Lyle Atwood's company is hired to costume a party given by multi-millionaire Warner Radclyffe. As he and his employees begin preparations for the job, Lyle begins to feel as if someone is watching him. Then he meets Damien Sauvage, the newest tenant in the apartment building where he lives. Damien tells Lyle that he's a waiter, and when Lyle confides in him that he thinks he's being stalked, Damien offers to help find out who it is. What he neglects to tell Lyle is he actually works for Radclyffe, who wants him to protect Lyle from a very powerful enemy. As Damien gains Lyle's confidence, he becomes attracted to the younger man -- an attraction that Lyle reciprocates. He fights his feelings, knowing Lyle will hate him when he finds out his secret -- and even more so when he learns what Damien really is. Radclyffe orders Damien to continue the job, as he has a secret of his own involving Lyle. A secret that cannot be revealed until the night of the party. Can Lyle survive what is to come, or will the lies of omission be the death of him -- or worse?

Lies of Omission

So that’s who I’m to protect until the next full moon. I think I might enjoy it. He’s rather cute. Not that that matters. I’m hardly going to seduce him, even if it were possible. Well, from what Radclyffe said I guess it could be, but that would be taking things a bit too far. I’m to be his protector, nothing more. Or I will be after dark, but then that’s when things could potentially become dangerous, or so Radclyffe believes.


The young man and Radclyffe went inside, leaving Damien wondering how he’d gotten caught up in this mess to begin with. Not that he didn’t know.


Wrong time, wrong place, and a powerful man who figured out something I sometimes wish he hadn’t. If I’d been more aware of the time that night, I’d still be happily living my frivolous life. The wages of sin, or so they say. Not that good sex with a willing man is sin, but getting too into it and leaving his bed a bit later than my common sense should have allowed…


Chapter 6