Michael Carmac is a small-town cop on the verge of a breakdown. After a split-second decision leaves an innocent child dead, Michael's reality unravels. Suffering from PTSD, he finds comfort in a bottle while struggling to find forgiveness.<br><br>Fellow officer Bertram Angel offers Michael support, and what starts as friendship turns into something deeper. Can the two men find love, forgiveness, and acceptance while moving forward and healing wounds that don't always show?

The Incident

Michael gave up and headed down the hall to the bathroom. Fitz and Kinter were still at it as he passed, and neither acknowledged him with more than a nod. Fitz at least smiled, but the guy always had a smile on his face. Kinter’s flinty glare hadn’t softened since their earlier meeting.


“Go home,” Michael said under his breath as he pushed open the bathroom door. Why had he kissed Angel? Why hadn’t he just notdone it? The thought of Angel being as close to him as he had been, his mouth close, his whisper…Hadn’t he wanted it as much as Michael or had he just been fucking with him?


There was no one else in the bathroom and the smell of fresh urinal cake was overwhelming. Michael stood in front of the urinal and undid his pants. Even before he pulled his cock from his boxers, he felt himself begin to grow hard. His hands fumbled against his erection. He wanted to come, wanted to stroke himself.


Chapter 18