"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

Sammy didn't give two shits either way. He was just playing a part and he was playing it well.

/"What would I want with your horse, babe?/" Sam set the mug on the side when he realized that he wasn't going to take it. /"I think that's an excuse. I think you just wanted to come and see me. I think you missed me. You're little brat isn't scratching the spot and you need the loving of a real man, huh?/"

Hitting him would have been plenty justified. He had it coming, and then some. Stryker refrained, if only because he didn't want to endanger his horse.

The way Sam spoke of his Jamie, the way venom clung to his words, it had him tensing up and ready to swing. It also had guilt creeping in. Jamie didn't know he was there. He had dropped him off at daycare earlier that morning.

Chapter43