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

Friday, because there were no more actors who needed fittings, the shop closed at six. Lyle had spent the day dealing with what alterations remained, while Joseph and Elaine unpacked the boxes of masks and other goodies that had been ordered for the haunted house, crosschecking their lists to make certain everything had arrived and intact, and that Lyle hadn’t forgotten to order some major item—which, as he pointed out, he wouldn’t have given how anal he was.


The only downside to the day was the call Lyle got from Damien a few minutes before closing


“I have to work a fancy party at the restaurant,” he said, sounding pissed off. “Remember the idiot I subbed in for last week? Well at the last minute this evening he called in sick.”


“That definitely sucks. When will you get off?”


Chapter 41