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

“Eli…listen, I want to believe you, but—”


“No,” Dad said earnestly, “I do. I don’t want to believe you’re putting yourself in that situation, but you are. Rob’s record speaks for itself, and what you have described is typical of an abusive relationship—he has picked out someone who is by their very nature vulnerable, and he’s exploiting that. As long as you’re not under his roof, you’re not under his control, so for now…”


“We met in a bar, Dad, he had no idea I wasn’t a man,” Eli said firmly. “He’s not luring me in or whatever you think he’s doing.”


“And how would you know, Eli? You’re too close to the situation, you’re blinded by—”


“You’re the blind one,” Eli said stiffly. “Blinded by prejudice. You think because he’s got a record that he’s like that with everyone. And I can’t just say something that’ll make you believe me, Dad, because you won’t believe me, you refuse to.”


Chapter 79