Disgraced cop Doyle McCann and former undercover cop Kord Verlangen are forced to partner on a cold case which they must solve or lose their jobs. Doyle is gay and out; Kord says he's straight. Both harbor secrets they never want revealed.<br><br>The case, involving a series of gay bashings two years earlier, takes them through the underbelly of Philadelphia's gay nightlife, and Doyle has reason to believe the Mafia may also be involved.<br><br>Following years' old leads is hard enough. But working together proves even more difficult as the sexual tension between Doyle and Kord rises and begins to overwhelm their focus. As they come closer to solving the case, their team is split down the middle, threatening to destroy any chance for them to keep their jobs. What will it take to get them working again and keep them on track?

Family Bashings

Was he engaging in wishful thinking? He wanted to believe Kord was gay, so he believed it and took every innocent gesture, every dubious word or phrase as being fraught with meanings they didn’t have. No. Kord was as straight as they come and Doyle would have to endure the torture of having a partner who was devastatingly gorgeous, a bit of a tease, and totally unavailable.


He lingered in the shower, letting the warm water lull him. As he was about to shut off the water, he thought he heard his cellphone ring. Quickly toweling himself off, he padded, nude, into the bedroom and found his cellphone on a chair under his clothes. There was no sign that anyone had called. Who’d have called at this hour anyway? Doyle knew that he hoped it had been Kord, hoped that the blond wanted his help or needed some advice. Anything.


Chapter 22