Louise Collins

Ranger Keyes, assassin, occasional stripper and full-time hopeful (not hopeless) romantic is determined to get his happily-ever-after. His best mates, Donnie and Yates, have both found love, and he knows it’s finally his turn to step into the spotlight and star in his own love story. For that, he needs a co-star, and he sets his sights on one guy and one guy alone. He may have a chip on his shoulder and a permanent frown on his face, but Ranger knows that Troy’s the guy for him. Convincing Troy to go on a date, let alone that they’re supposed to be together isn’t easy. Troy’s guarded, and dismissive and tells Ranger repeatedly he isn’t the co-star in his love story, he’s the bad guy. But how can he be the bad guy when he’s put butterflies in Ranger’s gut? How can he be the bad guy when he helps Ranger with his building rage? How can he be the bad guy when Ranger falls in love with his laugh? Ranger’s about to find out exactly how…

Yates Anderson, ex-military strategist, part-time assassin, and full-time flowershop owner is one hundred percent focused on finding his elusive mark, Mr Stevenson. He has not gotten distracted by the young man who wandered into his shop and asked to die. He has not taken it upon himself to look out for this tragic case, and he wants nothing more than Dylan to stop lingering around his shop like a bad smell. Except, he doesn’t smell bad, he smells like strawberries, and with each encounter, Yates wants to add cream to that equation. His big watering eyes and twitching eyebrows do things to Yates, dirty things. Dylan is pathetic, so pathetic, but what does that make Yates? He craves pathetic, longs for it in his bed, and once it’s there, he’s not sure he wants to kick it out the next morning. He doesn’t do caring or emotions. He’s heartless, robotic, yet he’s falling for Dylan. Dylan knows (or doesn’t) just how to play his one last remaining heartstring, and maybe, just maybe, Yates doesn’t want the lonely, cold existence he claims. Maybe, just maybe, he wants Dylan to be his. And maybe, just maybe, that one remaining heartstring is going to break…

Donnie King. Ruthless, sexy and assassin extraordinaire. Or at least he used to be. Now, Donnie’s washed up, drinking himself into unconsciousness night after night. He needs one more hit, one more chance to prove himself, to reclaim some dignity. Enter Elliot Austin, the blue-eyed, blond. An easy kill, or he should’ve been. Donnie botches the hit and wakes up tied to a chair with a knife pressed to his jugular. He waits for Elliot to finish him off, but his young mark does something unexpected. He kisses Donnie, then speaks over his shoulder as he leaves. “Bye Baby.” Humiliated, Donnie vows to end Elliot, but killing him is anything but easy. He’s gifted at getting away, and is always one step ahead. He teases, and humiliates, and drives Donnie crazy. It’s an addicting game of cat and mouse that forces Donnie to climb out of the gutter, and get himself into shape. Donnie wants Elliot dead, but he might just want him alive that little bit more...