Secrets refuse to stay buried.
Pulled in for an op he never wanted, Michael Little knows it won’t be a hardship to pretend interest in his target. What does prove difficult is knowing that when it’s over, he’ll have to walk away.
Radek Dionne has busted his ass to keep his name away from the shady dealings his family is involved in. Used to people wanting him either for those connections or due to him being a player in the NHL, he keeps to himself. Until one night when he meets someone who gets to him on a level he’s never expected.
But family has a way of showing up when you least want them to and his is no exception. Secrets are exposed and loyalties tested. Will they be together by Christmas, or has this last secret ruined any chance of a happy ever after?
Reader advisory: This book contains scenes of violence, sexual harassment, blackmail, and kidnapping. There is mention of child abuse, domestic violence, drug abuse, human trafficking and child trafficking.
General Release Date: 13th December 2022
Michael walked into the bedroom, phone in hand. “You here, babe?”
“Bathroom.”
He moved and pushed open the door to find his boyfriend standing before the mirror as he finished shaving. It had been three incredible months since he’d met Radek at the afterparty.
“Damn shame you have to head in to meet with your owner. You look fucking delicious.” And it was true. His black hair had more blond tips on it now, but they worked on Radek. Added to his bad boy image.
“I’m worried I might be traded. Things were tense after we didn’t win the cup.” He put down the razor and looked over his close-cropped beard.
Michael walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around Radek’s waist. “You guys were incredible. And if management is stupid enough to split up the team that finally got them into the finals that’s their fault.” He kissed his cheek. “Besides, that ref’s call was bullshit. You got robbed.”
“Coming from the guy who doesn’t even like hockey.”
He flushed and shrugged. “I like at least one player.”
“Did you need something?”
“Yes, you distracted me. Your phone has been blowing up.” He stepped back and passed it over.
Radek took it from him but narrowed his blue eyes when he saw who had been calling and texting.
“Everything okay?”
“My brother.”
Michael waited. Nothing more came. “What about him?” he pushed. A guarded look filled Radek’s expression and Michael shook his head. “You never talk about your family. Talk to me.”
“I have to go.” He brushed a kiss along Michael’s mouth and pushed by him. “I’ll be back when I can.”
That was it, his boyfriend was gone.
Michael moved to the window and watched as Radek’s car pulled away from its parking spot. Only once he’d vanished by the gate did he turn away. Moving to where his phone lay in the bottom of a drawer, he picked it up and placed a call.
A deep voice reached him. “What do we have?”
“I don’t have a damn thing, Cord. I don’t think you’re looking at the right guy.”
“Lucky for you, we’re not interested in your opinion, just your ability to do your job.”
Michael sat on the sofa and draped his arm along the back of the dark leather. “I always do my job, Cord. And the fact you’re being an ass won’t change that. But as I’m the one who is around him day and night, you would think that the FBI, who pulled me from the CIA for this fucking assignment, would actually value my opinion and insight.”
“You know I was against you being brought in for this job, Michael. I still don’t know how you were read in and put on the case.”
“Because I know more about him than anyone else. I love hockey, and I know all about this guy—stats, likes and dislikes. It wasn’t hard for me to get inserted in his life.” All it took was a blow job in the corner of a party. Pushing down the shame he had at that, he took a deep breath. “He doesn’t take calls from his family, so I’m not sure what you expect me to come up with.”
“No way that man isn’t part of this. All the subterfuge you’re seeing is a ploy to make people think he is what you see, along with the fact that Dionne Shipping is a legit company. We all know they’re involved in a massive drug-trafficking ring.”
Yeah, he knew about Dionne Shipping, but damn it, he didn’t think Radek was involved. That had been his stance from the start and he wasn’t going to be changing his opinion on that anytime soon.
“You would think that he would take a call from his brother every now and then.”
“Maybe he doesn’t do it when you’re around.”
“I’ve tapped his fucking phone. You hear the calls he gets. Have you heard him speak with his brother, or seen him respond to any of the texts that come in?”
“No.” The answer was resigned.
“Then why are you still set on the idea that he knows what’s going on?”
“The organization is fucking huge, Michael. This guy gets a pass because of who he is, it would be so easy for him to be transporting drugs when he’s flying with the team.”
“Well, I’m not able to get on the plane with him to check that out. I have to maintain—” The door began to open.
“What’s going on?”
“Someone’s coming in. I have to go.” He hung up on the man behind the op and padded into the kitchen. He was looking in the fridge when the door opened fully. Spinning around, Michael paused as the smile he’d had on his face died. Of the four men who made their way into the house, none of them were Radek.
Shit.
Phone in hand, Michael waited as he watched them walk in and look around like they owned the place. Hell, for all he knew, they did.
Michael swallowed and furrowed his brow. “Who are you?”
One of the men released a slew of Polish words Michael didn’t understand. At least he thought it was Polish, given that was where Radek was from. He shook his head and backed up a bit to give himself some room to fight if that was what became necessary.
The man in the back pushed through and wiped his hand under his nose, along his mustache.
“Who are you?” The words were heavily accented.
“Michael Little.” A pause. “And you are?”
“Brajan.”
Fuck, this was Radek’s brother. No one had seen a photo of him, other than a grainy out-of-focus one.
Not nearly as tall as Radek, the man still had bulk. And there was this glint in his eyes that set off every single alarm Michael’s body could provide. Activating the camera on his phone with his thumb, he stole some shots of the entire group.
“That name means nothing to me,” he lied. “Who are you and what are you doing in here?”
“Nothing? That name means nothing to the man who has been living with my brother for the past month?”
Michael debated on the best way to play this. Crossing his arms, still holding his phone in hand, he lifted an eyebrow.
“He’s never mentioned you so why would I know who you are?”
“Surely you know his name.” Distrust slid into his tone.
“Of course I do. Hockey superstar Radek Dionne. I learned that the night we met.”
“Dionne Shipping mean anything to you?”
“No, should it?” He blinked and skimmed his gaze over the brother and the other men with him before returning it to the most dangerous man in the room, Brajan Dionne.
“You expect me to believe that you just happened to find my brother?” The men spread out around the room, leaving him to face Brajan. “How did you meet?”
“I don’t give a fuck what you believe. I met him at a party when they were divisional champions. Did I know who he was then? No. Why not? Because I don’t follow hockey. I was with a friend who went. I met Radek while we were both hiding from the party.”
Brajan’s lips thinned. “That sounds like him. He never did like parties.”
“What’s with the third degree?” Michael shifted on his feet. “And how did you get a key to the place?”
“I own it.”
News to him. The check they’d run on this place before he moved in hadn’t come back linked to anything to do with Dionne company. The one link it had kicked to had checked out. So, either the purchase was recent, or this man was far more adept at hiding in plain sight than they’d given him credit for.
Michael blinked. And dread pooled. Had they made a mistake in thinking it was safe for him to make calls when Radek was gone? Did this man have the place bugged and know he was undercover? “Okay, then what are you doing here?”
“Looking for my brother.”
Michael swept his hand around. “He’s not here. He had a meeting with the team owner. I’d be happy to tell him you stopped by.”
“Nope, I think we’ll wait.” A brief pause. “Together.”
“So, you’re keeping me a prisoner until he comes back?”
The man shrugged. “Call it what you will, but I prefer to think of it as me getting to know the man in my brother’s life better.”
Thanks, but he’d go with his interpretation.
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