Book Title: Crossing the Line (Jake’s Bar Book 2)
Author: AG Meiers
Publisher: Painted Hearts Publishing
Release Date: August 25, 2022
Genre: Romantic suspense, Contemporary M/M Romance
Tropes: Lovers to enemies to lovers, second chance romance, race to uncover dangerous secrets
Themes: Fast-paced suspense, ex-cop with little left to lose, protective lawyer who loves too hard, hurt/comfort, broken trust, forgiveness (or not), family found, new start, Two men falling in love while dodging bullets and chasing bad guys
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 81 000 words
Crossing the Line is Book 2 in the Jake’s Bar series. It is a standalone romance with a satisfying end for the mystery. It does not end on a cliffhanger.
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Broken Trust doesn’t give Second Chances…
Blurb
Holden Wright had it all—and lost it. Five months ago, he was on top: a decorated detective with a bright future. Then his father’s gambling destroyed everything. Left with nothing, Holden works nights at Jake’s Bar with no idea how to get his broken life back on track.
Brent Northwood has it all—except the man he loves. Brent made a deal with the devil to become a well-respected lawyer, but success doesn’t turn out to be all he ever wanted. His love for Holden started with a wild, crazy hookup in the rain, but it all came to an abrupt end when Brent lied—with best intention—but a lie is a lie and Holden can’t forgive.
Holden needs the successful lawyer back in his life about as badly as he needs the bullet hole his father put in his shoulder. But with secrets from Holden’s past threatening his future, Brent is the only one who can protect him. The two men forge a volatile truce to stay one step ahead of danger, but is it enough to mend the broken trust between them? Can they risk a second chance for love knowing what’s at stake?
But none of that matters if they can’t find out who is trying to take Holden down…
Series: Crossing the Line, Book 2 in the award-winning Jake’s Bar series, is a steamy, M/M romantic suspense featuring a rainbow-colored bar full of quirky characters, and all the romance you can handle. So, download today, and get ready to fall in love with Jake’s Bar.
Brent fucking Northwood—the rock in the raging shitstorm his life had become. Holden leaned back against the headrest, trying to ignore the fact the car smelled intoxicating, a mix of expensive cologne with earthy undertones and something uniquely Brent. So many fucking memories assaulted him. Damn, he’d worked so hard to keep his infatuation only skin-deep back when they first hooked-up. Brent had been a guilty pleasure he indulged on rare occasion. Subconsciously, he had welcomed their vicious fight and the fallout as a way to create some healthy distance. “Yet here we are,” he mumbled under his breath.
“What did you say?” Brent asked.
“Nothing. I need to make a call.” Holden pulled out his cell phone.
“You do know it’s three thirty in the morning, right?”
“Yeah, I know.” He dialed and put the speaker on. “You might as well listen in as it seems we’re in this together.”
Brent only nodded, but his body seemed to relax slightly. Holden hadn’t missed that he’d been white-knuckling the steering wheel.
It took a few rings, but then Con’s voice came on. “Fuck, Wright, it’s the middle of the night. This better be good.”
“Hey, partner—ex-partner, I’m just wondering. Are you only playing nice with your boss and the press, or are you still investigating?”
There were a few background noises, but Con’s voice sounded a little less sleep rough when he said, “I’m still on the task force. That asshole Michaels, who’s now in charge, does his best to keep me out of things, but I won’t have it. So, what’s up?”
“What can you tell me about my father’s little black book?”
“How the fuck—” Con stopped abruptly. “I’m sorry, man, but you know I can’t talk to you about an ongoing investigation.”
“Got it. You said enough. I simply needed to make sure Brent wasn’t making up shit.” Holden ignored the sound of protest in the seat next to him.
“You mean Brent Northwood?” Con asked.
“Hey, Miguel. Sorry for the early wake-up call,” Brent chimed in.
A low groan came through the line. Miguel Conway, Holden’s ex-partner, and Brent Northwood, Holden’s ex-lover, had a complicated relationship.
“Jake told me that Brent showed up at the bar tonight,” Con said. “But I was hoping he’d come to grovel for forgiveness and not to mess with my investigation.”
Yup, no love lost. He took control of the call and said, “My apartment got broken into and tossed. They were looking for something. Based on Brent’s intel, it seems likely they were searching for my dad’s book, which I know you can neither confirm nor deny, but just for the record, I know nothing about it, and I’m pretty damn sure it’s not in my possession.”
“Your place was searched. Tonight? That’s—”
When Con didn’t continue, Holden asked, “I assume you guys would have knocked on the door with the appropriate paperwork?”
“Yes. We planned to but seems like we’d be too late now.”
“Why didn’t you idiots just ask me?” More silence on the line, and damn, if that didn’t cut deep.
Brent spoke up, voicing Holden’s thoughts, “I guess the task force didn’t want to alert you and give you the opportunity to find a new hiding spot.”
Holden took a calming breath. It didn’t matter how much Con’s lack of trust hurt, he needed to figure out a way to end this.
Eighteen years ago, AG Meiers came to the US for adventure and stayed for love. Currently, she lives in New England with her husband and two awesome kids—balancing work, friends and family, and writing.
When she has some free time, her favorite thing to do is travel and visit new places. Her past trips have already brought her to a variety of countries on four continents. She never passes up an opportunity to experience different cultures, diverse people and amazing locations.
Even though she has been dreaming up stories all her life, she has only recently started to write them down and share them with the world. As a writer she loves to put her characters through a lot of challenges, conflict and heartbreak, before she allows them to find their happy-ever-after.
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