Private detective Chris Mason thought he only had to worry about his brother Dylan discovering he was dating Homicide detective James Harris. Dylan and their best friend, Ron Abrams, don’t like James, and Chris has to handle their animosity towards his lover. But then Chris is targeted by a serial killer who leaves snapdragons with his victims.<br><br>James leads the Snapdragon investigation as head detective. As each murder links Dylan and Ron to the killings, James questions Ron’s motives and his connections to Chris. Ron’s pet name for Chris has always been Snapdragon. Could there be more behind Ron’s playful teases than Chris knows?<br><br>When Ron’s attraction to Chris is exposed, their friendship totters. Is a darker side to Ron revealed? Could he be involved with the Snapdragon murders? And will Chris be able to solve the case before he becomes the killer's next victim?

Snapdragon

Chris kissed him deeply as James moved him against the cabinet.


Something scraped across the wooden patio. A deck chair tipped over, then a man in a white mask stepped into view. The man raised his right hand and swung a crowbar at the door, shattering the glass. James grabbed Chris’s arm and led him into the living room as the front window was smashed in. A crowbar briefly poked through the blinds and curtain, followed by another crash of breaking glass from the kitchen.


“Stay here,” James said and pulled his gun from the holster, then stepped back into the living room.


There were three loud bangs against the front door.


Chris snuck out of the bedroom as James stood back and readied his gun in front of himself.


“It’s Ron!” Ron said, then banged again on the door.


James lowered his gun as he let out a sigh, then opened the door and Ron rushed inside.


Chapter 48