Taken Again: Taken Series, #2

By Cali MacKay and Julie Farrell

Sometimes letting go of your biggest secret is the only way to love again.

When Seth broke Carter’s heart ten years ago, Carter vowed it would never happen again. Carter has spent the last decade trying to get on with his life, but when Seth shows up, desperate for his help with a secret only Carter knows, Carter finds it hard to resist helping his former lover, even if Carter’s anger is still alive and well.

Rock star, Seth Black, has worked hard and made sacrifices to climb to the top of the music charts. Surrounded by adoring fans and living the life he’s always wanted, a dark secret from his past now refuses to let him enjoy his stardom and threatens his very life. Carter is the only person Seth has ever trusted with his secret and the only one he can turn to for help, but Seth burned that bridge when he screwed over Carter all those years ago on his rise to the top.

The last thing Carter wants in his life is more of Seth’s lies and betrayal, but with no one else to watch Seth’s back, Carter agrees to help him figure out who’s behind the threats. With Seth’s career and life on the line, can they overcome their heartache and anger, to leave behind their past and find a future together? Or will Seth’s secret destroy them both?

***This is a steamy M/M romance. Although part of a series, this book can easily be read as a standalone and has a happily ever after.***

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cali MacKay & Julie Farrell
• Release date: Dec 6, 2016
• ISBN: 9781940041483

Book preview

Table of Contents

It was almost as if the air in the bar shifted around me. Despite it being a packed Friday night, I immediately spotted Seth and my heart dropped, years of anger and betrayal surging through my soul. Are you fucking kidding me? What the fuck is he doing here?

I growled out the words, grabbing the baseball bat from behind the bar. I needed him gone. Needed him out of my life once and for all. Riding on a wave of fury, I stalked toward the guy who had shattered my heart and abandoned me.

I shoved Seth, my hands connecting hard with his muscular chest. You fucking asshole. Get the fuck out of my bar.

Carter...we need to talk. Seth did nothing to defend himself, an exhausted look of apology on his face, his soulful brown eyes pleading with me to listen. Please... just hear me out. This is important. I really need your help.

I don’t fucking care. You lost the right to my help when you chose your lies over me, and what we had together. Emotions I had long buried assaulted me, ripping open wounds that had never fully healed, even if I’d somehow mustered the strength to keep moving forward with my life. Yet despite the five years since I’d last seen him, I’d been unable to keep him from haunting my thoughts, making it impossible to truly move on.

Seth had been the only man I’d ever truly loved, and I’d never felt more betrayed by anyone, let alone the man I’d fallen in love with. Seeing him now, even after all these years, brought back a world of heartache, the sting just as sharp as it had been when he’d first shattered my heart.

Before Seth could argue with me, Jackson was at my side, stepping between us and taking up my fight. Sorry, but you need to take your ass out of here, before this gets ugly. You’re not welcome here after what you did to Carter.

I know that. And honestly, I didn’t come here looking for trouble. I just need to talk to Carter—and it can’t wait. Seth sounded rattled and desperate enough to have me wondering what the hell was going on, since he’d never been anything but cool and calm, unwilling to waiver from his rock star image—not that I cared.

I put a hand on Jackson’s arm to let him know I was okay, and had this under control. If anyone was going to throw Seth out, it’d be me. I’ve got this. He’s leaving the Goat—either under his own steam, or with my help.

Jackson stepped aside, though he didn’t go far, nor did he take his eyes off us as I stepped forward and grabbed Seth by his worn leather jacket, and hauled him toward the door, the patrons of the Goat all clearing the way. I ignored his pleas as I dragged him outside into the cold night and rid myself of him with a hard shove.

He spun to face me, still looking devastatingly handsome with his tousled dark hair, deep brown eyes, and new tats peeking out from under his t-shirt, trailing onto his neck. "Someone knows, Carter. Please...I’m not asking for a lot. I just need to talk to you."

Yeah, well, I’m fucking busy working for a living. And frankly, I don’t give a shit. That’s your problem to deal with now—or did you forget that you wanted nothing to do with me? I was too riled and rattled to wait for any sort of answer, fighting back the onslaught of emotions that rocked my soul, as I turned around and walked back into the Goat, leaving him on the sidewalk as he called my name.

Not that he was going anywhere.

At the end of the night, I found him leaning against my car, his long legs stretched out in front of him. I waved off Jackson and Nate, knowing they wouldn’t be happy that Seth was still lingering, and though they got in their car, they didn’t leave.

I shook my head, fighting back my hurt and anger, unlocking my car with shaking hands and pulling the door open. I thought I told you to fuck off, Seth. I want nothing to do with you, you fucking asshole.

"For fuck’s sake...I just want to talk to you. His London accent had yet to fade, despite having lived in the States a good ten years—and fuck, but it still made my cock go hard, even if he was a bastard. You must be starving after that long shift, and there’s got to be some twenty-four-hour place around here. I know how much you love breakfast at all hours of the night."

The fact that he remembered left me feeling rattled and vulnerable. And though I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, I couldn’t bring myself to do it, especially if he was here because of his secret. Knowing his past, I’d be a real asshole if I walked away without at least hearing him out. Get in the fucking car then. Pain in the ass.

His expression relaxed with relief as he climbed into my car, and I gave the boys a wave to let them know it was okay, so they wouldn’t be waiting around and worrying. I drove us out of town, toward the only diner still open this late at night, not a word spoken between us as the tension hung in the air, our past issues too big to ignore, despite our years apart.

I’m sorry, you know...I never meant to hurt you. The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard, though it did little to temper my hurt and anger with him.

Well, that’s just fucking brilliant then. I guess that makes it all better. I forced myself to focus on the road, my hands tight on the steering wheel as I gripped it to keep from throttling him. Because you’re clearly here to apologize, rather than because you need something. Fucking manipulative bastard.

Even if I’d come here to make amends, it’s not as if you’d accept my apology anyway. And it’s not like you want to see me, so what would be the point in coming here, knowing I’d only upset you? Believe it or not, that’s the last thing I want to do. But I’m desperate, so yeah...I’m here because I need your help and my life is on the line. He let out an exasperated sigh and ran a rough hand through his hair, the action at once so familiar.

Ignoring him, I pulled into the parking lot and walked toward the diner, leaving him to follow, without so much as a glance in his direction. Because he might be in trouble, but he’d still betrayed me.

Of course, I should have known better than to go anywhere in public with him. We’d barely sat down at our table when heads began to turn in our direction and a rumble of whispers started. I groaned, hating this, knowing exactly how it would play out, his adoring fans swarming him for autographs and pictures.

And I was in no fucking mood.

As Seth’s fans found the courage to approach him, I bit back my frustration, and waited it out, grateful that it was two in the morning and most of his fans were in bed. And being the constant performer that he was, his mood shifted to a carefree smile that lit up his eyes with a sultry soulfulness that even I had a hard time ignoring, which was exactly why Seth Black was so fucking dangerous to be around.

To his credit, he did his best to wrap things up quickly, before turning back to me. Sorry about that. You know what it’s like.

Yeah...all too well, which is why you’re no longer in my life. That wasn’t exactly the truth since we’d broken up for completely different reasons, but at the moment, I didn’t give a shit about the details. What the fuck do you want, Seth? Because my patience with you was razor-thin to begin with, and it’s only getting worse.

His mood was now dead serious, and the genuine fear in his eyes was a rare thing, which only spoke to how dire things were for him. Did you tell anyone?

My rage returned at the implied accusation. You’re a fucking asshole. How could you think I’d do something like that? I’m not the one who betrays people in this relationship—that honor is all yours.

He pulled out a letter and slid it across the table at me. Well, someone found out, and you’re the only other person who knows the truth.

I opened the letter to a mostly blank page, with just a single line typed across it.

I know what you did at Clearwater Lake.

Seth leaned forward across the table, keeping his voice to a whisper. It obviously has to do with David Cook.

I could see why Seth was so freaked out now. Is that it? They didn’t send anything else?

Seth took the note from me and folded it up. No...nothing. I don’t even know what they fucking want with me. I don’t know who they are...what they know... They’ve asked for no money, and the cops haven’t arrested me.

And you don’t have any clue as to who’s behind this? Because by the looks of it, Seth was screwed.

No...no clue at all. And that’s why I need your help. I’m begging you, if you ever felt anything for me, you won’t let me deal with this on my own.

And yet, that was exactly what I was going to do.

I knew Carter still hated me, and I understood why, but he was the only person who knew my secret—the only person I could trust, even though I’d hurt him. Yet I knew if I were the one in his shoes, I’d be walking away from me too. For fuck’s sake, say something, Carter.

There is nothing to say. I didn’t send this, I don’t know who did, and I don’t know how the hell I’m supposed to help you. Last I checked, I was a bartender, not Sherlock Holmes.

Do you always have to be so fucking sarcastic when this is serious? My life is on the line and you’re cracking jokes. If my secret got out, I could easily end up spending the rest of my life in jail, even though what happened was self-defense—not that anyone would believe that after all these years.

You don’t like it, there’s the door. Carter’s blue eyes glared at me with a fierce anger, reminding me of how much I’d hurt him. Walking away from him had been one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do, but my life had gotten complicated and the decisions I’d been forced to make had been far from easy. Yet being with Carter once again made me question the decision I’d made, leaving me to wonder—not for the first time—if it’d been a mistake.

I’m not going anywhere until— As the waitress brought us our menus, I stole a glance, taking Carter in, even as he glared at me fiercely with those intelligent blue eyes. His shoulders had broadened some, and his arms were now well-muscled, but he still had that lithe and agile build to him that reminded me that he’d once been the golden surfer boy I’d once fallen for.

His annoyance with me was written all over his normally jovial and easy-going face, and it killed me to know I was the cause. I wished I could erase all my wrongs and make things right between us once more, but I knew it would take a lot more than just my apologies.

After a quick look at the menu, we placed our order with the waitress, and once she’d gone, we were back to dealing with each other, the oppressive tension between us no better than it’d been at the start of this conversation.

I know you can’t forgive me, but I can’t do this on my own, Carter. I just need your help, and then I’ll be out of your life. If that’s what you really want. Because the truth of the matter was there’d been a gaping hole in my life since I’d cut Carter loose, and I wanted nothing more than to have him back, even though I was a long way from making amends.

His anger was replaced with an exhausted weariness that reminded me he’d been working all night. Even if I wanted to help you, I still don’t know how the hell I’m supposed to do that. So unless you can tell me what you want from me, you’re on your own because I don’t have the energy to play guessing games.

I need to find out who’s doing this, and I’m clueless when it comes to this sort of thing. Given what happened, I can’t tell anyone else the truth. So, I need you to be my sounding board and watch my back. Nothing more. Even though the moment I’d walked into that bar, I knew I wanted a whole lot more from him. I’ll pay you for your time. Whatever you want...whatever you need...just help me. Don’t let me go through this alone.

"You’re coming to me to watch your back? Carter’s anger seemed to soften. You’re really fucked, aren’t you? Fucked and desperate."

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