"I think... I think I was so in love with the idea of saving myself that I didn't realize I was letting myself drown. "

"And now?"

"And now you're my lifeboat."


It was only meant to be a favour. Only meant to be for a few weeks. 

Yet when Stryker Odello finds himself a Daddy for a scarred little boy, he finds the darkness that swamped his life cracking and splits of light shining through.

High functioning alcoholic at best, meeting the needs of the little proved more challenging than he first anticipated. 

Broken and distrustful, getting through to Jamie Sinclair was a hard feat.

Both damaged from the past, hurt and cautious, could they learn to let go and figure out how to love again? 

Or was life's only joy to direct a tragedy?

His Little Boy

When he pulled back, he offered a tiny, shaky smile. Jamie let out a gentle coo, a deep pink staining his cheeks. He gave a bashful smile, as though he was only just then realizing that he was the centre of Stryker's attention.

The kiss had proved the point he had been trying to make to himself: if he let it go any further, giving Jamie back would definitely be impossible. Not just for Jamie's sake, but for his. Ever since Sammy had come that day, Jamie had become his anchor. His grasp on reality. Jamie had become the reason that he was over a week sober for the first time in months.

He was also the only other man that he had kissed like that, besides Sammy, who had made his lips tingle like they had and his heart race.

Chapter17