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laurasfox-originals · 2 years

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An Unforgettable Summer (Good Guys Don't Date Bad Boys Bonus Story, Patreon Exclusive) - Ch. 1 - excerpt

My patrons pitched in with suggestions for a special, Patreon-exclusive bonus story featuring Maddox and Jonathan, taking place in the summer before senior year, and this is the result :)

Below you will find an excerpt, and the whole story can be read on Patreon.

Chapter One – Can Trips With Parents Be Any Fun?

Maddox couldn’t stop smiling, phone in his hand, scrolling through the messages Jonathan had sent him over the last few hours they had been apart. It wasn’t in his nature to feel conflicted, and he always loved to see his family, but this time around he couldn’t wait to say goodbye to them and get back with his boyfriend. He really didn’t get how some people said that couples grew apart from too much familiarity, too much time spent together and all that. At the moment at least, he felt like there would never be enough. What was he even thinking? He couldn’t picture a time and place when he would have had too much of Jonathan.

And he had his parents’ example. His mom and dad even worked together, and that said a lot. Maddox doubted he and Jonathan would work in the same place, since their majors were different, but for sure they would spend all the time they could in each other’s presence, once they were married and had jobs to go to every day.

Definitely, he was getting ahead of himself thinking about all those things that were far in the future for now. They had senior year and, of course, their summer break, which he could barely wait to start properly.

He took one deep breath before entering the house. Over the phone, his mom had seemed all right with him spending so much of his summer vacation together with Jonathan’s family, but that didn’t mean that she had let it all sink in. Being away for college was one thing, but being away on summer break was not the norm. Plus, he would have to break it to Vern that he wouldn’t be able to help out all through the summer like usual.

His parents were in the kitchen when he entered, seemingly in deep conversation over something.

“Wow, no warm welcome for your favorite son?” he said loudly, taking them both by surprise.

His mom’s face lit up with a smile and she jumped up from the chair to come and hug him. “You’re a little early, pumpkin.”

“I don’t think so.” Maddox checked his phone for the time, but also to see if Jonathan had sent another cute message during the last ten minutes. “What were you guys whispering about, like a coven of witches?”

His dad shrugged, with a slightly guilty look on his face, then stole a glance at his spouse. Maddox didn’t miss how his mom stared back and pursed her lips.

“What?” he asked. “What’s the big secret?”

“Your mom and I--” his dad started.

“Not yet,” his mom cut short whatever her husband wanted to say. “How long are you going to be home?”

“Several days,” Maddox replied. “Jonathan told me that his parents are organizing a short trip to Europe, and they’re taking us.”

Another look exchanged between his parents made him narrow his eyes. “Come on, people,” he groaned.

“Not people,” his mom warned him. “Mom and dad. Dear mom and dad.”

“All right, dear mom and dad who don’t think they’re people,” he said, “what’s the big idea? What aren’t you telling me? Ah, you’re going to tell me that I can’t go to Europe.” Well, that was a bummer, but he could suggest to Jonathan that they remain at the estate while his parents were away, or travel around the country. They could even do some hiking and camping. Yeah, that might be a lot more fun than some boring trip to Europe. Maddox had never been out of the country, but something told him that a visit to the old continent was something people did when they wanted to pretend to be cultured or some shit. Yeah, camping with Jonathan somewhere in the woods could lead to a lot of pleasant times.

His mom interrupted his wide-eyed fantasies. “Why would we tell you that? You’re obviously going to Europe.”

“And us,” his dad said.

That gave Maddox pause. “What? Where is that coming from? Since when are you the kind to travel overseas?” Their family vacations usually involved cheap but lots of fun trips within the borders, so to speak.

“David,” his mom said, pursing her lips tightly. “What did I tell you?”

“Come on, Flo, you’re dying to go,” his dad retorted. “The Hamiltons called to invite us to come along on this trip.”

Maddox rubbed his chin to put his jaw back where it belonged.

“All expenses paid,” his dad added. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a stranger conversation over the phone in my life.”

“Stranger how?” Maddox asked. Oh, gawd, they were going on vacation with two sets of parents. They wouldn’t be able to move a finger, without everything being caught by so many pairs of hawk-like eyes, his mom as the leader. Hopefully, it wasn’t planned as a long trip, so they wouldn’t have to endure that kind of control for their entire summer break. Fuck, Europe sounded damn boring already.

“Well, Francine,” his dad explained, “that’s Jonathan’s mom--”

“I know,” Maddox said quickly, wanting his parents to get to the crux of the matter already.

“She was very apologetic about interfering with any vacation plans we might have--” his dad continued.

“Like there could be something better than going to France,” his mom said, incapable of postponing her own interjections any longer.

“So, wait, did you say yes?” Maddox asked.

His dad forced himself to hide a smile, but his eyes were already laughing. “Sure we said yes. Francine made us an offer we couldn’t refuse. And your mom here, I swear, she started to dance around the kitchen, just imagining herself in the city of love, as we have heard people call Paris.”

His mom punched her husband in the shoulder. “Stop twisting the truth, dear. Pumpkin, we were waiting for you so we could ask you if you are all right with us coming along.”

By how his mom’s eyes were shining, he could tell what the right answer would be. His mom had the best intentions, but he didn’t want Jonathan’s parents to become scared of her and say ‘no’ when the question of he and Jonathan getting married popped up, eventually. Hell, if that happened, they’d just elope.

“Yeah, sure, if you want,” he said.

His mom frowned. “I can see that you’re very enthusiastic.”

“They’re young. I bet they’re not crazy about going on vacation with their parents,” his dad intervened to placate his wife.

“Guys, I mean mom and dad dearest,” Maddox said, “it’s totally fine.”

But his mom wasn’t about to let that drop so easily. “Do you think we’re going to embarrass you, pumpkin?” That endearing term had never sounded so menacing in anyone’s mouth in the history of terms of endearment.

“What? Where did that come from?” he asked, obviously surprised. “No, not at all.”

“But the Hamiltons are here,” his mom gestured in the air above her head, “and we --”

“You’re not seriously saying that,” Maddox said with a groan. “Hey, if they invited you, obviously they want to get to know you, and I don’t think the difference in how much money they and you have is the main topic here anyway.”

“But they offered to pay for everything,” his mom pointed out.

“Francine did so in a very delicate manner,” his dad intervened. “She said that she needed to hear a yes from us.”

“That woman does have a way with words,” his mom admitted. “She sure acted like she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Maddox could tell that his parents must have been quite bewildered by their talk over the phone with Francine Hamilton. “Yeah, she can be pretty scary,” he said.

“Scary?” His mom and dad looked at each other, surprised, like that would be the last word to cross their minds to describe Francine Hamilton. “That’s no way to talk about your future mother-in-law, Maddox.”

Oh, no, he had stepped on something, if he was called by his name and particularly in that manner, like each letter weighed a ton.

“Now, that we have our son’s blessing to go on vacation with him and his boyfriend’s family, don’t you think you have a lot of things to get ready, dear?” his dad asked his wife.

That seemed to propel her into action. “Yes, like a thousand. Oh, boy, the Kingsleys are going to Europe,” she said with a big smile and rushed out of the kitchen. For a moment only, she stopped, and gave Maddox a kiss on the cheek.

Maddox remained there, a bit dumbfounded. “What’s all that about?” he asked, once he was alone with his dad.

“Your mom’s been in quite the mood ever since we received that invitation,” his dad explained.

“Wait, Jonathan barely messaged me about the trip to Europe. When did you guys get the phone call from Jonathan’s mom?”

“Oh, a couple of days ago, and from that instant we haven’t had a moment of peace around here. Let me tell you,” his dad said in a conspiratorial voice, “I sort of gotten tired of eating burned food, but I haven’t got the guts to tell your mom anything. She’s over the moon about this trip.”

“So, did you tell Francine yes?”

“Your mom must have forgotten that we needed to confirm.”

“But why wait?” Maddox asked, quite puzzled. “If you guys want to come, too, just say so.”

His dad gave him a warm smile. “As I said, your mom has been in quite the mood. First, she was happy. Then, she worried. Then, she worried some more. And eventually, she almost cried, while fearing you might feel embarrassed by us if we come.”

“Cried? I hope she didn’t cry over something like that. And I’m sure this trip is going to be uber boring,” Maddox said.

“Boring?” his dad asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I mean, I suppose that we’re going to go to museums and operas and stuff like that.”

His dad made a face. It looked like at least one of his parents was starting to think the same as he did.

“I’ll have to sneak out with Jonathan--” Maddox clamped his mouth shut.

“Sneak out?” His dad narrowed his eyes. “You’re going to ditch us while I’m falling asleep at some opera?”

“Oops, sorry, dad,” Maddox said with a strained smile.

To his surprise, his dad just shook his head and laughed. “That was what you were worried about earlier, right? That we’d keep our eyes on you all the time.”

“Well, kind of.” His dad could see through him like he was made of glass.

“Then, you can rest assured that I’ll divert your mom’s attention so that you two boys can have your fun. And I don’t know about Jonathan’s parents, but I bet that I can be clever enough to divert their attention from you, as well. Although, Jonathan’s mom sounds like a formidable woman. Don’t let your mom know I said that.”

“And risk becoming fatherless? I’d never,” Maddox vowed and made a quick cross over his chest. “For real, though, don’t even think that I’d ever be embarrassed of the two of you. For me, you’re the most awesome parents on the face of the earth.”

“Because we’re yours.”

“Clearly. Still, I bet that a lot of guys and girls my age would like to have as cool parents as I do.”

His dad smiled and nodded, pleased with his reply. “How are Jonathan’s parents?” he asked. “Your mom may be busy choosing our wardrobe and whatnot, but I’d like to get ready in other ways.”

“Well, they have always been very strict with Jonathan, forcing him to learn French and how to ride a horse--”

“Riding a horse sounds like fun. The other thing, not so much,” his dad admitted, mirroring exactly what he was thinking.

“However, I need to tell you that they met Rusty--”

“Right, he was with you on that Christmas trip.”

“Yeah. He made quite the impression on them. So, nothing from my part of the world, so to speak, can shock them in any way.”

“What impression did you make on them?” his dad asked, taking him slightly by surprise.

“I like to think a good one. You saw that stack of books I came home with, right?”

“Scary thing,” his dad admitted. While he was clever and witty, his dad was not the kind to spend all day with his nose buried in books. He was the kind of person who was happiest when he was doing things with his hands. “But don’t be worried, son. You only need Jonathan to like you. If his parents aren’t crazy about you, that’s something you can live with.”

“Was that like a piece of fatherly advice?” Maddox asked.

“Yeah, you can consider it so. Nonetheless, rest assured that your mom and I will do our best to make a good impression on the Hamiltons. We might not come from money, but how impressed can someone be with good ol’ Europe?”

Oh, no, Maddox thought as he saw his dad’s somewhat strained smile. His dad might be worrying about the trip but in different ways than his mom.

“As I told you, I think it’s going to be a chore since it must be really boring,” Maddox said.

His dad shrugged. “That only means that I need to think of ways to keep the Hamiltons entertained. And your mom away from you boys so that she doesn’t end up suffocating you. By the way, she mostly is joking when she talks about you getting married to Jonathan, but she’s also serious. She might be reading a little bit too much into this invitation.”

“I’m not completely sure. As far as Jonathan’s mom and dad are concerned, I’m committed already. So, it’s nothing short of being practically engaged. Oh, damn, I haven’t actually asked you, have I? Are you okay with me and Jonathan, you know, getting married?”

His dad stood and moved around the table. He patted Maddox on the back and looked him in the eyes. “We are both very proud of you, son. You do well in school, you look like you’re going to have a brilliant career in front of you, and your choice of a partner shows that you took the best from both of us.”

“What’s that?” Maddox asked with a grin. “The ability to pursue someone until they can’t say no anymore?”

“That’s one way of naming it, sure. No, what I mean is the ability to choose the right one.”

Maddox blinked a couple of times. “Thanks, dad,” he said. “He is the right one.”

“Then, all the rest, this boring trip, as you call it, is nothing. I’m sure the two of you will have fun, no matter what you do. And your mom is beyond happy to be visiting Europe, which means that I’m happy, too.”

“We’re not only going to France. I think Jonathan mentioned at least Italy and Greece.”

His dad nodded. “Good. There’s at least cheese and wine in France. I’d like to go to a soccer game in Italy. I might drag the Hamiltons to one of those.”

“Good luck with that, but, hey, I have great faith in you, dad.”

His dad laughed. “Thanks, son. As for Greece, I’ve heard plenty about their beaches.”

Beaches. Ah, well, that sounded like fun, Maddox thought. “Totally. So you guys are going to be fine?”

“We’ll do our best. And you know what Kingsleys’ best means, right?”

“Sure thing I do. Maybe I should also do some research on cool activities to do while we’re in Europe.” And especially, the beaches. Maybe they’d find a secluded spot and he could convince Jonathan to get rid of everything, just to see his skin getting all golden all over. That was enough to put a smile on his face.

His dad patted him on the back. “I can see that you’re already in better spirits. Go rest a little. You deserve it after working hard for an entire year.”

“Thanks, dad, you’re the absolute best,” Maddox said. “Um, can you make sure mom doesn’t burn the food this time? I’m starving.”

“To be completely sure,” his dad said, “I’m going to throw together an omelet. This way, none of us will have to suffer.”

“Good plan, dad,” Maddox confirmed while he hiked his luggage over his shoulder and headed toward his room.

~End of excerpt

If you want to find all about Maddox's and Jonathan's hot summer break, this ten-chapter story is available on Patreon.

#bonus story #good guys don't date bad boys #my original fiction #laurasfox #mm romance #patreon exclusive

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laurasfox-originals · 2 years

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Good Guys Don't Date Bad Boys by Laura S. Fox

Summary:

But promises are only made to be broken, Jonathan discovers the truth of the old adage, as junior year barely starts, and he has a run-in with the ridiculously attractive Maddox Kingsley, the resident BMOC, and carrier of the frightful nickname of ‘Mad Dawg’. Nothing good would ever come of it, but does he really have what it takes to resist the insane attraction that pulls him – again – toward a guy whose middle name should be ‘worst mistake ever’?

Now available on Smashwords.

#Good Guys Don't Date Bad Boys #laurasfox #my original fiction #mm romance

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laurasfox-originals · 2 years

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Lucky Us by Laura S. Fox

Summary:

High school senior Adam Longview dreads to see his name written on the bathroom wall, along with a somewhat accurate description of his person, and when he promptly gets bullied, he finds the perfect solution. Why not hire Dane Jackson, the high school’s notorious black sheep, for protection? Things go just as planned and he’s left alone. However, aside illegal races and looking tough as nails, Dane somewhat fails to meet Adam’s expectations regarding his bad bay reputation. And it’s not the only thing about Dane that’s not what it seems.

Available for my patrons as a Valentine's Day gift, as well as on Smashwords.

#my original fiction #laurasfox #gift book

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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Taming A Jerk - Ch. 1 excerpt (Box Shaped Heart Side Story, Patreon Exclusive)

Author's note: This is the story of Alex's second chance at love and being a decent person :)

Ch. 1 - excerpt

Chapter One - The In-Between

Were dreams supposed to be this vivid? Alex struggled against his heavy eyelids. And why on earth was he dreaming about his mother above all else he could dream of? It wasn’t particularly entertaining. Oh, he was in it, as well. And he had to be around five years old, or six.

“Mom,” dream Alex moaned while dragging his blankie after him.

It was a bad dream if he had to remember such an ugly blanket. The pattern was horrendous. What could have his mother been thinking at that time? Otherwise, the woman had always had perfect taste in everything, down to napkins and toothpicks. Oh, his mother hadn’t picked that. It had been his nana, a woman of uncertain age, called Rose.

“Mo-ther. How many times do I have to tell you, Alex? Address me correctly. We are not some poor people living on welfare. So, repeat after me. Mo-ther,” the woman insisted while making the last retouches to her flawless makeup.

Five or six-year-old Alex could not appreciate his mother’s choice of war paint at the time, but he knew instinctively his mom, no, mo-ther, was displeased with him. So he stopped in the door, unsure if it was safe to take another step into his parents’ bedroom.

“Where is dad?” he asked.

His mother finally stopped from fixing her face to look at him.

“Come to me, Alex,” she opened her arms, making the nightgown she was wearing float like colorful wings around her.

His mother was beautiful. Like an actress. But she wasn’t one. She was a housewife. That was what Rose was saying. A desperate housewife. Why desperate? Alex hadn’t gotten the allusion at the time.

“Your father has decided to go live someplace else, with another family, Alex,” his mother explained. “So it will be just the two of us from now on. Won’t it be fun?”

She distracted him by starting to show him her makeup kit. There were so many colors there, and his mother knew everything about colors, matching them, and using them to make herself even more beautiful than she was.

It hadn’t been just the two of them after that. His mother had remarried twice and had had plenty of affairs. And, in the meantime, they had never been just the two of them.

“Alex? Alex Miller?” someone called for him.

All right. Time to dream was over. His eyes snapped open. A woman between ages, who definitely looked like a dead ringer for Yolanda, his boss at Beauty Ex, was touching his shoulder.

“Alex Ruskin, actually,” he replied while straightening himself up.

“People go by their real names in here, dear,” the woman corrected him, using a maternal, sugary voice.

Alex looked around. It looked like he was in a waiting lobby of sorts. The furniture was minimal, and everything was white. It was a tad too simplistic for his taste. Maybe they hadn’t had the money for a real interior decorator.

The lack of artistic vision in the room layout was not answering his question, nonetheless.

“Could you please tell me where am I?” he asked, looking back at the woman. “Ah, and my real name is Alex Ruskin. I am married,” he added.

He could overlook the mishap, but now he was wondering who had made the appointment in his name. If it was his assistant who had done it, the man was going to find a new place to work soon. Ah, wait, he had just fired the guy.

“That you may think you are, dear,” the woman stopped his train of thought. “But you know you don’t exactly feel married,” she said while shaking her head and pursing her lips in disapproval.

What was that supposed to mean? Setting his chin high, and making sure his voice was as icy as it could possibly be, he hurried to contradict her.

“I am definitely married. See?” he put up his left hand.

And stared in disbelief at his naked ring finger.

“What is this place?” he put his hand down, and this time, he didn’t hide his displeasure when looking at his presumptive host. “My wedding ring has obviously been stolen!”

“Now-now dear,” the woman took him by one arm, bent on making him follow her. “Nothing’s been stolen. Actually, we are surprised to find you here. But, thinking about the circumstances ...” the woman shook her head, and her voice dropped low as if she was talking to herself, “it all makes sense in a way.”

Alex could feel a cold chill down his back.

“Am I in a mental institution?”

Everything white, people bent on contradicting guests ... That could be.

“No, dear,” the woman shook her head and gestured for him to enter an office that seemed just as white as the waiting lobby. “I will try to explain things to you since your overseer is not available at the moment.”

“Overseer?” Alex mumbled. “Is this some prank? Who uses such a word? Is this some reality show? I don’t remember giving my consent. I strongly advise that you don’t keep me here against my will, or I will sue,” he said in a heartbeat.

He seriously didn’t have time for this. There was at least one photo shoot to attend today, and later he had plans with Simon.

“See? How can you say you’re married while thinking of another man?” the woman scolded him.

Alex could feel his jaw dropping. Also, the chill on his back was getting worse.

“What kind of a TV show is this? How ... Can you read minds?!” he almost yelled.

His voice, when high-pitched, was getting weird. He was usually avoiding doing that. Yet, right now, he couldn’t stop.

“Please, have a seat, Alex,” his host gestured for a white leather chair.

He sat, feeling his blood draining from his upper body.

“Have I ...” he licked his lips, now dry like paper. “Have I lost my mind?”

“Dear, this is not a mental institution. We call it, for the sake of our guests,” the woman said while linking her hands and placing them under her chin, “the In-Between.”

“Interesting name,” Alex frowned. “But,” he raised one finger, “I am signed with Beauty Ex for at least two more years. And I have no intentions to change that. Well, except for the right incentive, of course.”

“Not even for a household name?” the woman smiled at him, and that made his frown grow deeper.

“I feel like I am at the receiving end of some bad joke,” he said sternly.

The woman sighed now.

“We wish it was a joke. The truth is, Alex, you shouldn’t be here. You should be already on the other side of the river.”

Alex pinched the bridge of his nose. No, he wasn’t the one insane. But the woman in front of him was speaking gibberish.

“I believe I took enough of your time,” he stood up. “Don’t worry; I will see myself out.”

There was no point in making a scene. The woman seemed harmless, and the fact that she looked like Yolanda made Alex feel a bit strange to start yelling at her. So he could be civil and walk out.

The waiting lobby seemed to have one door, and he went for it.

“What on earth?” he murmured.

It was locked.

All right, he was getting upset enough to start yelling at his un-obliging host. The theory of a reality show sounded more accurate than ever. So, they wanted to see him lose his cool. Taking off his wedding ring, having him stuck in a white office with some lunatic who somehow knew about Simon.

Wait. Simon. No. No, the guy could not have sold him out like this. Simon was as gullible as a three-year-old. He had not one ounce of evil in his slim body. And what a body he had, Alex mused. Had he not been so keen on never encouraging competition, he would have told the guy to apply for a modeling position. Maybe they could have even shot some ads together.

But no. Simon was way too good-looking, and Alex knew he wasn’t going to be an attractive twink forever. Simon was younger. Well off, so he didn’t need the money. Not the way Alex needed money. Also, if Simon was starting to model, he was bound to steal the show. And that, for no reason at all. It would have just pissed him off.

“Sorry, Simon, only enough room for one name up in lights,” he spoke out loud.

Hmm, he didn’t mean to say that. He pushed away the thought as he noticed a key in a beautiful bowl placed on a small coffee table. Oh, so it was like an escape room sort of situation? They really wanted to see him losing his cool.

Well, he had no intention to give them the satisfaction. Calmly, he picked up the key, held it with two fingers, and looked around. Where could they have hidden the cameras? Maybe they had used some paint to conceal them? It wasn’t impossible.

With a shrug, he decided to try the door with the key he had just found. Straightening up some invisible wrinkles on his t-shirt, he walked toward the door.

Where was the door? He frowned and shook his head. He was pretty confident it was on that wall. Whatever technologies they were using for this prank had to cost a fortune. All for the better. That meant they had enough money to stop him from suing them.

He looked down. A small door was there, but it was apparently impossible for a human being to go through it. Not even a little person could. Nonetheless, he had a key, and he had to try it. Maybe it was going to reveal a piece of the puzzle.

He knelt and began fiddling with the lock. It worked. Great. They were going to say about him that he was not only good looking but smart, too. He could picture the titles.

“We tried to prank Alex Ruskin, but he out-pranked us! Who would have thought the guy has the brains, not just the looks?” he mumbled to himself.

He pushed open the little door.

What ...?! The door was even smaller?! How could that be? And how were they doing it before his very eyes?

Now he was going to have to lie flat on his stomach if he hoped to see something through that door and get the next piece of the puzzle.

Just as he was trying to figure out a way to do that without showing some lousy angle for the cameras that he still didn’t know where they were, the door seemed to shrink a few more inches.

“No, no, no,” he said through his teeth as he almost threw himself to the floor.

The door disappeared, engulfed by the wall, before his eyes. Ah, damn it! He almost wanted to manifest his frustration by punching the floor or a wall. But no, he was who he was because he knew exactly when to smile.

And this was the sort of situation to show the idiots who were trying to prank him that he never ever lost his cool.

What was supposed to be the next step? It looked like he needed to go back to the office, and talk again to the lady host.

He knocked shortly and stepped inside. The desk behind which the woman sat was now covered with files, and the lady was busy searching for something in a drawer.

“Ahem,” he coughed discreetly, to draw her attention.

“Where could that be?” the woman was talking to herself.

“Could you please show me the way out?” Alex spoke out loud.

The woman stopped and looked at him.

“Alex, please, sit down. I should have the protocol for such situations somewhere, but I don’t seem to find it. This place, I swear, is always a mess.”

“What protocol?” Alex could feel getting irritated by the second. “I don’t like throwing empty threats, but I feel like I have to say it. Let me out, or there will be consequences. I have a photo shoot coming up. I am certain my boss is pulling out her hair right now, wondering where I am and ...”

“Yes?” the woman stopped her frantic search to look at him. “What else, Alex? What are you forgetting?”

It was there, on the tip of his tongue. Of course, there was his plan of meeting Simon later, but that was not it.

“Aron asked you to think about going to see his parents this weekend,” the woman said and kept her round, witty eyes trained on him. “But you don’t intend to go,” she continued. “You haven’t seen your in-laws in almost half a year, and, if you were never to visit, that wouldn’t be an issue with you.”

Alex sat on the chair, without protesting anymore.

“How do you know all this?” he murmured, the fear of cameras catching him unawares gone from his mind.

“It is our job,” the woman said. “Now, if only I could find the protocol ... All right, we will have to do without it. Shall we begin?”

“By all means,” Alex sat back in his chair.

The woman sat her hands primly on the desk, took one look down, as if to prepare herself, and then looked Alex straight in the eye.

“You should be dead.”

A cold chill ran down his spine in an instant.

“All right,” he murmured, trying to get a hold of himself. “This is no longer a joke. Please let me out of here. I won’t sue. Just … let me out.”

~ end of excerpt

Author's note: You can read the entire thing - 7-chapters long - on my Patreon.

#box shaped heart #my original fiction #laurasfox #taming a jerk

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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New Series - Good Guys Don't Date Bad Boys by Laura S. Fox

Summary:

Jonathan Hamilton transfers to Sunny Hill starting junior year to run away from his past and keep promises on which to build an uneventful, safe future. The biggest promise he makes to himself is to stay clear forever, by all means necessary, of straight bad boys and their unhealthy appeal. But promises are only made to be broken, Jonathan discovers the truth of the old adage, as junior year barely starts, and he has a run-in with the ridiculously attractive Maddox Kingsley, the resident BMOC, and carrier of the frightful nickname of ‘Mad Dawg’. Nothing good would ever come of it, but does he really have what it takes to resist the insane attraction that pulls him – again – toward a guy whose middle name should be ‘worst mistake ever’?

Read first three chapters on Patreon.

#good guys don't date bad boys #my original fiction #new series #laurasfox

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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The Big Match (FSALA Bonus Story, Patreon Exclusive) - excerpt

This is a bonus story I wrote for my patrons on Friends, Sexcapades, And Love Affairs. Adrian, Jared, and Mike now live happily with their husbands and children in the suburbs. Everything is fine and dandy until a challenge appears. They must play soccer against another team of dads, just like their boys. This is the story of how they respond to that challenge!

The Big Match - excerpt

Adrian sauntered toward Mike and Jared who were standing at a fair distance from the soccer field. “So, none of your rascals came home, either?” he asked.

Jared grunted and pushed his hands into his jacket. He sported a much shorter hairstyle now, but it looked good on him. “Auggie is bent on trying my patience today.”

Adrian grinned. “At least, we get to share the pain.”

Their firstborns were the same age since they had wanted to have them the same year, and it had made them all happy when their kids became close friends even without their parents’ encouragements. Mike had been blessed with twins, Patrick and Liam, and by the shouts on the soccer field, they were at the heart of all the ruckus.

“Armstrong!” The coach blew his whistle. “Not you, the other Armstrong!”

Mike puffed his cheeks and exhaled. “I really wonder if Coach Patterson knows who’s who.”

“Do you know?” Adrian punched his friend’s shoulder playfully.

They followed with their eyes the two redheads running toward the coach. If Coach Patterson hoped he could yell at only one of them, he had to think again. Pat and Lee, as they went by, were like peas in a pod and never one without the other.

“Do I have to explain to you what a foul is, again?” The coach continued to yell at the two miscreants.

“Do you know what a foul is, Mike?” Adrian asked.

They all snickered.

“I have a feeling Lee is going to explain it to me in detail,” Mike said, feigning resignation.

“Does that mean that he will kick you in the shin again?”

“Could be,” Mike said with a philosophical shrug. “Seeing how Ryan is keeping them in line all the time, they take it out on me. All their energy, I mean.”

“Then I should be happy Auggie is just a goalie,” Jared said.

“Just a goalie?” Mike asked and wiggled his eyebrows.

Jared’s face fell. “Don’t let him know I said that. I mean it.”

Auggie was the quietest of the group, and he had a way of doing things in a measured manner that surprised all the grownups. Shane often took him to his folks’ ranch to teach him how to ride a horse, and he had taken to it like a natural. Jared was very proud of his son, but he tried not to boast too much.

After all those years, Jared still cared about everyone’s feelings just the same. But he was entitled to be proud of his son.

“The coach should know to let them go home by now,” Jared said. “I wonder why they’re still training.”

As if the man had heard them, he turned his head and waved. Then he dismissed Pat and Lee who returned to the field looking no more chastised than before, and approached the fence.

“Gentlemen,” he said.

“Coach.” Adrian nodded. “What’s with the long hours?”

Mr. Patterson wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. “Didn’t your kids tell you? We have a big match coming up. The boys from Barring Grove have a bone to pick with us.”

Adrian quirked an eyebrow. Mikey had somehow forgotten to mention it. “So, it’s like the battle of the suburbs or something?”

The coach didn’t seem to get the joke. “Dads will be on it, too,” he said and pointed a finger at them. “You’ll go against Barring Grove.”

“What?” Jared intervened. “Why?”

Mr. Patterson was a man with a heart of gold but a short fuse. He was getting red in the face, and Adrian wondered if his heart was capable of taking it for long. “It’s kids versus kids, and dads versus dads. South Crest versus Barring Grove. Is this the first time you hear about it? Someone should have told you.”

Adrian had an idea now who that someone was supposed to be, and there was a possibility that the coach had relegated that information to the wrong messengers. “Are we supposed to play soccer?” He checked with his friends for confirmation of how ludicrous the idea sounded.

“We only know about it from what kids tells us and a bit from TV,” Jared added. “I mean, Auggie talks about it all the time, but it’s not like I have any idea about being there, on the field.”

The coach bounced on the back of his heels and threw them a cursory look. “You’ll learn,” he said matter-of-factly. “And we’re lucky that we have so many dads in good shape.”

He turned to yell at the kids again, and finally, the group gathered around him. “Why didn’t you tell your parents about the match?”

The group shifted and looked down.

“Caleb doesn’t have a dad,” Mikey blurted out. “And his mom is disabled.”

“Michael!” Adrian said sternly. “That’s not nice.”

Caleb, a scrawny boy with a lisp, intervened. “She is,” he confirmed while wiping his nose with his forearm. “She cannot play soccer with one leg.”

Jared ran one hand over his eyes, and Mike let out a sigh.

“And Johnny’s dad is old,” Mikey added.

“That’s it. You stop talking right now, young man,” Adrian said. It was usually Edward’s role to be the stern one, but his son was just saying whatever crossed his mind without realizing that he could be hurting the other kids.

“Did you guys think that it wouldn’t be fair toward your mates to let us know about the match?” Jared asked.

Multiple pairs of eyes stared at them.

“Yes,” Auggie said. “It’s all of us, and all of our dads, or no one.”

“We could play,” Pat or Lee – Adrian was, after all, the one who couldn’t tell the twins apart – said while hooking one arm around his brother’s shoulders. “We’ll wreck Barring Grove. Just us.”

“You can’t. You need a goalie,” Auggie explained.

Adrian thought of Auggie as a mini-Shane, but a sterner one.

“Then you’ll come with us,” Pat or Lee said. “And we’ll wreck them.”

“Boys,” Mike intervened, “you’re not wrecking anyone.”

“Do we have to ask permission?” Pat or Lee cocked his head. “Can we wreck Barring Grove, dad, please?”

Adrian wasn’t entirely sure whether Mike’s twins were sly like foxes, or they just found it completely normal to address everything standing in their way head on.

“I basically just said ‘no’,” Mike said with a voice full of resignation.

“Do I have to explain what ‘fair play’ is, again?” Mr. Patterson asked the two troublemakers.

Pat or Lee puffed out his chest. “It would be more than fair. Three against eleven.”

“What is the problem, coach?” Adrian asked. “Kids, go play a little.”

The boys didn’t wait to be told twice and hurried back to the field.

“We might not have enough dads,” the coach admitted. “Your boy’s not wrong, Mr. Rossi.”

Although they had agreed to have their names turned to Rossi-Hastings on their IDs, to keep things simple, Adrian and Edward had agreed on using only Adrian’s last name in their day by day dealings. The same went for Mikey who liked having Rossi written on the back of his soccer t-shirt despite his legal name, but the Hastings had been adamant about Sophia. She was the one they showered mostly in gifts, anyway. Any effort to impress Mikey had proven fruitless. The boy loved his grandparents, but he found hanging out with them pretty boring.

“Some of them are not in that good shape or are too busy,” the coach continued. “And, of course, there’s the boy without a dad.”

“And a mom with only one leg,” Mike added.

“Mike, seriously,” Adrian said. “You too?”

“Sorry. These guys are rubbing on me,” Mike replied.

“Yeah,” the coach said. “Talk to your husbands. We need all men on deck for this.”

Jared let out a small weird sound. “Is it really that important?”

“It’s for charity,” Mr. Patterson explained. “All the tickets proceeds will go to funding a school for underprivileged kids.”

“Oh,” Jared replied. “But who’s going to come see a soccer match between two suburbs? We’re eons away from pros. I mean, we’ll all come to watch our children, but --”

“Barring Grove made soccer into a religion down there.” The coach nodded vaguely, and they all looked in that direction only to reconsider one second later. “So far, they’ve beaten everyone.”

Mike grimaced. “Ugh, is it wise of us to go against them, then? If they’re that good? We could just forfeit.”

“That won’t sell tickets,” Mr. Patterson said matter-of-factly.

Adrian frowned for a second. A bit of a competitive ambition began to rise inside him. “I think we could play. As long as you talk us through.”

“Adrian, are you sure?” Jared asked.

“Hey, it’s a sport. How hard can it be? And we already know the general rules since our boys cared to explain them.”

“Yeah, my shins remember,” Mike said with a sigh.

“You’ll have to go through a medical,” the coach continued, now invigorated with the prospect of having to train a grownups’ team.

“When is this match scheduled?” Jared asked.

“In a month’s time,” the coach replied.

“Is that enough to turn us into soccer players?” Mike expressed his doubts.

The coach gave them a cursory look. “You look like fit lads to me.”

Mike threw Jared a silent plea. The only answer back was a shrug.

“All right. So together with our better halves, we’ll be six. That means that there are five positions waiting to be filled, right?” Adrian asked.

“Not only. We should have some people on the bench. But, at this point, I’d be happy if you brought a couple of fit fellows like you. The dads in this town are pretty busy. I mean, those with kids on the team. Now, I’ll have to check on those boys and call it a day. I bet you want to take them home to dinner,” the coach hurried to say.

~~~

Read the entire thing on my Patreon.

#my original fiction #fsala #bonus story #patreon exclusive

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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Love, Again - Smashwords Edition

Available now at Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1084271

Summary:

There is personal, and then, there’s stuff that’s not personal. Boundaries are good to have, and Mason Knight believes he knows the difference well, as he has known for a long time. That, until one weird day, he finds himself moved by music, jumped by a man who could make the heavens sigh with his looks, and … what else? Ah, a ghost suddenly wants to keep him company. Mason doesn’t believe in ghosts, except this guy, well, he seems pretty much real.

#love again #my original fiction #mm romance

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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Friends, Sexcapdes, And Love Affairs by Laura S. Fox - Smashwords Edition

Available at Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1071541

Summary:

Jared, Mike, and Adrian are like brothers from different mothers, and, like all siblings, whether by genes or chance, they like different things.

Jared wants a relationship, preferably one that lasts beyond a one-night-stand, Mike hides his vulnerable self under the pretense that he is into a niche fetish, and Adrian just likes to have fun.

In their quest to find the particular things that they believe would make them happy, they hook up, meet lovers, strike new friendships, and learn the taste of love and betrayal.

Whether they find what they’re looking for or not, is all a matter of perspective. Or, in other words, as that adage goes, be careful what you wish for.

#fsala #my original fiction #mm romance

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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This Strange World Needs A Kicking! by Laura S. Fox - New Series

The summary:

If only I got transported to another world like in those cool anime series – is what Kai Martin thinks when Milo, his best friend, suddenly confesses and asks him out.

Next thing he knows, he’s in a huge bed, in what looks like royal chambers, and there’s a handsome naked guy next to him. Who glares at him and asks him something about another round.

Another round of what?

And then, a guy in butler's livery walks through the door and looks at him like he just spat in his food.

On the other side of the universe, Prince Sebastian finds himself in a conundrum of his own. A commoner with beautiful eyes asks him out on a date. What’s a date? Ah, and there’s also that thing about a curse, as it looks like he just got thrown into a cruel world full of dangers.

In other words, this is a story about a NEET who learns what responsibility is while trying to fight monsters, fend off the advances of his personal captive-prince-slash-sex-slave, and figure out why nobody likes him. It’s also the story of a prince with a stack of chips on his shoulder who learns that having feelings is not all that bad.

#my original work #this strange world needs a kicking #mm romance #body swap #my original fiction

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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Not Looking For Love (FSALA Side Story, Patreon Exclusive)

A side story for Friends, Sexcapades, And Love Affairs, showing Ryan's POV.

Excerpt

Not Looking For Love Fuck. That four-letter word was the best choice to sum up the situation. Mike, of all people, sweet, nervous, amazing kisser Mike, had to be his employee. Ryan pressed his index fingers against his temples and pushed until he could feel them digging into his skull. Last night, he had gone out for a drink without even thinking of hooking up. But then that young man had walked in and placed himself on a tall stool by his side, looking like a fish out of the water. Ryan had expected him to be an out-of-towner who had chosen that particular bar by accident. One look had been enough, and a decision had been taken. He hadn’t planned on hooking up with Mike, but they had clicked so well and ended up in that dark, comfortable bar where – No, for the sake of his sanity, he needed to stop. What were the chances? What were the frigging chances? He never learned, damn it. Ryan groaned and leaned back in his chair. On top of it all, he had been an asshole to Mike, insulting and accusing him of wrongdoings. He had told Mike last night that he appreciated honesty in people. And his employee had done nothing wrong. Micah Cavanaugh was a loner, the type of guy who didn’t get along with his co-workers, and he didn’t have to be scolded for that. Life like that could be difficult. Ryan pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes. He was getting ahead of himself. He knew nothing about Mike. He was a cute guy, shy and nervous – yes, totally Ryan’s type – and he gave great head. Ryan wanted to punch himself in the face. Last night had been a mistake, one that had happened because of his own lack of caution. Mike was right. He hadn’t directly asked Mike about his workplace, and the young man was free not to want to socialize with other people working there. It wasn’t impossible to think that of young people today. Not that he was old or anything, but there was about a seven-year difference between them, not to mention one of status. Last night, he had gone out for a drink, not a hookup. He had ended up drinking his fill and hooking up, too. And both experiences had been more than satisfactory. He tapped the desk, lost in thought. He had found a guy who was just what he liked most, and fate had decided to pull a prank of him. Such things were of no consequences, and he had to be a grown-up about it. He would go and apologize to Mike, but then they would be nothing but employer and employee. Mike worked in the server room, a long way down. They didn’t even have to see each other. After all, Mike had told the truth about his co-workers not noticing him. While Ryan had been in a hurry to blame him for not saying the truth, if he thought about it, others hadn’t come up to Mike to greet him, either. It wasn’t difficult to understand why things were like that. Mike wasn’t the cocksure type, dressed to the nines, and eager to climb the corporate ladder. Ryan had read enough about his activity to know that he was a dedicated employee who loved his job. At the same time, he had mentioned two friends, so he was the type of person who preferred close-knit groups. Ryan himself wasn’t crazy about being surrounded by sycophants or too many so-called friends. His buddies came from different walks of life, so who was he to blame Mike for not cozying up with other people working for the same company? It was unfortunate, he began giving himself the speech, that Mike was such a cute and sweet guy, but there couldn’t be anything between them. The simplest, cleanest solution was also the wisest. Now, he needed to focus on work, and later he would drop by the server room to talk to Mike about security issues. He would use the occasion to apologize, but that would be all. He exhaled slowly. Mike had given him no reason to distrust him; his behavior at the workplace was exemplary, according to HR, and Ryan had to be one major asshole to hold it against him that they had hooked up by accident. End of excerpt

Read it on Patreon.

#fsala #ryan x mike #side story #patreon exclusive

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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Just Another Notch On Your Belt (FSALA Side Story, Patreon Exclusive)

This is a side story for Friends, Sexcapades, And Love Affairs showing Edward's POV as he meets Adrian and falls in love with him.

Excerpt

Just Another Notch On Your Belt

“What would you like to drink, sir?”

Edward was used to being treated politely everywhere he went. “I’m not looking for a drink. What I want is information.” He pushed the neatly folded bill across the bar.

The bartender hesitated. “Are you an undercover cop or something?”

Edward shook his head and offered a measured smile. “No, nothing of the kind. Would you be so kind to point to me the resident stud of this fine establishment?”

“Resident stud?” The bartender weighed him with a pointed look and flashed a smile.

He was cute, but not what Edward was looking for tonight. Tonight, he wanted a hard fuck, someone to play with. If the guy was good, maybe they could fool around another time, as well. Only if.

“You know, Prince Charming, the guy who gets all the action. Don’t tell me there’s more than one around here. According to my experience, such men are pretty territorial.”

The bartender’s lips stretched into a broad grin. “You’re lucky. There he is.” He pointed toward the stairs leading to the upper deck, where another bar could be found. “But you better hurry. I think he already got his eyes on someone.”

Edward followed the bartender’s stretched arm. As in any other club, the lighting was terrible, but no one could miss the handsome man standing at the top of the stairs. While it was hard to see his face, his body made quite the statement. Edward felt familiar white heat pooling in his lower belly. The least he would get from this was a good fuck, and he was all right with it.

“What’s his name?” he asked.

“Adrian. And the word goes that he’s awesome in the sack. Not that much outside of it.”

So, a handsome asshole who liked to fuck. That was just swell.

“Thank you for your assistance,” he said to the bartender.

“The best of luck, man,” the bartender cheered.

From ‘sir’ to ‘man’. It didn’t take long for bartenders to get cozy with their customers. Edward combed his fingers through his hair, hoping for a less stuck-up look. To ensure the success of his operation, he needed to look approachable enough.

Especially since it seemed that, indeed, Adrian had his attention trained on someone. Edward hurried to reach the stairs.

He had noticed the object of Adrian’s undivided scrutiny and could tell that the chances were that he was at a disadvantage. If the resident stud preferred the jock look, Edward was as far from that as he could be.

He brushed against Adrian on purpose.

~~~

End of exceprt.

Read it on Patreon.

#my original fiction #fsala #edward's pov #edward x adrian #side story #patreon exclusive

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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Hungry Heart - The Call of the Road by Laura S. Fox

Summary:

For years, Toru has drifted in search of his lost tribe, until he reaches the white lands in the north. A scent carried by the wind brought him here, and nothing will stop him from finding his kin. Not the cold nights, not the morose people that never smile, not the food that’s never plenty. He has to find them, or he would live in vain. Little he knows that what he will find might not be what he imagines, but everything his hungry heart desires.

Read the first 15 chapters on Patreon.

#hungry heart #my original fiction #shapeshifters #adventure

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laurasfox-originals · 3 years

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The Hunt (Love, Again Side Story, Patreon Exclusive)

The Hunt is a Patreon Exclusive story involving Billy Jackson, the mysterious PI from Love, Again, and detective Robert Stryker, as they collaborate on solving a kidnapping case. The dangerous Mr. X is behind it all, so the two detectives have to pull all the stops to get to him until he doesn’t make his prisoner disappear for good.

Here is an excerpt from the first chapter:

~~~

Billy reached inside his suit jacket and placed a couple of photos on the table. Robert stared at his companion for a moment, and then he picked them up. That was the closest to looking at the face of that scumbag’s face he had ever had the chance. The pictures were blurry and must have been taken from a considerable distance, but some gut instinct that hadn’t let him down so far told him he was looking at the infamous Mr. X. The man in the pictures was climbing out from behind the wheel of a black SUV.

“I couldn’t get any closer. That property is tighter than Fort Knox.”

“When were these taken?”

“Three days ago.”

Robert stared at Billy. “Florence Clark was kidnapped three days ago. I’ve only been informed of this case one day ago. So how?”

“I’ve been tailing Mr. X for a while now,” Billy explained. “I also was contacted in regards to Florence Clark only yesterday. So imagine my surprise when I took a closer look at the pics I had finally managed to get of him.”

Robert picked the pictures again and frowned. It took all his training to stop a gasp of surprise. There was someone else in the car. It was only because of the angle of how the pictures were taken that a glimpse of something white appeared partially as the driver’s door stood open.

Florence Clark had worn a white dress on the day of her kidnapping. He ran one hand over his face and looked at Billy.

“I know,” Billy replied to the unasked question. “He moved her to another place. He left shortly after I took these pictures.”

“Don’t you have partners?” Robert asked in frustration. “Someone could have followed him.”

And by now, Florence could have been back home, in her family’s loving arms.

Billy shook his head. “I’m not a very trusting person, detective.”

“You could’ve fooled me, and I assure you there’s no irony in what I’m saying.”

“I wasn’t following Mr. X because it was still in my job description. That day, I was operating, let’s say, out of bounds. So trustworthy companions weren’t available, at the time.”

“Do you mind if I ask you why you were monitoring him?”

“Not at all.” Their eyes met, and Billy held his stare. “Some people are just evil. This one is motivated by money, but there’s no end to his greed. He has hurt a lot of people so far, and he will continue to do so. I want to stop him.”

Unlike the relaxed manner of speech Billy had used so far, the words were said in a determined voice. Robert understood that. “How come you’re not police, or better, Billy?”

Billy shrugged, and the same genuine smile returned on his face. “Not disciplined enough to take the necessary exams.”

“I don’t buy it.”

“No problem. This round’s on me,” Billy joked, dancing around the topic. “So, are you are ready to hear my plan, detective?”

“No,” Robert replied sharply. “It’s police business.”

Billy pondered for a moment. “So, the moment I give you the location, you will go undercover and follow Mr. X, in hope that he will take you to Florence.”

Robert nodded.

“He’s going to smell you’re a cop from miles away. You and the guys you’ll take with you.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“How can you be sure he won’t? The moment the police gets in such a remote place as the one he currently calls home, you will be noticed. Are you willing to take the risk?”

***

Billy knew well that his arguments were hanging by a thread. However, he was right, and Mr. X was good at sensing when he was watched with uncanny astuteness. While Robert Stryker could conduct the entire operation and lead it to success, it was a chance he wasn’t willing to take.

“What kind of place is that?” Robert asked.

He was frowning, so it could be a sign that he was considering hearing him out.

“The kind where only vacationers who prefer extreme quiet would go. Go there with your team and you’ll stick out as a sore thumb.”

Robert sighed and pinched his nose. “Why should I trust you?”

Billy went for the kill. “Your captain will summon you shortly. She will tell you that you can. She’ll also send you on a well-deserved vacation to the place I’ll tell you about.”

“I could very well go by myself,” Robert argued.

“And draw immediate suspicions,” Billy said back. “The closest place to Mr. X’s property is a getaway for honeymooners who want to have a good time away from the madding crowd as they start their life together.”

“Honeymooners?” Robert looked stricken. “Should I get a female detective involved, then? And how would you fit in?”

Billy wanted to snap a picture of the detective’s face as he said the next words. “No one else will be involved. We’ll just have to pose as a gay couple in love, just married. Think we can pull that off, detective?” He winked, for good measure.

Robert covered his face after a short moment of consternation. “Oh, God.”

~~~

Read the story on Patreon.

#my original fiction #Patreon Exclusive #love again #billy jackson

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