Nineteen-year-old Joe has been living on the streets since escaping from a sex-trafficking ring. When a blizzard hits the city, he takes a chance, accepting Derek Clarke's offer of a place to stay for the night. It wouldn't have happened if Derek hadn't been doing a stake-out in the alley at just the right time and taken pity on Joe. The blizzard leaves the two men housebound for the next few days, and they begin to bond as Derek teaches Joe some of what being a private detective involves. Loath to let Joe return to the streets when the weather clears, Derek offers him a job as his apprentice, while allowing him to continue staying in his guestroom. Can their relationship grow from friendship to more, in spite of traumas in their pasts, or will Joe's fear of physical commitment ultimately drive them apart?

The Detective's Apprentice

Derek watched, smiling, before starting the coffeemaker.


I can’t tell him what my dream was really about. Joe flipped the second omelet, let it cook a moment more, and then put it on the other plate. He wouldn’t like it if he knew I was dreaming about him. Hell, I don’t like it because nothing will come of it. Why him? Why now? Like I don’t know but I can’t act on it even if he was interested in me that way. I just can’t. He wanted to hit something, throw something, let his anger out about what he’d been through that had made him so afraid of getting into a relationship. How could he care about me? How could anyone? He didn’t have an answer for his questions. All he knew was he’d have given anything to go back and change what had happened.


Chapter 20