Eli Bell is the only son of a police chief inspector and a forensic scientist. He's grown up wonky in a world that only deals with the straight and narrow -- and his new boyfriend isn't helping. Rob Hawkes is six feet of muscle, tattoos, and arrest warrants. A career criminal and a former guest of Her Majesty's Prison Service, he'd rather hit Eli's parents than sit down to dinner with them. One wrong move, and Rob could destroy Eli -- and his family -- without a second thought. But this isn't what it looks like. Rob's not in control here -- and Eli's the one to blame.

What It Looks Like

Rob laughed and took the one next to him, draping an arm across the back so Rob was almost, but not quite, hugging him.


“Careful, Auntie, you’ll scare him to death.”


“Needs to ‘arden the fuck up then,” she said briskly.


“Do you some fucking good, then. We’re expecting you to be on the inside again by now, what happened there?”


Rob shrugged. “Haven’t done owt worth prison for, have I?”


“And you fucking better not either,” Eli grumbled, tasting the stew. Stella crowed with laughter; Shawna’s giggle was like a shriek.


The stew was very rich and beefy, but also incredible, and Eli attacked it with vigour, hungry after the long car journey. He kept an eye on Shawna, wary, and an eye on Rob, admiring. The easy smile was something Eli had considered rare, but now he thought maybe he saw Rob too often with the weight of the world on those broad shoulders, with life and worries dogging at him when here—home—Rob was…


Chapter 50