The Great North, Quebec, 1934. Joe Vega, the Beast, has been locked up in Linhart Prison for three years. The brutish guards harass him because of his size, but Joe remains cool. Until Christophe Dubois, the disowned son of an affluent politician, is led into Joe's cell. From the moment Joe sees him, he suspects the ginger-head is trouble. Christophe is bold, curious, and feisty, and Joe can't resist the temptation of climbing into the man's bunk for long. However, the beautiful spoiled Christophe is a furnace to which both guards and convicts want to warm their hands, and Joe must fight to keep Christophe safe. Linhart Prison may be a cruel place, but when the two men are released from its walls, they find an even tougher world out there. Is the flame burning between Joe and Chris enough to keep them together?

Linhart's Beautiful Beast

“Oh, Joe, I don’t need you to do all those things for me…I can do them for myself. I’m a man. I don’t need—’’


“By coaxing Victor into giving you money? Is that how you wanna live?”


“I’ll have high principles when I can afford them.”


“I don’t want Victor’s help or money. But you do what you gotta do, for your father and for yourself.” Only a few hours ago, he’d been on his knees for Christophe, and now his hand was on the door.


But Joe couldn’t leave. He couldn’t even move.


“What are you doing?” Christophe asked, crawling over to edge of the bed. He touched Joe’s chest. Joe stood with his back up against the door, waiting for his courage to kick in. “Are you thinking of leaving me?” Chris’s voice sunk and he searched Joe’s eyes.


Joe spotted his manuscript on the table and moved to it, as if in a dream. He pressed the stack of papers to his chest and gathered his coat. His boots.


He’d give Christophe a chance at life. A real chance.


Chapter 75