A warm welcome to author LaQuette joining us today to talk about new release “Under Protection”.
Hello, I’m LaQuette, and I’m so happy to be here at Love Bytes. Thanks so much to Dani for having me.
Many romance novels depict the protector as the brave, physically imposing person in the book. The hero with the most muscles is usually the person who shoulders the responsibility of protecting the more fragile-appearing person.
Now, of course, there’s nothing wrong with a muscular person being brave enough to protect those around them who can’t defend themselves. But sometimes protection comes in more forms than just the muscular kind.
My newest release, Under His Protection looks at protection in its varied forms. It isn’t just about the physical strength of Lt. Elijah Stephenson, it’s also about the way Camden, a man who isn’t as physically powerful as his love interest, gets to protect Elijah using his gift of persuasion too.
No matter the form of the protector, loving someone enough to risk your wellbeing to ensure theirs, in my opinion, is one of the greatest depictions of love there is.
They can escape their enemies, but not the desire between them.
Prosecutor Camden Warren is on the fast track to professional nirvana. With his charm, his sharp legal mind, and his father as chief judge in the highest court in NY, he can’t fail. Nothing can derail his rise to the top… until an attempt on his life forces him to accept the help of a man he walked out on five years ago.
Wounded in the line of duty, Lieutenant Elijah Stephenson wants to ride his new desk job until retirement—not take a glorified babysitting gig with more risk than it’s worth… especially not protecting the entitled lawyer who disappeared after the best sex of their lives.
The threat against Camden’s life is real, but their passion for each other might prove the greatest danger they’ve yet to face.
“So, you’re gonna throw our mama to the wolves to protect Elijah’s man?” The room became quiet, and everyone turned to see Emmanuel and the rest of the Stephenson clan standing in the background. They were fortunate the only cops in the room were Elijah, his captain, and Lieutenant Smyth. If anyone else had walked in and heard Emmanuel’s proclamation, things would’ve been so much worse. “That can’t be what you’re suggesting, is it, Captain Searlington?”
Walter placed a firm hand on Emmanuel’s shoulder. “Son, it’s not as simple as that. Captain Searlington and the rest of your brother’s people are doing the best they can.”
Emmanuel shrugged his father’s hand from his shoulder and stepped toward Elijah and Captain Searlington. “The best that they can would be to give these people what they want and save my damn mama instead of protecting Elijah’s boyfriend.”
“Manny, we’re gonna get her back, man. But sacrificing Camden to do that isn’t a plan we can agree to. We cannot ask that of Camden.”
Camden saw worry and hurt fill Emmanuel’s eyes. He hadn’t known the man long. He hadn’t known any of the Stephensons long, but there was something about this family that made Camden’s protective nature flare. Hell, before he’d met these people he hadn’t known he had a protective side. But watching them crumble under the threat of losing their matriarch was cutting Camden inside like hot metal through butter.
“What if you weren’t asking, Elijah? What if I offered instead?”
Elijah turned to him, shaking his head. “Camden. I love that you would offer, and as tempting as it is, I can’t accept it. We do not trade one hostage for another. That is not NYPD policy.”
Emmanuel turned to their father, worry and frustration carved into the lines of his face. “You can’t agree with them. She’s your wife. Do something.”
The usual stoic expression Walter Stephenson wore threatened to fall with each tremble of his squared jaw. “Your brother is not wrong, Emmanuel. Everything in me wants to get your mother now. But sacrificing Camden isn’t the way we do that. If we do that, they’ll both end up dead.”
Camden watched as the three Stephenson men each processed those words. Emmanuel spared Camden a sorrowful glance that tore at Camden’s heart. This family was falling apart in front of his eyes, and none of them would be all right until they returned Evelyn unharmed.
“Manny.” Elijah’s voice was thick with emotion as he called his brother’s name. He stepped closer to Emmanuel, wrapping his arms around him. “We will find these motherfuckers and end them before they hurt Mama and still protect Camden at the same time.”
“I’m scared, E.”
Elijah held his brother tighter, wrapping him in a protective cocoon. The sight of the two men clutching at each other for strength while Vivienne walked across the room to embrace their bone-weary father made Camden hurt for this family more.
The notion of feeling so much for a group of people he’d only spent days with seemed strange even to him. But this family had raised a man he cared for. If he cared about Elijah, how could he not be ripped to shreds by watching their pain?
It made little sense, this connection he had with this man and these people. But logical or not, there was something powerful about the Stephensons that had grabbed hold of Camden’s heart and wouldn’t let go.
We loved each other, so we took care of each other.
Evelyn would be proud that the people she loved most were doing just as she’d expected, taking care of one another no matter how much it hurt. Ache squeezed his heart, and Camden understood why Evelyn’s words were so accurate. Watching the man he loved hurt and knowing he couldn’t do anything to change it made Camden’s chest constrict with the discomfort of helplessness.
But are you really helpless?
As soon as the thought sparked in the back of his mind, Camden resolved to follow it through. Elijah would hate him for it later, but Camden couldn’t allow that to keep him from doing what was right.
His eyes looked down on the corner of the counter where Elijah had dropped his keys when they entered through the back door. Camden made a quick swipe of his hand, fisting the keys quietly in his palm. He slipped them into his pocket and glanced back at the scene still unfolding in the middle of the kitchen.
All eyes were still on the Stephensons. Camden took one final glance and slipped out of the back door. He didn’t look over his shoulder as he made his way through the backyards of the connecting properties. He just kept going until he found the dark blue sedan Elijah informed him of the night the Stephensons arrived. It wasn’t until he was already driving down the block that he allowed himself to glance at the retreating small house through the rearview mirror.
“Please forgive me, Elijah. I couldn’t let her die because of me.” Camden was doing the wrong thing for the right reason. He just hoped Elijah would understand why.
LaQuette is the 2016 Golden Apple Award Author of the year winner.She writes bold & sexy tales for diverse characters who are confident in their right to appear on the page.
Represented by Latoya C. Smith of LCS Literary Agency.
Visit her at LaQuette.comand LaQuette@LaQuette.com