Second Time Around

By Fel Fern

Joel Wilson’s fallen off the deep end. He lost his job and he’s turned into a junkie. Joel didn’t think he could sink any lower until he offers to give his dealer a blowjob in exchange for a hit. Joel’s spared from the humiliation when the last man he ever wants to see again turns up with a badge and gun. Before Gage became the town sheriff, he was Joel’s first boyfriend. But gone is the boy Joel grew up with. This hard-eyed sheriff will throw him into a jail cell and leave him to rot—except he doesn’t. Gage believes Joel can be saved, but Joel has his doubts.

When Joel broke his heart ten years ago, Gage never thought he could ever forgive him. Seeing Joel turn into a prisoner of his own making, pierces Gage to a core. He knows all Joel needs is someone who believes in him. Someone who cares. Gage will be Joel’s silent guardian, his sentinel but Gage wants something else in return. No matter what happens, Joel’s body, heart, and soul will be his to keep.

Second Time Around is book 3 in the Black River Bend m/m instalove contemporary series. Each book in the series features a different couple and ends with a HEA.Joel Wilson’s fallen off the deep end. He lost his job and he’s turned into a junkie. Joel didn’t think he could sink any lower until he offers to give his dealer a blowjob in exchange for a hit. Joel’s spared from the humiliation when the last man he ever wants to see again turns up with a badge and gun. Before Gage became the town sheriff, he was Joel’s first boyfriend. But gone is the boy Joel grew up with. This hard-eyed sheriff will throw him into a jail cell and leave him to rot—except he doesn’t. Gage believes Joel can be saved, but Joel has his doubts.

When Joel broke his heart ten years ago, Gage never thought he could ever forgive him. Seeing Joel turn into a prisoner of his own making, pierces Gage to a core. He knows all Joel needs is someone who believes in him. Someone who cares. Gage will be Joel’s silent guardian, his sentinel but Gage wants something else in return. No matter what happens, Joel’s body, heart, and soul will be his to keep.

Second Time Around is book 3 in the Black River Bend m/m instalove contemporary series. Each book in the series features a different couple and ends with a HEA.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fern Publishing
• Release date: Oct 11, 2020

Fel Fern

Felicia loves writing sizzling MM romances.Join Felicia's VIP club and receive free books and bonus content: https://bit.ly/3hGLAkQ

Book preview

1

Sheriff Gage Starr eyed his half-empty beer bottle. One last drink, he told himself. Gage imposed a two-beer rule on himself every single night.

The last thing he wanted to do was spiral, become a slave to alcohol, and end up like his old man.

Long day? Asked Drake, the big and burly owner and bartender of the Lazy Dog.

You bet, Gage murmured.

He raised his bottle to Drake and took a long gulp. Gage didn’t look forward to returning home to his empty apartment.

He could go back to the station, get some work done but he promised his deputies he’d take a break. The town’s problems would still be there the next day.

Gage paid for his drink.

Take it easy, Drake said.

He looked at the bartender. He’d been coming to the Lazy Dog since his days at the police academy. Felt like a lifetime ago.

Drake had more grays to his dark brown hair now, although he kept in shape. Drake and his father used to be tight, he recalled.

On second thought, have you seen any suspicious characters hanging around the bar lately? He asked.

Gage gave the rest of the occupants in the bar a once-over.

There were only two establishments in town that served drinks. The Lazy Dog was the better bar by far and he wasn’t surprised the place was packed on a Friday night.

Country music played from an old jukebox speaker. Drake’s servers were busy going around tables, taking orders.

Gage recognized a couple of harmless old regulars, some tourists. He eyed a group of guys in their mid-late twenties hogging two tables in the back of the bar. Gage’s gaze lingered on Kyle Brown, the ringleader of the little gathering with extreme dislike.

Kyle and his rich friends always had run-ins with the law. Kyle’s father was the mayor, so the brat practically got away with everything.

Drake laughed, taking him by surprise. This bar attracts all kinds of people, Sheriff. You should know that.

Gage frowned. He did. The Lazy Dog wasn’t exactly located in the best neighborhood in Black River Bend.

Gage leaned closer to the bar. Kyle Brown giving you any trouble?

Drake shrugged. He and his buds have been hanging around here lately a lot. They’re assholes but they keep ordering drinks. Doesn’t seem like they’re doing anything illegal either.

In other words, Drake didn’t care what they were up to as long as they were paying customers. Gage tiredly rubbed at his eyes.

Work was just getting to him, that was all. Frustration welled up inside him. Times like these, Gage was sure he was the only one at the station who gave a damn about what happened to their town.

Drug-related crimes were up because there was a designer drug going around town that attracted youths. Gage and his deputies had a hard time tracing the drug back to its source.

The dealers they arrested kept their lips sealed shut. Whoever was running this particular operation was smart, extra careful, and certainly wielded enough power to keep his dealers loyal to him. In this town, money was power.

You’ve been working your ass off again, Gage. Time to let your deputies run the show for a couple of days. Head to your dad’s old cabin up in the woods. Unplug. Unwind, Drake said.

Like I could do that, he grumbled.

He looked over his shoulder. Kyle and his buddies were gone. Gage rose to his feet, mildly alarmed. He was being a little paranoid and he knew it.

Whatever. It didn’t hurt to do a little investigating.

Your dad was the same, Drake remarked.

He snapped his head towards the bartender. We’re nothing alike. That old bastard drank himself to an early grave.

Drake shook his head. There’s more to that story and you know it.

I don’t want to talk about him tonight. Thanks for the beer. He headed for the door.

A few of the regulars called out to him. Gage gave them a nod and exited the Lazy Dog. The fresh night air made it easier to breathe.

Gage should take Drake’s advice. Get away from town for a little bit.

What would stalking Kyle Brown and his pals lead to?

Probably nothing. He looked left and right of him. No sign of Kyle and his friends on the street. Maybe they’d gone off already. Gage walked past a dark alleyway on his way to his cruiser when he heard a voice.

Please…I need more. I’ll do anything to score a hit, murmured a pathetic and vaguely familiar voice.

Gage stopped in his tracks, his heart racing. It couldn’t be. His mind took him back to the past, to his high school days.

He pictured Joel Wilson sitting four seats across from him in history class, handsome and always grinning. His breathing turned shallow.

It had been what? Ten years since he last spoke to Joel, a decade since graduation. Joel left town without looking back, leaving Gage’s heart torn in pieces. Gage never quite forgave him.

No. It couldn’t be Joel. Joel hated this town. Joel always bragged about making it big in the city. For Joel, forgetting his roots was easy but it was the exact opposite for Gage.

Anything? You’re pathetic, Wilson, said Kyle’s cocky voice. You want this?

Yes. Please.

Joel sounded resigned. That wasn’t right. The Joel Gage knew had been arrogant, the life of any party. Well, Gage was never one to stray away from trouble.

He entered the alley and pulled his gun out of the holster. Gage had no intention to use it of course, but it would give Kyle and his buds a good scare.

Fine. You can pay the rest of what you owe me with a blow job. I hear you like giving out those.

A blowjob?

That’s right, Kyle said. Gage could almost imagine Kyle sneering. For all three of us.

Laughter erupted at those words.

Give me some pills first.

Only until we’re satisfied, Kyle was saying.

As he drew closer, he silently prayed whoever was at Kyle’s mercy wasn’t Joel but someone else. A stranger who didn’t know better than to