James (Gates of Heaven Book 3) Read online

  JAMES

  Gates of Heaven – Book 3

  M. Tasia

  ALSO BY M. TASIA

  The Boys of Brighton series

  Gabe

  Sam’s Soldiers

  Rick’s Bear

  Jesse

  Coop

  Travis

  Grady

  Vincent

  Shadow

  The Holidays

  The Gates of Heaven series

  Saint

  Finn

  EVERYONE LOVES THE BOYS OF BRIGHTON

  “I loved this book and I love this town. I hope there’s going to be more.”

  —Melissa Lemons on Gabe

  “An amazing read that was filled with lust, love, crazy hot sex, danger, action and so much more This is the first book I have read in this series but I will definitely be reading more in the future.”

  —Gay Book Reviews on Sam’s Soldiers

  “I was crazy impressed that the author made me teary over the ending of a relationship that I shouldn’t have even been invested in. I didn’t yet know these characters yet the author made me hurt for them. That takes some mad writing skills!”

  —Love Bytes Reviews

  “Jesse and Royce together have my heart. Jesse has it all by himself.”

  —The Book Junkie Reads on Jesse

  “So much action, intrigue, drama and angst for the long awaited story of Grady and Ben. This was worth the wait. Sexy and sweet. I can’t wait for the next.”

  —SamD on Grady

  “I knew this one would be my favorite to date! There was something about Vincent that said awesome then came Tristan.”

  —Booky on Vincent

  “This installment of the Boys of Brighton was so good! I loved Shadow and Randy ‘s story I was hooked from the first page to the last. This book was definitely worth the wait!”

  —AG on Shadow

  “I have loved this series from the very first story and this holiday novella is simply perfect. We get a glimpse of all our couples and what is happening in their lives while the holidays explode around them. I cannot wait for more!”

  —bookobsessed on The Holidays

  EVERYONE’S NEWEST LOVE – THE GATES OF HEAVEN

  “Having read the entire Boys of Brighton series, I was eagerly awaiting Saint’s story and it was so worth the wait. I enjoyed every word. I am always amazed by authors that bring characters to life so much that you can hardly wait for the next story. Cannot wait for Finn and Miguel to have their turn. While I’m waiting I’ll reread the Boys of Brighton series!” —Debbie Kay on Saint

  “Ms. Tasia has done it again! This is Saint's story, for readers of the Brighton Boys, you'll know he needs a break! After being forced to become a plastic surgeon by his father, he rebels by assisting people in 3rd world countries, which puts him in the position to be kidnapped and tortured. You really feel for him, that's for sure! Max is the perfect man for poor Saint's battered soul, not that he doesn't have his own issues! Overall, this was engaging, steady paced and chock full of all the feels!” —Avid Reader on Saint

  “Finn and Miguel stole my heart. This is a great Sunday afternoon read. Finn's character jumped off the page as his story developed through each chapter. I loved reading his truth and watching him and Miguel find their home in each other.” —K.A. Brown on Finn

  “Another tale from the Gates of Heaven, another two brilliant MCs we get to know very well. I loved both the plot and the characters, all their emotions and insecurities on full display. All the descriptions and world building were very vivid, providing a great background for an emotional story of self discovery and developing attraction.” —AL on Finn

  GOING IT ALONE

  Too many ghosts live inside James Masterson's head, and they weren't the company he sought. Actually, he prefers no one's company, but he finds himself surrounded by overly friendly, meddlesome types while visiting his brother at The Gates in DTLA. Somehow, James becomes the unwelcome subject of Detective Richard Ross's attention, and, before he knows how it happened, James is caught up in Ross's family drama. When a madman tries to kill Ross's sister and her daughter, James's special ops Army training kicks in, and he becomes their hero, something he knows down to his core, he is not. The thing about crazy killers is they never give up, and when the final showdown comes to a head, James knows he'll do anything to keep the family he has found, especially the love of a sexy detective.

  www.BOROUGHSPUBLISHINGGROUP.com

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, business establishments or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Boroughs Publishing Group does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for author or third-party websites, blogs or critiques or their content.

  JAMES

  Copyright © 2019 M. Tasia

  All rights reserved. Unless specifically noted, no part of this publication may be reproduced, scanned, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Boroughs Publishing Group. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or by any other means without the permission of Boroughs Publishing Group is illegal and punishable by law. Participation in the piracy of copyrighted materials violates the author’s rights.

  ISBN 978-1-951055-27-1

  E-book formatting by Maureen Cutajar

  www.gopublished.com

  This has been possible because of the love and support of my family.

  Love you Craig, Samantha, Katie and Jason.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you to my amazing publisher for taking the time to play tour guide in her diverse and stunning area of Southern California. Your indomitable spirit and strength inspires me to continue to grow as an author. Also, to my sisters-in-law, thank you for coming along and supporting my dream. The love and strength of family is the cornerstone of my career.

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Epilogue

  Sneak Peek: Joey

  About the Author

  JAMES

  PROLOGUE

  The amber liquid burned his throat as he swallowed, exactly the way he liked it. James scanned the crowd, as he’d done dozens of times since he’d arrived. The bar was busy with groups celebrating whatever the latest occasion was, or singles looking to hook up, trolling the crowds hoping to find a happy diversion.

  James didn’t fit into either category. He wanted to be left alone to drink in peace and watch storylines play out, in front of him from his corner booth. The intentional deep-set scowl should’ve been enough to keep people away, but there were those men and women who took it as a challenge. Get the big grumpy guy to smile, one point. Laugh, two points. And so on.

  James sat in his booth, ignoring the latest make-him-happy applicant until they finally gave up and left. Why was it so hard for people to understand he didn’t want to be social, didn’t want sex, and he sure the hell wasn’t looking for a boyfriend.

  Peace. That was what he wanted most of all. Which sort of begged the question, what the hell was he doing in the middle of a noisy bar?

  He
picked up his glass, drained the remainder of his whiskey, and motioned at the server for another. It had been a month since he’d found his brother, Finn, at the receiving end of a gun their papa was pointing at him and his lover. James had given their crazy bastard father a chance to stand down, but the asshole was beyond reasoning. He was forced to kill his father in the middle of the woods, on a dark and moonless night.

  As if that wasn’t enough to get him into the Guilt Olympics, his continued nightmares of what he’d seen through four tours of deployment played like a movie through his mind the moment his lids dropped. It wasn’t enough that he’d been left with a few bullet holes for his service, but now it appeared that PTSD had moved in. James wasn’t a roommate kind of guy.

  “Here you go.” Peggy dropped off his double shot of whiskey. “How you feeling tonight?”

  Peggy, one of the owners of Crandall’s Pub, had taken one look at James and decided he was her latest project. The only reason he hadn’t left and found a new watering hole was that the older woman had a huge heart and she got that twinkle in her eye every time she was cooking something up that had nothing to do with a kitchen. Tonight was no different. She patiently waited for him to reply.

  “I’m okay.”

  “Have you been getting enough sleep?”

  “Not in years. The enemy always waits for a moment of weakness.”

  “But you’re not in the Army anymore. You need to find a way to deal with it and move on. Have you thought about seeing a therapist?”

  Of course it had crossed his mind, but something was holding him back. “I have, and I’m still thinking on it.”

  Peggy reached out to cover James’s much larger hand. “Okay, honey. But if you need anything, me and Henry are always here to help.”

  “Thank you.” He hoped that’d end the conversation.

  He didn’t need to bring any more innocent people into his messed-up world.

  She sighed as if she could tell what he was thinking, but accepted his reply with a nod before turning away to take someone else’s order.

  James wrapped his hand around the glass to steady himself. He was already on his fourth drink and had no plans on stopping anytime soon. The building where he was staying was only three blocks away. He could stumble that far.

  The bell over the front door of the pub rang, causing James look up. He groaned loud and long, not caring if the new arrival heard him or not. Once that crystal blue gaze landed on him, James knew he was screwed.

  Why wouldn’t this guy take the hint and leave him alone? Was he a glutton for punishment or plain stupid-stubborn? James didn’t know, but the bastard was headed in this direction with the same damn smile plastered on his puss he always wore. Shit.

  His long legs ate up the distance, and without so much as a May I?, he slid into the booth beside James.

  “Hey, good looking, you come here often?”

  James almost smiled. Almost. Peggy dropped off a black coffee and continued on her way with a knowing look.

  “You can stuff that line up your ass, Ross. I’m not in the mood for your shit.”

  “Is that any way to talk to your ride home?”

  “I’ll walk the three damn blocks, if you don’t mind.”

  “I do mind. It’s close to two in the morning and Finn has been trying to reach you for hours. Any particular reason you’re not answering your phone?”

  “Ah, yeah. I want to be left alone.”

  “Keep this up and you’re going to get your wish.”

  “Go to hell, Ross.”

  “Already have an express pass. Now finish up your drink so I can get your drunk ass home before your brother calls in the National Guard.”

  “How does he even know I’m not at the building? It’s not like he lives there anymore.”

  “He and Miguel came over to watch the game with Saint, Max, and you, if your ass had been at home.”

  “That’s not my home.”

  “Touchy, and don’t care. Let’s go.” Ross swallowed the last of his coffee and stood, waiting for James to join him.

  “Whatcha gonna do, arrest me?” James laughed without humor.

  Ross reached behind his back and pulled out his handcuffs. “If I have to.”

  Shit.

  James didn’t know if he was pissed off or turned on.

  CHAPTER 1

  “Seriously?” the deep voice snapped at him.

  James didn’t bother looking out the open window of the squad car. At least he wasn’t in the back of it, a fact that the angry detective didn’t seem to appreciate.

  “You can’t be left on your own,” Detective Richard Ross, James’s self-appointed guardian, groaned. “You’re a damn two-hundred-sixty-pound child.”

  “Two-fifty.”

  Hell, he wasn’t that heavy.

  Ross’s responding growl made the hairs on the back of James’s neck stand at attention. He was quick to run his hand beneath his hairline to quell his overactive libido’s rebellion. He needed to get laid soon, because that shit had to stop. He clenched his hands in frustration, sending a shard of pain up his left forearm, not only making him hiss, but also drawing Ross’s attention. James knew there was no way to hide the bloody bandages wrapped around his left hand.

  “What the hell did you do now?” Ross accused.

  Well, shit, he’d called the detective for help, so what the fuck? Had Ross gotten his ass there sooner, the patrol car wouldn’t have arrived and made a scene out of an easy cleanup.

  Before James had a chance to respond, the responding officer spoke up.

  “He didn’t like the way a pimp was talking to one of his girls.”

  “Asshole had it coming. I warned him. Did he listen? No. Not my fault.” Plain and simple.

  Ross huffed out a deep breath before asking, “Where’s the pimp, Officer Webb?”

  “Over at Good Samaritan,” the cop answered while trying to keep the smirk off his face.

  James liked the guy.

  “You put him in the hospital?” Ross glared at James in disbelief.

  “He hit her, I hit him… yadda, yadda, yadda.” Again, plain and simple.

  Ross shook his head and turned his attention back to the cop, who was still fighting the lip twitch. That guy understood. Ross, not so much.

  “What is he charged with?”

  “Nothing,” the cop answered. “The pimp wasn’t looking to press charges.”

  “Nothing?” Ross waved his hand toward the police cruiser.

  “See, that’s what I said,” James grumbled as he reached for the door handle. “But my ass is still sitting in this car.”

  “Sit that ass back down.” Ross growled again.

  Come to think of it, Ross growled a lot whenever he was around James. Coincidence? Doubtful.

  “Bossy.”

  “Word is,” Officer Webb said, “if any of us come across a James Masterson to get a hold of you, Detective.” He adjusted his bulletproof vest.

  James knew how uncomfortable those things could be when the sun beat down on you.

  “What the fuck? You’re having me watched?” This time, James did open the door and step out. “What? Am I some kind of pet project of yours?”

  “More like penance for something heinous I must’ve done in a former life,” Ross ground out.

  This time Officer Webb couldn’t hold back. Laughing he said, “Okay, I can see you have this under control. Maybe you can get him to go in for stitches.”

  Shaking his head, the cop rounded his patrol car, got in, and drove away, his smile still in place.

  “Let’s go,” Ross ordered, making James bristle.

  “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

  James wasn’t in the mood for Ross’s shit today. He had already dealt with one bossy asshole and look where that got him. With a fight-bite gash from the knuckle of James’s index finger to the middle of the back of his hand, and a round of antibiotics in his future. He’d had enough for one day. Hell, the girl had even attacked
him after her pimp hit the ground. What the fuck was wrong with people?

  Was his tetanus shot up to date? Christ knew what germs and disease were floating around in that mouth filled with gold-capped teeth. James couldn’t help but wonder if the guy could get a refund from his dentist since most of his teeth were lying on the sidewalk. He doubted the teeth would remain on the sidewalk for long, even if the scavengers had to melt the teeth down for the gold.

  “What are you smiling about?” Ross asked.

  “Nothing. Thinking,” James answered. “See you around, Ross.”

  He made it two damn steps before Ross yelled, “Get your ass in my car before I turn you over my knee.”

  That stopped him in his tracks at the same time a thrill skated down his spine.

  “If you’re going to act like a child, then I’ll treat you like one,” Ross bit out. “Now get in the police car like a good little boy and let the nice police officer take you to the ER, where you might get a lollypop if you behave.”

  James was gob-smacked, and that didn’t happen often. He fought the smile, but for some reason—he knew why, but denial was working overtime—he walked up to the faded standard-issued Crown Vic, reached for the passenger door handle and pulled it open. Wedged between the door and seat—it must’ve slid in there the first time he got in and out of the car—was the polka-dotted canvas lunch bag, and it fell onto the sidewalk in front of him.

  James picked it up between his thumb and forefinger as if it might explode.

  “Getting in touch with your feminine side? Don’t get me wrong, you do you, but I never pictured you as a polka-dot kinda guy.”

  Damn, James was about to laugh. A smile and a laugh not only in one day, but minutes apart. The apocalypse was coming.

  “Toss it into the backseat,” Ross told him, without so much as a smirk.

  James did as he was told before getting into the passenger seat, but he was far from done. Curiosity had always been one of his many fatal flaws. As a kid, his father had whipped his back so many times, by the time James was ten, he’d hardly noticed the pain.