A man looking for revenge discovers a man who wants to save a city.
Farris O’Laughlin has been back in Chicago for five years. He’d spent thirteen years before his return in a mental asylum after his brother had him committed for ‘insanity’. Farris plots revenge in the way he knows will hurt his brother the most—bringing down the family business.
Darien Shaunessy is Farris’ new driver and guard. He’s around to keep Farris in line…or so Farris’ brother thinks. Darien has his own reasons for working for the O’Laughlins, but Farris wasn’t part of his plan.
When two men from different parts of the city come together, powerful men could lose their wealth and control. And the lovers could find bravery they never thought they possessed.
Publisher's Note: This story has been previously released as part of the An Unconventional Chicago anthology by Totally Bound Publishing.
General Release Date: 12th December 2014
“I wasn’t fucking crazy when you threw my naïve ass into the mental asylum, brother dearest,” Farris muttered as he walked out of City Hall. He had finally been released from meetings with his brother, the head of the O’Laughlin gang. His family was one of the forces behind the people who ran the city. “But having to go to these meetings might just push me over the edge.”
Since Farris was wrapped up in his one-sided conversation and wasn’t watching where he was going, he bumped into someone. He glanced up to growl then realized he’d run into the Deputy Mayor.
“My apologies, Mr O’Laughlin. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going,” Thierry Alexander said, even though they both knew it was Farris’ fault.
He dredged up some courtesy and said, “We both need to watch where we’re going, Deputy Mayor.”
Alexander studied him for a moment. Probably waiting to see if I’ll go mental on him, Farris snarled in his head. Outwardly, he kept his usual complacent expression.
“Ah, Thierry, there you are. The meeting’s about to start.” The Mayor took Alexander by the arm then started to drag him into the building.
“Have a good day, Mr O’Laughlin,” Alexander said before disappearing with the Mayor.
Farris snorted as he continued on his way to where his car was parked at the curb. His driver held open the back door and Farris climbed in. He had no respect for the politicians who suckled at the teat of the gangs who really ran the city. Every gang gave the sycophants in City Hall a lot of money to pass laws that enriched them while bankrupting the others who called Chicago home.
Chicago had been sectioned into wards and the citizens were forced stay within their own among those of their own economic and ethnic backgrounds. The gangs ruled from City Hall and took advantage of everyone’s fear.
But for a minute there, Farris had thought Alexander seemed different from the others. Maybe it was as simple as the fact that Alexander had acknowledged Farris when most went out of their way to ignore him.
“Spending thirteen years in a mental hospital does tend to make one invisible to others,” Farris muttered.
“What was that, sir?” his driver asked as he climbed into the front seat.
It wasn’t the question that caught Farris’ fractured attention, but the fact the man asked it at all. Glancing up, he met a pair of dark green eyes reflected in the rear view mirror. They didn’t look familiar and neither did the face they were a part of. Farris couldn’t remember what his driver actually looked like.
He’d be the first to admit that he was rather uninterested in the world he lived in. The people who inhabited it were even less interesting. Only one person existed for him and that was his brother, Ralph—the man he planned on destroying.
There is beauty in every kind of love, so why not live a life without boundaries? Experiencing everything the world offers fascinates TA and writing about the things that make each of us unique is how she shares those insights. When not writing, TA's watching movies, reading and living life to the fullest.
Reviewed by Susan
The two MCs are an interesting mix of idealist freedom fighter in Darien Shaunessy and deeply scarred man bent on revenge in Farris O’Laughlin. It is easy to see the attraction between the two; Farris...
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Reviewed by Lynnette Hartwig
Let me first say I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but it was too short. I ended up buying Unconventional in Chicago in hopes that I will get more of Farris and Darien’s story. I high recommend this book...
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TA Chase - USA today interview for No Bravery
What do you love about writing about powerful men?
T.A.: What I love most about writing about powerful men is making them vulnerable. Each one of them ends up having a weakness — the man he falls in love with.
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