Six years ago, Jarrett Kessel helped his best friend’s little brother deal with his family’s rejection when he came out. He saw potential in the tempestuous teenager. Talent. Then, they both moved on with their lives.<br><br>Now, the FBI needs Jarrett’s help. Sketch artist Eli Locke is their only lead in finding a killer, but he’s nowhere to be found. Though the Feds are convinced Jarrett is the best way to lure him out, he’s not so sure. Until they show him the web comic Eli has created, with a superhero who bears a striking resemblance to Jarrett.<br><br>When Eli gets an email out of the blue from the man who changed his life, he doesn’t even consider saying no to a meeting. Jarrett is even more amazing than he remembers, and the fact that he’s all right being the role model for the one thing that means the most to Eli is just icing on the cake. But the truth about the murder comes out, and even though he had nothing to do with it, Eli wants to run. It’s up to Jarrett to keep him from ruining his life for good, before the killer finds them both and does it first ...

Outlined in Ink

“Fine.” Baptiste ground out the acquiescence like he was chewing on glass. “But no more games, Mr. Kessel.”


Jarrett nodded, holding in his relief, and without a glance backward to give him away, started to close the door.


An arm shot out and blocked him. A rigid Dead Eyes looked at Jarrett, but his words were aimed at Baptiste. “We’re not going anywhere.”


The fear Jarrett thought he’d spied earlier returned to Baptiste’s face. “We don’t want to make a scene, Sandora.”


Jarrett was so focused on the large, callused hand preventing the door from closing, he didn’t see its mate dip inside Sandora’s coat. The gun he pulled out jabbed into the side of Baptiste’s neck, the end of a long, skinny silencer indenting the dark skin.


Baptiste froze with his hand in mid-reach. His Adam’s apple bobbed once.


Jarrett didn’t need a billboard to know Sandora had always been the one in charge.


“Inside,” Sandora repeated, his tone flat.


Chapter 19