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

He didn’t mind that Damien had seemed to make himself his protector. The problem was, he couldn’t figure out why. He barely knows me. Has he got some sort of savior complex and I’m his next project because I don’t look like I can take care of myself? Hardly a boost to my ego if that’s the case. He shook his head. The truth, I suppose, but still…


He decided not to worry about it at the moment. He had other things on his mind, like the upcoming party Mr. Radclyffe was throwing. “On my birthday, no less. Well, as I told Joseph and Elaine, at least it’ll give me something to do other than feeling sorry for myself that I’m getting that much closer to thirty, God help me. How did I manage to make it to twenty-eight next month and have nothing to show for it?”


Chapter 14