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

“If you can it would help. It would let Orsino know the two of you are a couple and you won’t let anyone harm him. It also gives you a reason to be here on the night of the party.”


“True. If I am, you had better tell your help not to act as if they know me. That would be a dead giveaway that I’m working for you. Do you know what that would do to him, and to your plans, if he thought that was the reason I was in his life, and not that I honestly cared about him?”


“Unfortunately, it would give Orsino the chance he wants to convince him that I, that we, are as evil as they come and Lyle should join him against us.”


“All right, I’ll become his best friend and try to take it beyond that. If it works, I guess it’s for the best. Even as his friend I can still be around as often as possible since we live in the same building.”


Chapter 19