Blurb: CIA Agent Aaron “Angel” Collins doesn’t take many things on faith. He trusts his gut, his eyes, and his husband, Jordan, an Army Captain. When his commanding officers deliver news of Jordan’s death, Aaron needs proof. The facts don’t add up, and Aaron must decide if he can trust Major General Troy Hart to assist in his quest to discover the truth.

Captain Jordan Collins is battered and disheartened in an Afghanistan prison, but definitely not dead, though he learns his own government believes he is. His only mission now is to stay alive and make it home to Angel, if he can find an ally among the enemy. But someone in the US government will stop at nothing to make sure he never leaves that prison, And Jordan must reevaluate the lines between friend and foe if he is ever to return to his Angel.

 

Excerpt:

Hours later – Aaron lost track of how many – he clicked through the tenth news report on the freeing of the POWs, remembering what Jordan always said about the media: “Only pay attention to the facts.” So far the facts included twenty original POWs, five of which were killed before Jordan and Doug Parks got involved. Then, according to the general consensus, Jordan and Doug freed the remaining fifteen, and were killed in the process. No one had any bodies. Aaron growled at the sound of a knock on the door. All damn day people had been calling, texting, and otherwise bothering Aaron. The person outside knocked louder.

“Aaron, it’s Troy. Open up,” Troy called.

“I’m busy,” Aaron responded without moving.

“I could get a warrant,” Troy threatened.

Aaron stormed over and threw the door open. “What exactly would you have me arrested for?” he demanded, gaze flitting to the Army duffel bag and pizza box.

“Search warrant,” Troy corrected. “And I’m sure I would come up with something.” Troy put his foot in the doorframe before Aaron could close it. “I’m sorry. Please let me talk.”

“Whatever.” Aaron moved out of the way. “Talk, but you leave when I’ve heard enough.”

“That’s fine,” Troy conceded, setting the duffel bag on the side of the couch. “Have you eaten?”

“Not hungry,” Aaron replied, crossing his arms over his chest and staring down at Troy, who had the nerve to smirk.

“You’re not as scary as you think. Maybe if you were shaped less like a flagpole, people might be intimidated.”

“If you’re here to make fun of me, you can leave,” Aaron said, sitting back on the couch with his computer.

Troy shook his head. “I came to bring you Jordan’s personal effects and to try to convince you to eat.”

“I can’t eat. My stomach is a mess.” Aaron swallowed past the lump in his throat at the term “personal effects.”

“I understand. This is the hardest news for any loved one to hear.”

“Especially when it’s not true,” Aaron replied, refreshing the page in hopes of receiving new results.

“Aaron…” Troy started, but Aaron cut him off.

“You said you wanted to be my friend. You promised you would listen to me. You cannot do that if you go into a conversation thinking you already know better,” Aaron ranted, and rubbed his tattoo.

“Part of being a friend is helping the other person to face reality with dignity. Unfortunately, this is your new reality. Jordan is—”

“Lost in the sand dunes because the people he risked his life for didn’t stop to search for him.” Aaron took a deep breath. “I am not unrealistic. I fully comprehend the risks Jordan faced every day. So does he. We had many conversations about how to handle that news. You know what step one is?”

“Scream? Cry? Either’s acceptable,” Troy assured him.

“No. Identify his body. If I can’t identify him with my naked eye, then I insist on a DNA analysis. Because even commanding officers fuck up.” Aaron swept his hair back. “I am not going to mourn my husband without actual proof that he’s dead. Do you have any?”

Troy opened a zipper pocket on the duffel bag and passed Aaron Jordan’s dog tags. “They found these close to his uniform.”

Aaron threw them on the ground. “That fucking silver chain is not proof of anything!” He rubbed his face and jumped to his feet to pace the living room.

“Bryant said it would be too dangerous to look any further, but Jordan could not have survived the fire,” Troy said.

“Maybe he didn’t. I accept that possibility. I do not accept it as a fact without some hard proof,” Aaron told him. “Besides,” he added quietly. “No one would have to tell me if he had died. I would know.”

“You can’t demand logic and matching emotions,” Troy answered.

“Sure I can, because my gut has never once steered me wrong with him. And if you’re asking me to go against my instincts then I need proof,” Aaron said. “Will you help? Please?”

Troy patted the seat next to him. Aaron sat as Troy spoke. “I will help, but you have to be practical. Most people won’t believe you. And calling high-ranking military officers liars won’t win you any friends.”

“Don’t care,” Aaron answered.

Wrapping an arm around Aaron’s waist, Troy said, “Your boss might. Bryant lodged a complaint with Keller.”

Aaron stiffened and moved away. “Troy, I am not ready for cuddling.”

“Sorry, I thought you could use some comfort. It won’t happen again, unless change your mind.”

Don’t count on it. Troy’s eyes bore into Aaron’s back as he moved across the room to grab his notebook containing the search results, plus the information he had on the case beforehand. “This is what I found so far.”

“Aaron, you were wrong about one thing. They can hold a funeral without your consent by taking expenses from his life insurance before giving you the remainder,” Troy told him.

Aaron blinked over at him. “What are they burying? There’s no body.”

“Um, a casket with his toe tags and burned uniform. The public doesn’t need to know there isn’t a body,” Troy explained. “It’s better for everyone if there’s a sense of closure.”

Through gritted teeth, Aaron replied, “I am definitely not going and lying to our friends, family, and colleagues.”

“People will think you don’t respect him,” Troy offered.

“Then they should ask me. I would be happy to tell them that I love, honor, and respect my husband enough to not give up on him,” Aaron concluded.

“I hope you don’t regret that,” Troy responded.

Aaron nudged the notebook toward him. “Please try to fill in the gaps for me.”

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Tour Dates

1. 02/24 – Illustrious Illusions – Guest Post
   1. 02/25 – Joyfully Jay – Guest Post
   2. 02/26 – Mrs. Condit &Friends Read Books – Character  Interview and Review
   3. 02/26 – Your Next Book Boyfriend – Character Interview
   4. 02/26 – Sid Love – Guest Post
   5. 02/26 – TTC – Angel’s Hero Release Event – includes Reviews and Playlist Post.
   6. 02/27 – The Blogger Girls – Guest Post
   7. 02/28 – LeAnn’s Book Reviews – Guest Post and Reviews
   8. 03/01 – Cathy Brockman Romance – Character Interview
   9. 03/02 – Cathy Brockman Romance – Review
   10. 03/03 – Hearts on Fire – Guest Post/Review
   11. 03/04 – Jeep Diva – Guest Post
   12. 03/05 – MM Good Book Review – Guest Post and Triple Review
   13. 03/11 – 3 Chicks After Dark – Guest Post
   14. 03/12 – 3 Chicks After Dark – Review
   15. 03/12 – TTC – Angel’s Truth Release Event
   16. 03/12 – Becca Ann’s Book Reviews – Guest Post
   17. 03/13 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words – Guest Post
   18. 03/15 – The Novel Approach – Guest Post
   19. 03/15 – Under the Covers Book Blog – Guest Post
   20. 03/15 – Romance Bookworms Reviews – Review
   21. 03/15 – Foxylutely Book Reviews – Review and Guest Post