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

Fuck-fuck-fuck, he’d never…fucking Danny, he’d kill him! He’d kill him, how could he, he couldn’t just go around telling all and sundry, that was how…that was how people got turned against you, that was how trans-bashing happened, that was—


“Oi, chill out, Eli, Jesus,” Stella barked, then laughed. “Gone a right funny colour, you have—’ere, Rob, sit him down…”


Eli clung instead and shook his head. “M’fine,” he croaked.


Rob’s hand was suddenly rubbing warm, soothing circles against his side.


“‘Ere, love, no fucker ‘ere cares,” Stella said briskly. “Got bigger things to worry about, ain’t I? I was just curious, like, didn’t look much like no girl to me, and our Rob’s gay as a fucking Thai ladyboy, ain’t he, so I—”


“I’ve had surgery,” Eli whispered. “I’m…I’m saving for the final one at the minute.”


“Yeah, the NHS wouldn’t do it. I’m seven hundred and forty-two pounds short, still.”


Chapter 51