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 smiled, briefly, remembering the lightning storm Lyle had created which had lit up the parking lot. Damned good thing no one saw it. Or if they did, let’s hope they thought it was a transformer box exploding, sending out showers of sparks.


With a deep sigh, he brought his thoughts back to the problem at hand. “How can I live without you?” he murmured. “You became my reason to exist. If I’d had the sense the gods gave me, and truly trusted that our love was real, I’d have revealed what I was before tonight.” He slammed his hand down on the rooftop. “It wasreal. I know it. Now, it’s too late. I’ve betrayed your faith in me one too many times.”


The wages of sin, he supposed, if lying by omission was as much of a one as by commission.


Chapter 83