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Excerpt 1:
The young man groaned as his brutalized flesh hit the icy
pavement. His mind cried out for help but his raw throat wouldn’t let sound
form.
Screeching tires and the smell of burning rubber haunted
his senses. His swollen eyes couldn’t open enough to see the fleeing car.
Relief spread through him for a brief moment. His tormentor
was gone. But relief passed into despair. Alone, naked against the freezing
concrete, his pain faded into the long shadows of the night.
* * * * *
Memphis homicide detective Tony Costa stood in the chill
early morning air. His breath hung over the dead, naked form of a young blond
man. Vacant blue eyes accused and challenged him.
“Tony!” Jeff Payton’s voice cut through the murmur of the
crowd gathering at the end of the alley.
Tony turned and watched as his partner ducked under the
yellow tape across the narrow entrance. The tall black man strode down the
middle of the alley with the crime scene team following in his wake.
“Another one.” Tony turned back to the pale, still form.
The cloudy January morning sky filtered a dull gray light that matched his mood.
A light flurry of snow swirled around the young man’s body adding insult to
injury.
Jeff’s footsteps stopped next to him.
“Just like the last two.” The last two similar deaths left
an ache in Tony’s stomach he couldn’t shake.
One of the crime scene investigators motioned Jeff and Tony
out of the way.
The snap and whirl of the camera startled Tony out of his
reverie. “We need to follow up at the Paradiso where the other two were seen.”
The gay bar where someone was picking up young blond men
then killing them.
* * * * *
Ryan Nilsson flipped the water tap to off then yanked the
shower curtain open. As he stepped out, steam swirled and curled around his
dripping body. Using a corner of his towel, he wiped the fog from the mirror.
The squeaking sound of the terrycloth on the wet glass nearly drowned the sound
of his apartment door clicking shut.
He grabbed his robe from the hook. Wrapping the thick, warm
cloth around his damp body, he eased the bathroom door open. His instincts
warned him to be cautious but his mind reminded him that only one person had
access to his apartment.
“Ryan,” Tony’s deep voice boomed down the hall.
“In the bathroom.” Ryan pushed the door shut before the
cold draft entered his warm domain.
Urgent footsteps clattered down wooden floor of the
hallway. With only the short warning click of the latch, the door pushed in.
“Wha—” Ryan didn’t have time to finish his words before
Tony’s hard body knocked him against the wall. The door slammed shut. Rough lips
covered his. Shaking fingers tore at the belt of his robe then pulled away the
warm material.
Tony’s long coat carried the chill of the early Memphis
morning. Scratchy wool pressed against his skin. Cold hands slid up Ryan’s back
and pulled him into a tight embrace.
Desperate need in Tony’s eyes kept Ryan from pushing him
away or asking any questions.
The thrill of Tony’s rough desire sent heat scorching
through him. His cock responded with record speed. An ache of longing clutched
at his throat as his balls tightened in surprised anticipation.
Although they’d been lovers for over a year, Tony rarely
instigated sex. And those few times his courage had come from several bottles of
beer. In what Ryan thought was denial over his attraction to a man Tony just let
things happen. But right now…
A calloused hand slid around his waist then down his
stomach. Fingers combed through his damp pubic hair then clutched his cock. Lips
kissed a moist line down his jaw to the curve where his neck met his shoulder.
A shudder of excitement raced through Ryan. His hands slid
around Tony’s neck and held him tight. His lover’s clean, cold scent added to
the rush of pleasure.
“Want you…”
Ryan almost missed the words whispered against his skin.
“You have me.” He kissed the side of Tony’s throat. “What are you going to do
with me?”
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