio and gallery. But just as he's ready to put the darkness of his past behind him forever, it comes roaring back with a vengeance. The only thing keeping ex-cop Mace Calhoun from eating his own gun after an unthinkable loss is his role in an underground syndicate that seeks to get justice for the innocent by taking the lives of the guilty... moreAfter four years abroad, artist Jonas Davenport has come home to start building his dream of owning his own art studio and gallery. But just as he's ready to put the darkness of his past behind him forever, it comes roaring back with a vengeance. The only thing keeping ex-cop Mace Calhoun from eating his own gun after an unthinkable loss is his role in an underground syndicate that seeks to get justice for the innocent by taking the lives of the guilty. Ending the life of the young artist who committed unspeakable crimes against the most vulnerable of victims should have been the easiest thing in the world. So why can't he bring himself to pull the trigger? After years of fighting in an endless, soul-sucking war, Navy SEAL Cole Bridgerton has come home to fight another battle - dealing with the discovery that the younger sister who ran away from home eight years earlier is lost to him forever. He needs answers and the only person who can give them to him is a young man struggling to put his life back together. But he never expected to feel something more for the haunted artist. Cole and Mace. One lives by the rules, the other makes his own. One seeks justice through the law while the other seeks it with his gun. Two men, one light, one dark, will find themselves and each other when they're forced to stand side by side to protect Jonas from an unseen evil that will stop at nothing to silence the young artist forever. But each man's scars run deep and even the strength of three may not be enough to save them... But what I felt most was the perfection of what these two men were giving me. And I knew in that moment that I would do anything to keep it. Anything. --Cole Note: This book contains M/M/M sexual content and is intended for mature audiences. Trigger Warning: This book contains references to childhood sexual abuse. ***This is Book 1 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone story - no cliffhangers.*** less

I lifted my gaze to tell Seth no but then I saw it. The thing I'd feared I'd lost. It wasn't hero worship or the wayward emotions of an innocent child. And it wasn't some distorted reflection of a man who no longer existed. All I saw was me...the way he saw me. --Ronan Trauma surgeon Ronan Grisham lost everything the day the man he loved was stolen from him in a brutal attack... moreI lifted my gaze to tell Seth no but then I saw it. The thing I'd feared I'd lost. It wasn't hero worship or the wayward emotions of an innocent child. And it wasn't some distorted reflection of a man who no longer existed. All I saw was me...the way he saw me. --Ronan Trauma surgeon Ronan Grisham lost everything the day the man he loved was stolen from him in a brutal attack. Driven by a thirst for vengeance, he turns his hatred into building an underground group that can do what he couldn't that fateful day...take the lives of the guilty to save the lives of the innocent. But years later, he's forced to confront the one link to his past that he can't sever. Seven years after the loss of his parents in a violent home invasion that left him permanently scarred both inside and out, 21-year-old Seth Nichols is trying to put his life back together so he can take over the reins of his father's global shipping empire. But the last person he expects to come back into his life is the man he drove away with one innocent, stolen kiss. With one brush of his lips, Seth managed to do to Ronan what no other had since the day Ronan watched the light in his fiancé's eyes go out forever. He made him need again. But Ronan can't need anyone, least of all his dead fiancé's younger brother. Because even one touch from Seth could shatter Ronan's carefully constructed world and Ronan knows there's no coming back from that a second time. But when a series of escalating attacks against Seth forces Ronan back into his life, Seth knows it's his last chance to show Ronan he can be the man the broken surgeon needs. Only the Ronan who returns isn't the Ronan Seth fell in love with so long ago... Can Seth be Ronan's salvation or will he end up destroying them both? **Full length novel (80k words) Trigger Warning: This book does contain a possible trigger for some readers. Specifics can be found by utilizing the "Look Inside" feature or downloading a sample and scrolling to the page right before the table of contents. Please note that reading the trigger that is included may cause spoilers. ***This is Book 2 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone story - no cliffhangers.*** Book 1 - Absolution (M/M/M) Book 2 - Salvation (M/M) Note: This book contains M/M sexual content and is intended for mature audiences less

Ex Special Forces soldier Michael “Hawke” Hawkins has spent every day of the last ten years waiting for the moment he would get to watch the life fade from the eyes of the men who brutally murdered his wife, but when he finally gets the break he’s been waiting for, the trail leads him to someone he wasn’t expecting... moreEx Special Forces soldier Michael “Hawke” Hawkins has spent every day of the last ten years waiting for the moment he would get to watch the life fade from the eyes of the men who brutally murdered his wife, but when he finally gets the break he’s been waiting for, the trail leads him to someone he wasn’t expecting. After nearly two years of running, 24-year-old Tate Travers has become an expert at hiding…until the day a dangerous stranger shows up looking for vengeance and threatens to destroy the fragile life Tate has managed to build for himself and his five-year-old son. Except the life Tate has been struggling to hold on to started unraveling long before Hawke showed up looking for the same men Tate has been running from…his own father and older brother. Retribution – it’s all Hawke has wanted since the day he held his wife’s hand as she took her last breath. And he won’t give that up for anything or anyone…not even the tormented young man trying to give his little boy a better life. Because Tate is the only one who can lead Hawke to the men he’s been searching for. And if it means forcing the young man to confront the past that nearly destroyed him, then so be it. Only the last thing Hawke expects to feel is something besides the hatred that has driven him. And he definitely never expected to feel it for a man. But when it comes down to choosing between the unwanted feelings Tate stirs in him and the revenge he’s finally close enough to taste, will Hawke be able to give up the one thing that has kept him going for a second chance at a future he gave up on ever having? less

Free read with Salvation and Retribution couples.

I didn’t know how to tell him how afraid I’d been that I’d never have this moment with him. This moment where it was just the two of us. This moment where he made me feel whole without even trying. --Eli Abandoned. Abused. Betrayed. Ex-cop Maverick “Mav” James needs only three things. His Harley, an open road and his work in an underground organization that delivers justice when the law can’t. Family? They left him long before he left them. Friends? A liability... moreI didn’t know how to tell him how afraid I’d been that I’d never have this moment with him. This moment where it was just the two of us. This moment where he made me feel whole without even trying. --Eli Abandoned. Abused. Betrayed. Ex-cop Maverick “Mav” James needs only three things. His Harley, an open road and his work in an underground organization that delivers justice when the law can’t. Family? They left him long before he left them. Friends? A liability. A place to call home? Doesn’t exist. Mav’s motto is simple: Get done and get out. Work, sex, doesn’t matter. No emotional connections. Simple. Until he meets him. Alone. Hiding. Broken. At fifteen years old, Eli Galvez had nothing. No family, no friends and only his body as a means to make enough money to survive. But a chance meeting changed all that and eight years later, he’s well on his way to having the life he could once only dream of. He’s been accepted into medical school and he’s finally returned home to Seattle to be closer to the men and women who don’t share his blood, but are the only family he’s ever really known. Only things aren’t what they seem and the secrets Eli has been hiding are about to come to the surface with dangerous consequences. One final chance at a real future. Guys like Eli just aren’t Mav’s type, period. Yet he can’t deny his intense attraction to the younger man who only looks at him with fear in his eyes. Until the day there’s something else in those eyes too. Something that draws Mav in and refuses to let go. Something that makes him want to forget his rules. But Mav’s learned the hard way what happens when you get too close to something. And while he vows to protect Eli after a violent attack leaves the younger man shaken, protection is all he’ll offer. Because anything else would just cost too much. Trigger Warning: This book does contain a possible trigger for some readers. Specifics can be found by utilizing the "Look Inside" feature or downloading a sample and scrolling to the page right before the table of contents. Please note that reading the trigger that is included may cause spoilers. **Full length novel (86k words) ***This is Book 4 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone story - no cliffhangers.*** Book 1 - Absolution (M/M/M) Book 2 - Salvation (M/M) Book 3 - Retribution (M/M) Book 4 - Forsaken (M/M) Note: This book contains M/M sexual content and is intended for mature audiences less

"What if you didn't have to stop kissing him, Memphis? What if you didn't have to choose me over him?" --Brennan Memphis At thirty-four years old, ex-DEA agent Memphis Wheland has lived, loved and lost...everything. The ultimate betrayal by the man he gave everything to has left Memphis with no family, no career and a bone deep bitterness that refuses to release him from its icy grip. His work with an underground vigilante organization is the only light in his otherwise bleak existence... more"What if you didn't have to stop kissing him, Memphis? What if you didn't have to choose me over him?" --Brennan Memphis At thirty-four years old, ex-DEA agent Memphis Wheland has lived, loved and lost...everything. The ultimate betrayal by the man he gave everything to has left Memphis with no family, no career and a bone deep bitterness that refuses to release him from its icy grip. His work with an underground vigilante organization is the only light in his otherwise bleak existence. That and the occasional no-strings hookup with men whose only focus in that moment, and for as long as Memphis wants them, is him and only him. No clingy exes, no unrequited love, no relationship drama. Period. Because Memphis has one rule that he won't break for anyone or anything. He doesn't share. Ever. Now if only someone had told that to the young man who would come into his life in the most unexpected way... Brennan With his entire life ahead of him, graduate student Brennan Devereaux wasn't expecting it to change in the blink of an eye. But when a case of mistaken identity nearly costs Brennan his life, it isn't just his future that's about to change, but his past too. Because for years he's been in love with a young man who only sees him as a friend and nothing more. And while he was content to love Tristan Barretti from afar, he hadn't expected to be drawn to the mysterious stranger who saved his life and changed it with a simple promise. I'm not letting you go. They were words spoken in the heat of the moment as the darkness of death had threatened to claim him, but even as Brennan's love for Tristan refuses to wane, his need for the intriguing Memphis Wheland continues to grow. But any relationship with Memphis means he has to let go of the one thing in his life he's always valued above everything else... Tristan At nineteen, Tristan Barretti should have had the world at his feet. His musical gifts have garnered him prestige as well as admission to the famed Julliard School in New York and he has a family that most people would kill for. But the protective bubble his fathers have kept him in has burst and he's discovered that life outside his unconditionally loving family isn't as accepting of a kid born with HIV. A poor decision to find answers to questions better left unasked, along with the complications of living with his disease, have Tristan returning to Seattle and the solace of his family. And to the young man he's wanted from the time he was barely old enough to even understand what that meant. But with an uncertain future that leaves him nothing to offer the gorgeous and successful Brennan Devereaux, Tristan knows the best he can hope for is to keep building on the friendship they've shared for years and not get his hopes up that Brennan will be the one man who sees him and not his disease. Except all bets are off when danger follows him home... Choices Even though a physical relationship with Brennan was supposed to be just that, Memphis finds himself unable to refuse his young lover's request to help put a stop to the threat against Tristan. Even knowing full well that Brennan's heart lies with the man he claims is nothing more than a friend, Memphis accepts the challenge of ensuring Tristan's safety. less

It’s the holidays for a group of very special men who’ve managed to become a family in the last year and while all the guys are coming together to celebrate Hawke and Tate’s upcoming wedding, a few of them have big plans of their own… A change of plans… Newlyweds Ronan and Seth are settling into married life as Ronan considers his return to medicine and Seth starts dreaming of a future that may include the pitter patter of little feet a lot sooner rather than later... moreIt’s the holidays for a group of very special men who’ve managed to become a family in the last year and while all the guys are coming together to celebrate Hawke and Tate’s upcoming wedding, a few of them have big plans of their own… A change of plans… Newlyweds Ronan and Seth are settling into married life as Ronan considers his return to medicine and Seth starts dreaming of a future that may include the pitter patter of little feet a lot sooner rather than later. Building a future… Knee deep in wedding preparations, Hawke and Tate are celebrating something even more important – Matty’s final round of chemotherapy treatment. As they anxiously await confirmation that their son is finally in remission, both men strive to give their little boy a normal life including a new house, playdates with Matty’s new best friend, Leo, and a new support system of men and women who are starting to seem a lot like family. An important question to ask… Meanwhile, Mav is looking to make things official with Eli despite the young man’s busy schedule with medical school. But before he can ask the man of his dreams that very important question, he has to get past Eli’s family first, including a posse of two overprotective fathers, several intrusive uncles and a little girl who just wants to brush Mav’s hair! Figuring it all out… With Memphis, Brennan and Tristan settling into their newfound relationship and our favorite threesome from New York visiting for the wedding, there are plenty of chances for old friends to connect and new bonds to be formed. The best kind of chaos… And of course, what wedding wouldn’t be complete without a little drama including some white hot sexual tension between a not so old grandfather and a certain cocky bodyguard? Add in some more Barrettis, a couple of precocious kids, several dogs, one spoiled cat and a gaggle of new, hot alpha men and you’ve got the perfect storm for a holiday that only the Protectors could pull off! *Includes a special bonus scene at the end of the book! **NOTE: THIS IS NOT A STANDALONE STORY - It features previous characters from all of the "Protectors" series books.*** Book 1 - Absolution (M/M/M) Book 2 - Salvation (M/M) Book 3 - Retribution (M/M) Book 4 - Forsaken (M/M) Book 5 - Vengeance (M/M/M) less

“Once a fuck up, always a fuck up.” Words twenty-six-year-old Dante Thorne has had to live with for more years than he can count and a title he finally earned at the tender age of sixteen when one careless decision led to tragedy. And since he can’t deny the truth of the words, why not live by them instead? Fucking up, fucking, it doesn’t matter; as long as it feels good and makes him forget the day he failed the one person he’d always sworn to protect... more“Once a fuck up, always a fuck up.” Words twenty-six-year-old Dante Thorne has had to live with for more years than he can count and a title he finally earned at the tender age of sixteen when one careless decision led to tragedy. And since he can’t deny the truth of the words, why not live by them instead? Fucking up, fucking, it doesn’t matter; as long as it feels good and makes him forget the day he failed the one person he’d always sworn to protect. A good philosophy to live by until Dante meets the one man who might actually having him wishing he was something more… At forty-one and with a distinguished twenty-year career as a Texas Ranger under his belt, Magnus DuCane should have been in the prime of his life. Instead, he’s mourning the loss of the daughter he couldn’t save and contemplating a future that looks nothing like the one he had planned. The only bright spot in his life is the young grandson whose suddenly been returned to him after going missing two years earlier and the new family of men that he’s been welcomed in to with open arms. But with his iron will, unfailing self-control and unflappable discipline, Magnus knows he can start a new chapter and get his life back on track…if he can just get past the disturbing, unexpected feelings one young man stirs in him. Because everything about Dante Thorne is wrong for Magnus. His arrogance, his cocky attitude, every single unfiltered word that falls unchecked out of his mouth and, of course, the fact that he’s a man. But when his well-meaning friends send Dante with him as a bodyguard when he returns to Texas to testify in a high-profile case, Magnus begins to see beyond the brash words and endless sexual innuendo. And when he starts to discover that what he sees isn’t all that bad, suddenly the fact that that Dante is a man instead of a woman no longer seems like such a big sticking point anymore… less

Free read.

"I trusted once. I won't make that mistake again..." An ugly childhood and devastating betrayal have left 25-year-old Cain Jensen scarred inside and out. Protecting himself means keeping everyone at arm's length and protecting others means never getting emotionally involved. In the three years since he's joined an underground vigilante group, every life he saves helps ease the guilt of the ones that were lost to him so long ago... more"I trusted once. I won't make that mistake again..." An ugly childhood and devastating betrayal have left 25-year-old Cain Jensen scarred inside and out. Protecting himself means keeping everyone at arm's length and protecting others means never getting emotionally involved. In the three years since he's joined an underground vigilante group, every life he saves helps ease the guilt of the ones that were lost to him so long ago. So when he's sent to a remote cabin in the Cascade Mountains just north of Seattle to follow up on the disappearance of his boss's co-worker, his only thought is to see that justice is served, no matter what the circumstances. But nothing he's ever experienced has prepared the cold-hearted and very straight Cain for who he finds on that mountain...or the intense need to suddenly offer more than just protection."I've finally managed to break free, but I've never felt more trapped in my entire life..."Ethan Rhodes has been running for six months, but it's never fast enough, it's never far enough. At 30 years old, the talented ER Doctor should be spending his days saving other people's lives, not worrying about his own. But he knows that the four years of physical and emotional abuse he's suffered at the hands of his volatile ex are nothing compared to what will happen when Ethan runs out of places to hide, especially after taking something from the man he once was sure would be the love of his life. A violent episode that has Ethan narrowly escaping death leads to a quiet cabin in the mountains where his battered body will have time to heal before he and the young girl relying on him need to run again. But everything changes with the arrival of a mysterious stranger who threatens to give Ethan something he'd finally accepted was gone forever...hope."I didn't see this coming. I don't think he did either..."To get to the truth, Cain must first get through Ethan's defenses, but watching the other man's walls start to come down forces Cain to face his own past. And as the tremulous connection between the two men grows and gives way to something more, both will need to decide if they're willing to risk giving each other the one thing that has cost them so much in the past...trust.Will two men who've vowed never to let someone close again let down their guard long enough to find each other, or will they let their pasts determine their future?Trigger Warning: This book includes references to physical, emotional and sexual abuse so please proceed with cautionNote: This book contains M/M sexual content and is intended for mature audiences.***This is Book 7 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone story - no cliffhangers.***The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in this order, but it is not required:Book 1 - Absolution (M/M/M)Book 2 - Salvation (M/M)Book 3 - Retribution (M/M)Logan's Need (Escort Series #3) (M/M)Redeeming Rafe (Barretti Security Series #2) (M/M)Saving Ren (Barretti Security Series #3) (M/M/M)Freeing Zane (Barretti Security Series #4) (M/M)Book 4 - Forsaken (M/M)Book 5 - Vengeance (M/M/M)Book 5.5 - A Protectors Family ChristmasBook 6 - Atonement (M/M)Book 7 - Revelation (M/M) less

My job is to save lives. But what if the one that needs saving is the one I was sent to take? At 33 years old, Phoenix Jones once had a stellar military career ahead of him. But when tragedy struck his family, he walked away from the path he'd chosen to be there for the one who needed him most. Except fate is a bitch and when she once again takes Phoenix's future in the cruelest of ways, he must find a new path... moreMy job is to save lives. But what if the one that needs saving is the one I was sent to take? At 33 years old, Phoenix Jones once had a stellar military career ahead of him. But when tragedy struck his family, he walked away from the path he'd chosen to be there for the one who needed him most. Except fate is a bitch and when she once again takes Phoenix's future in the cruelest of ways, he must find a new path. When a former army buddy introduces him to Ronan Grisham, the leader of an underground vigilante group, Phoenix knows he's found a new family and nothing and no one is going to take that from him again. So when Ronan asks him to shadow a young man who participated in a brutal crime against Ronan's husband, Seth, when he was a child and appears to be targeting him again, Phoenix doesn't even hesitate for a second. Even knowing what he must do if the young man proves to have gone back to his old ways. Because family is everything... I can't come back from what I did. I'm not sure I even want to... An ugly childhood left Levi Deming with little to do but dream of a day when he'd be free of his tormenters so he could carve out a simple life for himself, preferably somewhere far away from the family who never let him forget he was less than human. But one terrible choice at the tender age of 16 changed everything... Wracked with guilt for the role he played during a home invasion gone horribly wrong, a now 24-year-old Levi is trying to piece together a life where he can maybe do a little bit of good, even knowing it won't make up for the lives he helped take and it definitely won't give back the future he stole from the young man whose agonized screams still haunt him night after night. If it were only about him, he'd walk into the nearest police station and happily tell them to lock him up and throw away the key. But it isn't just about him anymore... I expected to find a hardened criminal. What I found was something else entirely... With Ronan's orders to terminate young Levi if he so much as even jaywalks, Phoenix expects an easy job with one clear outcome. But when a violent encounter forces Phoenix to interact with Levi, he quickly realizes the case might not be as black and white as he thought. Instead of finding a criminal with no conscience, Phoenix discovers a young man battling impossible odds and near crippling guilt. When his feelings of disgust and anger begin to fade and turn into something else, the would-be hitman is forced to make a terrible decision between the family he needs and the young man more intent on seeking judgement than redemption. Trigger Warning: This book contains multiple triggers which could also be considered spoilers. If you want to see what they are, download the sample or use the "Look Inside" feature and scroll to the page right before the table of contents Note: This book contains M/M sexual content and is intended for mature audiences. ***This is Book 8 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone story - no cliffhangers.*** The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in this order, but it is not required: Book 1 - Absolution (M/M/M) Book 2 - Salvation (M/M) Book 3 - Retribution (M/M) Logan's Need (Escort Series #3) (M/M) Redeeming Rafe (Barretti Security Series #2) (M/M) Saving Ren (Bar less

All I ever wanted was to serve and protect my country. It ended up costing me everything... At 49, Vincent St. James has learned to live with the choices he's made, even if he isn't always proud of them. After the military he was practically born into decided his sexuality was more important than his impeccable service record, Vincent lost everything, including the man he'd planned to spend the rest of his life with. And a man with nothing to live for has nothing to lose... moreAll I ever wanted was to serve and protect my country. It ended up costing me everything... At 49, Vincent St. James has learned to live with the choices he's made, even if he isn't always proud of them. After the military he was practically born into decided his sexuality was more important than his impeccable service record, Vincent lost everything, including the man he'd planned to spend the rest of his life with. And a man with nothing to live for has nothing to lose. With a bone deep hatred of all things government, Vincent found another way to serve his country, but it too came at a steep cost that he never could have foreseen. Dealing in secrets and death means there's always someone waiting around the next corner trying to either take his place or bury their secrets along with his body. Even if he wanted out, it's far too late for that. When he's given the chance to help out a friend who once had his back when others didn't, he jumps at the chance to repay the favor. Even if it means protecting the kind of man he despises most...a power-hungry politician looking to push his own agenda on an unsuspecting public. I made a terrible choice three years ago and it cost me the only person who ever really mattered to me. But maybe there's another way I can make things right... 30-year-old Nathan Wilder can't take back the moment he betrayed his twin brother, but he can try to make sure that the legacy of hate that drove him to turn on Brody never has a chance to rear its ugly head again. And if that means going against his powerful father's right-wing political constituency in a down and dirty race for a seat in the U.S. Senate, then so be it. But when the threats that had been limited to harmless emails start taking an uglier turn, culminating in a violent attack that leaves no doubt as to the assailant's intent, Nathan is thrown into the direct path of a mysterious and dangerous man who may end up forcing Nathan to confront truths he just isn't ready to face yet. Protecting him was supposed to be a favor for a friend and nothing more. Once he's safe, I'll let him go. I have to... Protecting Nathan was supposed to be a walk in the park for a guy like Vincent. But nothing about the younger man is what he'd been expecting, especially the long-dead feelings Nathan stirs in him. The feelings that aren't just about protection. Which is a problem, because while the threat against Nathan is temporary, the danger that's become a way of life for Vincent is just waiting for the next thing it can take from him. Caring about someone means painting a target on their back and Vincent is done losing people he loves. But letting Nathan go may not be as easy at seems...especially when Nathan decides to finally stand up and fight for what...and who he truly wants. Can be read as a standalone novel. The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in order, but it is not required. You can find the correct reading order at the beginning of each book. I've also bundled all my series in the correct reading order under the title of A Family Chosen: The Protectors and Barrettis. less

Protecting him was just to supposed to be another job. Until it wasn't. Two years after surviving a brutal attack from members of his own unit, former Special Forces soldier Cruz de la Vega has found new purpose working for an underground vigilante group that offers justice when the law can't. When he's assigned to figure out who attacked a local gay rights activist, Cruz expects it to be just another job... moreProtecting him was just to supposed to be another job. Until it wasn't. Two years after surviving a brutal attack from members of his own unit, former Special Forces soldier Cruz de la Vega has found new purpose working for an underground vigilante group that offers justice when the law can't. When he's assigned to figure out who attacked a local gay rights activist, Cruz expects it to be just another job. But when it comes to protecting Elliot Wittier, he soon learns that the last thing he wants is for the intriguing young man to be just another job. At twenty-five years old, Elliot Wittier is well on his way to having the perfect life. As the head of a hugely successful investment firm and the founder of a prominent foundation, he should be on top of the world. But looks can be deceiving and Elliot knows how to play the game. With the fear of failing the two most important people in his life always at the forefront of his mind, Elliot keeps an iron-grip on the control that has served him so well in the past. But when a violent attack leaves him vulnerable, Elliot's carefully constructed world starts to fracture. As he struggles to keep the threat under wraps, he's thrown off guard when a gorgeous stranger takes an interest in him at a Halloween themed benefit. Throwing caution to the wind, Elliot decides to allow himself the freedom that being with the enigmatic Cruz de la Vega brings for just one night. But what happens when one night isn't enough? Or when the past catches up with the present? Can what two men found in each other in just twenty-four hours really last a lifetime? ***Although it features several characters from my other books and is part of the "Protectors" world, Protecting Elliot is a stand-alone novella that can serve as a great way to get a feel for the Protectors/Barretti/Finding universe I've created. In regards to the timeline of events, Protecting Elliot occurs after Book 9 in my Protectors series, but it is not necessary to read any other books to enjoy this novella. I've specifically written this book to give new readers a chance to meet my guys and for loyal fans to check in with old favorites while still meeting a new couple.*** less

I finally had the chance at a perfect life when I met the man I was supposed to be with. But he’s gone and chances like that don’t come along twice in one lifetime. Right? Former president Everett Shaw had his whole life laid out for him from the time he was a child and he lived out every expectation to complete and utter perfection… until he met the one man who changed everything... moreI finally had the chance at a perfect life when I met the man I was supposed to be with. But he’s gone and chances like that don’t come along twice in one lifetime. Right? Former president Everett Shaw had his whole life laid out for him from the time he was a child and he lived out every expectation to complete and utter perfection… until he met the one man who changed everything. With plans to leave public life behind after finishing his term in office, Everett was looking forward to a quiet life with the man of his dreams at his side. But one brutal act of violence stole that bright future away, leaving Everett struggling just to get through each day. A decade later finds Everett nearing the age of sixty and living a shell of a life. Haunted by his loss, he finds solace in his roses and evenings sitting in front of the television. But when his estranged son is horribly injured while saving the life of another, Everett leaves everything behind in the hopes of mending the broken relationship and helping his son heal in more ways than one. My job is to protect and there are rules that have to be followed. Even if there weren’t, I wouldn’t risk letting anyone close… not again. Special Agent Jonathan Nash’s job is to keep the former president safe, not be his friend. Even if something about the lonely older man draws him in, he’s not about to risk what’s left of his career for anything. And it’s not like a guy like Everett Shaw would really see him anyway. Nor would he want him to, considering the ugly past Nash left behind to pursue his dream. No, he’s better off following protocol and doing his job. Let someone else deal with the broken man. It’s not his problem… it can’t be. I learned a long time ago to live life on my terms and that sometimes you have to take that leap of faith to get what you want. But wanting two men at the same time? That’s new, even for me. At forty-five years old, former Navy SEAL Gage Fortier has experienced success and loss in equal measure, and while his life has taken a direction he never planned, he wouldn’t have it any other way. When Reese, the young man he’s partnered with in the underground vigilante group they both work for, is injured on the job, he sees an opportunity to build on the friendship with the bitter former soldier while giving him a place to recover. But when he discovers that the young man is actually the estranged son of a former U.S. president, Gage realizes he has the chance to give both father and son so much more. There’s only one problem with his plan… how to ignore his growing attraction for the devishly handsome Everett Shaw. And Everett’s perpetual shadow, Agent Nash. Three men on very separate courses. Until something unexpected happens and three become one… *TRIGGER WARNING: This book as a couple of triggers. You can check out what they are by downloading the sample or using the "Look Inside" feature and scrolling to the appropriate page. Note that reading the trigger warnings could cause spoilers. Can be read as a standalone novel. The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in order, but it is not required. You can find the correct reading order at the beginning of each book. I've also bundled all my series in the correct reading order under the title of A Family Chosen: The Protectors and Barrettis. less

I failed Caleb once because I was a coward. And he ended up paying the price. Never again... Ten years of war and the loss of nearly his entire family have left thirty-four-year-old former sniper, Jace Christenson, with nothing to come home to. And he prefers it that way. Life consists of his work in an underground vigilante group, the near-constant search for the last remaining link to who he used to be, and a string of meaningless sexual encounters that serve only one purpose.. moreI failed Caleb once because I was a coward. And he ended up paying the price. Never again... Ten years of war and the loss of nearly his entire family have left thirty-four-year-old former sniper, Jace Christenson, with nothing to come home to. And he prefers it that way. Life consists of his work in an underground vigilante group, the near-constant search for the last remaining link to who he used to be, and a string of meaningless sexual encounters that serve only one purpose... to make it easier to not feel anything anymore. But when Jace gets the call that the young man he saved two years earlier has gone missing, he's forced to deal with the truth he's been trying to deny from the moment he laid eyes on Caleb Cortano. That the young man is so very much more than just the exception to all his rules... You know how if something shatters when it breaks, there's no way to find all the pieces to put it back like it once was? Maybe sometimes it's better not to even try... Nineteen-year-old Caleb Cortano has been barely hanging onto his sanity in the two years since the truth about his father's depravities came to light. A victim of the man's crimes himself, Caleb has only managed to find any semblance of peace when he's in the presence of the man who saved him once before. But when he finally comes to accept that Jace Christenson wants nothing to do with someone who's shattered beyond repair, Caleb finds another way to seek solace from the pain inside. As the fear of being reunited with the father he both fears and misses becomes more and more likely, desperation has Caleb doing something foolish that brings him face to face with the only man he's ever wanted... but who doesn't want him back. Caleb stays with me until we get some answers... just me... When Caleb's life is threatened, Jace refuses to walk away a second time. Even if protecting Caleb means he's risking his own heart, Jace isn't going anywhere. At least not until he can put some of the missing pieces of Caleb's life back together. But will Caleb be able to do the same for the equally broken Jace? Will two shattered men be able to find all the missing pieces to be who they were truly meant to, or is Caleb right? Some things just aren't worth trying to fix... NOTE: While this book has all the elements of my romances including plenty of steamy times, some lighter moments and the ever-important HEA, IT IS A VERY INTENSE READ, so PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION. While I've done my best to find a balance between sensitivity and realism in relation to dealing with the issue of sexual assault against a minor, this book does not gloss over the subject and some readers may find it difficult to read. Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault Against a Minor, Other triggers may be considered "spoilerish" so they can be found by using the "Look Inside" feature or by downloading the sample and going to the section entitled "Trigger Warning." *Can be read as a standalone novel. The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in order, but it is not required. You can find the correct reading order at the beginning of each book. I've also bundled all my series in the correct reading order under the title of A Family Chosen: The Protectors and Barrettis. less

Everything was supposed to go back to normal when I was rescued. It hasn't. And I'm starting to think it never will because I don't even know what normal is anymore... It's been two years since Aleks Silva was rescued by his older brother from the dark underworld of sex trafficking and every day since then has been a battle... moreEverything was supposed to go back to normal when I was rescued. It hasn't. And I'm starting to think it never will because I don't even know what normal is anymore... It's been two years since Aleks Silva was rescued by his older brother from the dark underworld of sex trafficking and every day since then has been a battle. Leaving the house, interacting with people, even doing something as boring as deciding what clothes to wear or what to eat for breakfast are tasks that most people take for granted. But for Aleks, they're torture. Because freedom and choice are things that once came at a steep price and survival meant submitting to the whims of those who only saw him as a possession and plaything. Until there was one man who saw him as something more... I knew from the moment I saw him that I was going to get him out. But I also knew once I did, I'd need to let him go... He's known as Vaughn and nothing more. His job is to make sure secrets don't get out and the possessions he's been tasked with guarding never escape and tell their story. After eight years in a world where innocent kids are used to feed the darkest of depravities, Vaughn has seen things that would break even the strongest man. But he's played it smart and built up a wall between himself and the darkness that threatens to consume him. It wasn't until he met a young man who had to be a thousand times stronger to survive the life he was forced into as a child that the first crack appeared in his carefully constructed wall. Vaughn's only job was to make sure young Aleks Silva remained the ugly little secret of one of the most powerful men in Chicago. It was one job he was more than happy to fail at, and when he eliminated the threat against Aleks and set him free, he was sure their paths would never cross again. But fate has other plans... Vaughn is the only man from my other life who never had a starring role in my nightmares... but he's been in every one of my dreams. And I don't know why... When Aleks is suddenly abducted after leaving work one quiet spring evening, he's certain he'll never see his brother and family again. But terror quickly turns to relief when a familiar face once again comes to his rescue, along with all the feelings he's always had but never quite understood around the dangerous, older Vaughn. Certain that Vaughn will make everything okay again like he did once before, Aleks knows he doesn't even need to ask Vaughn to take him home. But when he does anyway, nothing he's ever experienced prepares him for Vaughn's answer... or the brutal betrayal that comes along with it. I'm sorry, Aleks, I can't do that. Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault Against a Minor *Can be read as a standalone novel but if you have not read any books in this series, you may want to at least read Book 6, Atonement, first. Atonement is the story of Aleks's brother, Dante, and both brothers appear in each other's books so it is helpful to know their backstories. The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in order, but it is not required. You can find the correct reading order at the beginning of each book. I've also bundled all my series in the correct reading order under the title of A Family Chosen: The Protectors and Barrettis. less

I wanted him from the moment I laid eyes on him and from that point on, the question wasn’t if I’d have him but when…Thirty-five-year-old Matias de la Vega is good at one thing and one thing only. Though he doesn’t officially carry the title of killer when it comes to his role in an underground vigilante group, he’s got no problem getting his hands dirty if it means getting justice for those who can’t get it on their own... moreI wanted him from the moment I laid eyes on him and from that point on, the question wasn’t if I’d have him but when…Thirty-five-year-old Matias de la Vega is good at one thing and one thing only. Though he doesn’t officially carry the title of killer when it comes to his role in an underground vigilante group, he’s got no problem getting his hands dirty if it means getting justice for those who can’t get it on their own.Such is the case when single dad Sam Wittier is confronted by a stalker bent on murder. While neutralizing the threat is all in a day’s work for Matias, what comes after is anything but. Although Matias isn’t particularly surprised by his attraction to the older Sam, his inability to walk away from the still-grieving widower is a complication.An unexpected and dangerous complication…Nothing about the mysterious Matias makes sense to me. The emotionally distant soldier says what he means and takes what he wants. And for whatever reason, what he wants is me. That should have me running for the hills. It should, but it doesn’t…For forty-eight-year-old Sam Wittier, life is as good as it’s been since he lost the man of his dreams more than two decades earlier. After handing the reins of his successful business over to his older son, Sam is happy to settle into the quiet, simple life of being a full-time single dad to his newly adopted little boy.Unfortunately, life didn’t get the message. After nearly losing everything to a deranged stalker, Sam finds himself face to face with a man who is anything but quiet and simple. There’s no reason he should want the unpredictable, take-no-prisoners Matias in his life or his bed, but just like life, his body isn’t getting the message.One night with Sam is all I need to get him out of my head for good. One night will be enough to end my obsession with him. It has to be…While Sam and Matias share a white-hot chemistry that neither has ever known before, that’s about all they have in common. But as one passionate encounter leads to another and the line between obsession and need begins to blur, will Matias and Sam find that maybe they aren’t so different after all? And what will that mean for the ghosts of the past that have haunted each man for so long?The ghosts that are willing to be buried as well as the ones that aren’t… less

DaltonSome scars run deeper than others…I understood pain and I’d learned to live with it. My little house and my cabin cruiser that faithfully let me explore every part of Chesapeake Bay were enough for me and had been for a long time. I liked being alone and I was good at it. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.I should have driven past him like everyone else... moreDaltonSome scars run deeper than others…I understood pain and I’d learned to live with it. My little house and my cabin cruiser that faithfully let me explore every part of Chesapeake Bay were enough for me and had been for a long time. I liked being alone and I was good at it. I wouldn’t have had it any other way.I should have driven past him like everyone else. It shouldn’t have mattered that there was something familiar about him or that the torrential rain made it incredibly dangerous for him to be walking along the interstate at all. His drenched clothes clinging to his slim body and his slow but determined pace as he put one foot in front of the other called out to me in a way I never would have expected.The plan was to pick him up and hand him back over to the friend we had in common, nothing more.That was the plan, but the funny thing about plans is they rarely go the way they’re supposed to…SilverNever looking at the past is the key to surviving it…After a lifetime of captivity with a cruel owner who’d purchased me for a bag of drugs and then stolen everything from me, I was finally free. I didn’t care that I didn’t have a penny to my name. I knew how to earn money. It didn’t matter if I was on my knees or bent over whatever was convenient, I just needed to get enough so I could know what it was like to truly be free.And then he appeared. A familiar face among the harsh torrents of rain and cruel asphalt beneath my feet. He was the last thing my exhausted, battered body needed, and yet somehow I knew he wasn’t.The ride was only supposed to get me to the closest bus station so I could start earning some cash, but by the time we’d gotten to his house after he’d purchased my “services” for the entire night, I’d already started to see the man beneath the scars.Scars like mine.One night. That was all it should have been before beginning my life of freedom. So then why did I feel like a captive again after just a few hours with him? A very willing captive whose freedom didn’t seem quite as important as before…Although this is book 14 in the series, it should be read after book #11, Shattered. It can also be read as a standalone.*Trigger Warning can be viewed by opening the sample provided on the product page* less