Ryan is a young artist hoping to make a name for himself. When he meets a man who offers to help him advance his career, he accepts. His career takes off when Merrick arranges two shows for Ryan at a local gallery. Ryan is elated, especially when their relationship becomes more personal. What he doesn’t expect is to end up being abused, physically and emotionally, as Merrick tightens his control over the younger artist.<br><br>After a vicious beating, Ryan manages to escape, naked except for a bedspread wrapped around himself. Policeman Shaun Levitt finds him cowering in an alley. Taking the battered young man under his wing, Shaun begins the slow process of helping Ryan come to grips with what happened.<br><br>Will Ryan learn to trust again? Or will he forever look at any man who might be interested in him as another potential abuser ... including Shaun?

In the Name of Love

“This is what I had in mind for the paths,” Ryan said, when they were finished, taking out his sketchpad. “I can either go for a ‘Y’ shape, coming off the larger patio then branching out to the corners of the yard.” He showed Merrick the first sketch. “Or it can meander through the yard, like this.” He flipped the page to the second sketch. “Or, two paths, one from each patio, crossing in the center of the yard, which is what you told the man at the nursery we might do.”


“The curving one,” Merrick said. “Did I order enough flagstones?”


Ryan snorted. “I think we’ll have enough to do this and repave your front path, too.”


Merrick laughed. “You’re saying I overdid it.”


“Maybe a little. Honestly, I won’t know until I get started. Is it okay for me to have the delivery people put them on the large patio?”


“Of course.” Merrick leaned back, looking at the yard. “This is going to be beautiful when you’re finished.”


Chapter 23