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starker-eternity · 5 years

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Going Once, Never Twice

So I’m sitting down, watching a favorite musical of mine and I’m hit with a Starker drabble idea... wow, I need help. In other words, you know you’re in trouble when everything starts prompting fics/drabbles... Trying to write a soft, fluffy piece and my mind runs away screaming...

Pairings: Starker with background Stucky, Phlint, Thorki, Brutasha

Warnings: AU, no powers, kidnapping, inference to non-con/rape, human trafficking, characters aged up, dark avengers

****

NEW YORK CITY

In the hallway of the building, the squeaky wheels of a cart could be heard as it was pushed by the closed doors. No one paid it any mind if they heard it, background noise as it was. As it neared its destination, music could be heard coming from behind the door that it stopped at. The European folk music that was playing completely covered the slight noise of a key being slid into the well-oiled lock and the door opening.

A young, auburn-haired woman was sitting on a couch in the living room, back to the opened door. She was humming along to the music playing as she was browsing on a Stark tablet.

All of a sudden, hands came into her vision before her face was covered with a sweet smelling white cloth. The woman struggled for a brief minute before her body went limp. A pair of strong, leather covered arms lifted the sleeping woman and deposited her body into the waiting cart. The music was turned off and the apartment was vacated, squeaking wheels echoing in the hallway.

****

STILL NEW YORK CITY

Ned laughed at MJ’s latest quip about Flash’s latest embarrassing debacle at Columbia University, the prestigious university that all three attended. Flash Thompson was one of their high school tormentors that unfortunately followed them to the same place for higher education. The guy was a Class A Douchebag, but he was sadly also intelligent. Luckily for them, he was too busy being a “small fish in the suddenly bigger pond” to give them much trouble.

As they passed a smaller newsstand, one of the dying breeds that sold physical papers, both young adults waved to Mr. Lee, the owner. Neither paid the loud headlines “HOW MANY MORE WILL GO MISSING?” from the local newspapers any attention.

Ned opened the door to their apartment building, The Priscilla, and was about to hold it open for M.J. when her raised eyebrow made him think better of it. Knowing her disdain for “gallant gestures”, even if they were more suited to be labeled “general politeness”, Ned rushed through the door and M.J. followed. Both automatically headed to the front desk to see if they had any mail waiting on them.

As they neared it, both noticed a young man standing at the desk, two medium sized suitcases and a back pack lying on the floor next to him. Ned took note that the man was a respectable height, with a head full of chestnut curls. His body seemed to be on the leaner side, but hard to tell as it was covered up by a shapeless tan sweater and baggy jeans. MJ was more interested in his non-descript luggage, trying to see if she could deduce where he was from without asking.

As both young adults stopped near him, the young male turned and gave them a shy smile. “ Hello,” he greeted, his voice light and cheery.

“Hi!”

“What’s up loser?”

The young man looked surprised by MJ’s caustic greeting, so Ned quickly rushed to assure him. “Don’t mind MJ, that’s how she greets everyone she doesn’t find currently offensive. It means she might like you if you don’t do anything incredibly stupid.”

The other man’s smile grew strained as he replied, “That’s both encouraging and terrifying really.”

MJ stared at him for half a minute before she gave a smirk and declared, “Cool. I’ve decided you can hang out with us. You know, if you want. I’m MJ.” She shook his hand briefly before turning her gaze on Ned.

“Oh! I’m Ned. MJ and I live on the 14th floor, apartments 1402 and 1404.”

Ned shook his hand as the brunette started to introduce himself. “Pleased to meet you, I’m Peter -“

“Here’s your ID back, Mr. Parker. Everything seems to be in order.”

Ms. Hill, the front desk manager, interrupted the introductions, coming back to the counter from the back room. In her hand was the aforementioned ID, which she handed back to Peter. As Peter busied himself with putting his card back into his wallet, Ms. Hill turned to Ned and MJ.

“Afternoon Mr. Leeds, Ms. Jones.”

“Afternoon,” they both chorused.

“I see you’ve already met Mr. Parker.” As they both nodded, she continued to state, “Excellent. He’s moving in today. Short notice, but lucky for him we had a vacancy. If he has any questions and can’t reach someone at the desk, he can ask either of you. Makes my job easier. He’s actually your neighbor as he’s leasing apartment 1403.”

Both Ned and MJ looked at each other in surprise. Ned spoke his thoughts first, “1403? Wasn’t that leased to Wanda Maximoff? She just moved in!”

Ms. Hill looked at Ned, a slightly annoyed look on her face. “Wanda Maximoff just moved out,” she replied. “Said something about missing Europe too much and not being able to handle Americans very well.”

“Wow,” MJ murmured. “She didn’t even give it a chance.”

Ned and MJ shrugged at each other while Peter stood by, his fidgeting fingers a clear indication that he was slightly uncomfortable. MJ looked back at Ms. Hill and asked, “Mail come yet?”

“Mail was delivered, always something for you two,” she said, even as she was leaving the counter to retrieve it.

Ned looked at Peter and explained, “Mail is delivered to the front desk everyday and the building staff sorts it for everyone. Since the desk is usually manned 24/7, you just ask for it.”

Ms. Hill came back and handed a few envelopes to MJ and several to Ned. “Looks like your mother wrote you, Ms. Jones and there seem to be several letters from Ms. Brant, Mr. Leeds.”

Ned blushed, but said, “Yeah, Betty’s on her 6 month Humanities Internship and has no access to email or WI-Fi. Snail mail is her only option. Luckily her handwriting is much better than mine.”

“You still have to send her replies, dork,” retorted MJ.

“Oh, that’s right,” Ned replied, his expression falling for a moment.

Ms. Hill shook her head slightly before looking at Peter. “Will you be receiving regular mail from family members or significant others, Mr. Parker?”

Peter smiled sadly at the older woman before shaking his head. “I don’t have anyone to write to me,” he explained. “My parents died when I was 6 and my aunt and uncle died last year. I don’t have any known family left.”

Ms. Hill’s gaze suddenly grew sharper at Peter’s words. Her body straighted and she suddenly seemed much more interested in the conversation. Peter noticed this immediately, but dismissed it as neither Ned nor MJ seemed to noticed. Ms. Hill looked him straight in the eye as a slightly creepy attempt at a sympathetic smile crossed her lips. “So sad to be all alone in the world,” she murmured.

Peter nodded and dropped his gaze from hers. He was uncomfortable, but didn’t want to insult the staff of his new landlord on the first day.

“Well, make sure to come to our social Friday night, Mr. Parker. I’m sure you’ll make dozens of new friends,” assured Ms. Hill.

“Yeah, and we’ll help introduce you to everyone on the 14th floor,” cheered Ned. The trio moved away from the desk, Peter moving to grab his suitcases and backpack. He followed the other two to the bank of elevators, a necessity in a high rise building.

“So the 14th floor? How many residents are there on the one floor?” Peter asked Ned as the trio waited for a lift to arrive.

“Actually it’s the 13th floor, but the complex was built by superstitious engineers. They didn’t want to label the floor with the unlucky number 13, so they skipped it and labeled it 14 instead.”

As the arriving elevator doors slid open, allowing the three to enter and began to close, MJ could be heard saying, “And according to urban myth, the hotel is actually built on an ancient burial ground. Some say they can...”

Maria Hill waited until the trio was definitely gone before she called out, “Jasper? Come man the desk. I’ve got to talk with Fury.”

****

MALIBU

Genius. Billionaire. Playboy. Philanthropist.

All tags that accurately described the 35 year old man that sat in the conference room, signing some digital paperwork. Impeccably groomed and well-dressed, Tony Stark was a man that exuded wealth and privilege. His genius was not a trait detectable with the naked eye, but anyone who owned a smart phone or tablet clearly held the results of just two pieces of his work. Of course he was a philanthropist, he had to constantly work on his public image. Not only for the good of his company, Stark Industries, but also so that nosy paparazzi didn’t focus on other things that went on in his life.

Playboy. Naturally his other titles encouraged every gold digger and fame seeking maniac to accost him. Men and women, he loved them all. But after almost two decades of flitting amongst the debutantes and trust fund babies, Tony was tired. He wanted to settle on a more permanent arrangement. Something similar to what his friends had. Alas, he hadn’t found “The One” yet.

His friends.

Tony looked around at the men and woman he chose to surround himself with. All with talents and gifts of their own, they had all combined their resources together to form Avengers Incorporated. AI was a company that just about had their fingers in every pot. Military weapons, espionage, technology, bio-engineering, pharmaceuticals... the list went on. Stark Industries was his legacy left to him by his father, but Avengers Incorpoated was his baby. And it was because of some of the work done by AI that the government and law enforcement turned a blind eye to darker activities that might cross their paperwork and desks concerning the founding members.

Tony cracked his neck before setting his tablet down and said, “Well, congrats to us, Gentlemen and Lady. We’ve just closed the deal that will net us an easy $500 million in profit.”

Smiles were shot his way as the others wrapped up their paperwork. “I think we deserve some R&R,” he declared. “Let’s escape to The Compound for a few weeks. Let Pepper and her team earn their ridiculous salaries and hold the fort down. Bring all of your partners.”

Natasha, a fiery red-head, gave Tony a sharp grin. “It’ll do Bruce some good to get out of his labs for a bit. He won’t admit it, but he’s getting stressed.”

Phil, head of AI’s legal legions smiled softly. “Clint’s been such a good boy lately, he deserves such a treat.”

Tony swiveled his head towards the other two men in the room. “How about it, Point Break? Buckaroo? Steve and Loki are the newest pets to the group. They good for an escape?”

Thor frowned, but he agreed, “Loki needs some discipline work. It would be good to get him isolated where I can devote my full attention to his conditioning.”

James, or Bucky to his friends, nodded his head. “Steve’s not completely there yet. It would do him good to interact with Bruce and Clint. See that it’s okay to surrender. Little punk keeps trying to test the boundaries,” he added, his tone fond despite his criticism.

Natasha turned to Tony, “What about you?”

Tony grinned at her, “ I’m sure I can find -”

Tony was interrupted by a chime coming from his phone. It was a chime that was echoed simultaneously by every cell phone in the conference room. The tone was unique, easily recognizable by everyone present. With raised eyebrows all around, each adult took out their phone and opened the text they all received.

AUCTION LOT 23-WM-PBP. 5 Min. Click link if interested.

Tony leaned back in his chair, even as he clicked on the provided link. He was prepared to be disappointed, as the last several dozen offerings had left him uninterested. As the link was loading, he noticed the others putting away their phones. Made sense, after all they had already won their auctions and had their prizes. No need to look anymore for them.

As the link opened on his phone, Tony took one look at the provided pictures and nearly fell out of his chair.

Perfection.

Clearly pictures lifted from an ID card and from a surveillance camera, the details were still captivating enough to knock the breath from him. Whisky-colored doe eyes stared up at him, almost teasing beneath a delightful mop of chestnut curls. Pale skin, complimented by smooth lips in an adorable grin, teased with a light brushing of freckles across an impish nose. A full body shot hinted at a lithe body, but gave no more tantalizing details.

Tony felt interest immediately spike in his lower regions, just from looking at those lips. He could already imagine those eyes filled with shining tears as those lips were wrapped around his cock. A red collar would look stunning around that pale neck. He eagerly absorbed the provided basic details.

AUCTION LOT 23-WM-PBP

23 year old Caucasian male.

Name: Peter Benjamin Parker

Status: Orphan

Current Location: New York City, USA

Height: 5’10”

Weight: approx 167lbs

Hair: brown

Eyes: hazel

Availability: immediately

Starting Bid: $100,000USD

Tony clicked on the provided link, which he knew from experience would redirect him to a secure server that housed the auction house, Black Noire. He was going to win this auction, no matter the price. And he was absolutely sure it was going to skyrocket.

As he waited the few precious minutes before the bidding frenzy went live, he glanced up at his friends. By now, they all had noticed he hadn’t put his phone away in disinterest, so their curiosity was piqued. He smirked, waggling his eyebrows, watching as delighted smiles crossed his friends’ faces.

Another soft chime echoed from his phone, indicating bidding was now open. As he confirmed his first of what he suspected would be many bids, Tony couldn’t help the already possessive chant going through his mind.

MINE.

#starker #fic drabble #kidnapping #human trafficking #dark avengers #inferenced non-con

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sweetsickcherry · 5 years

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my first starker fic

When Tony wakes up it’s to darkness and an instant punch of unease. As he opens his eyes, his vision swims in the low light. Immediately he feels his hands tied behind his back, the pinch of wire digging into his wrists, and a gnawing ache where his knees meet the hard floor. He grunts as blood drips into his eye from a cut on his forehead, a throbbing wound that makes his teeth grit.

The first thing he sees when his eyes finally regain focus is Quentin Beck sitting on his couch in front of him with a nude Peter Parker on his lap.

“Finally you’re awake.”

“Beck,” he spits, the pain in his head splitting him down the middle.

“That’s right. Honestly I thought you were going to miss all the fun. I guess it’s true what they say about how old men need their rest.”

He wants to retort, ask him what the fuck he’s going in his home, why he’s even here, but he needs to make sure Peter’s okay. He feels a lurch of dread when he sees how naked and vulnerable the boy is; how he’s nestled close on Beck’s lap like a china doll just taken out of its crinkled tissue.

It’s something he hasn’t felt since Titan. Since the boy became dust in his arms.

“Peter, are you okay? Look at me. Has he hurt you? If he’s put even a mark on you I’m going to fucking kill him. Peter, look at me right now.”

Desperation makes his voice hoarse, but no matter how much he talks Peter doesn’t respond. For the first time since Tony walked into his room that day in Queens, the boy doesn’t respond to a single word he says.

Tony shakes his head to clear it. Something else isn’t right here. Why isn’t Peter struggling? He could easily overpower Beck, so why isn’t he fighting him?

“What have you done to him?” he snarls at Beck, but the other man just smiles insidiously, stroking a hand through the soft waves on Peter’s head. The boy had been growing it out recently, and strands of it snag between Beck’s fingers.

Tony rakes his eyes over Peter, needs to find if he’s bound or gagged. If he sees so much as one scratch, he’ll go berserk. But he quickly realizes that Peter isn’t bound at all. And he isn’t struggling, despite being stripped and put on display.

Instead he sits serenely on Beck’s lap, gently stroking his tiny hand down the man’s chest as he gazes at Tony with a dazed, faraway expression.

Drugs and enchantment. He knows Beck fucks with both. But he doesn’t know which one has turned Peter into this dreamlike thing. This star-white nymph letting himself be pet. Let himself be moved around like a boy doll.

And what a vision he is.

In the low light cast around the room the boy is something exquisite. His dark eyes are almost black, his pale skin glistening against the golden glow. He sits sideways on Beck’s lap, covering most of his nakedness like a shy debutante, and in this moment he’s the most gorgeous thing Tony’s ever seen.

Beck sees him looking and laughs, making shame roil through Tony. He tears his eyes away.

“Isn’t he beautiful, Stark? Drink him in.”

“You bastard,” he breathes, fury setting his voice on fire. “Get your fucking hands off him.”

Beck tuts at him quietly. “So rude.”

Peter looks drugged to the nines, eyes hooded and cheeks flushed. At Tony’s harsh tone he cuddles closer into Beck, curling his arms around the man’s chest. Watching it makes Tony’s lips curl up in a grimace, like a wolf about to bite.

“Peter, listen to me,” he growls, putting on the cruelest voice he’s ever used with the boy. “Get your ass in gear and off that prick’s lap right now.”

The harsh demand makes Peter twitch. He stiffens slightly in the circle of Beck’s arms, like he’s about to break through a dream, but he melts into him again as the bastard coos against the delicate shell of his ear.

“Don’t listen to the bad man, baby. You know he’s full of lies.”

Tony grits his teeth. He wants to break every one of Beck’s fingers that slide over Peter’s skin, wants to crack the jaw that whispers into his ear, and watch his blood run in streams across the floor.

“You sick fuck, he’s only sixteen.”

“That didn’t stop you from thinking about him though, did it?”

The breath catches in Tony’s throat.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Becks just tsks at him like he’s a naughty child.

“You don’t need to pretend in such intimate company.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

Beck gives Tony a sly grin over the top of Peter’s head, like he knows the punch line to the world’s best joke.

“He’s the sweetest little thing, Stark. Can’t believe you’ve been hoarding him to yourself this entire time and never even had a taste.”

“You fucking bastard, when I get out of this I’m going to rip you apart and feed you to my drones, I swear to god.”

“He told me everything you know,” Beck says, ignoring him. He cards a lazy hard down Peter’s neck and across his throat, the glint of Peter’s skin luminous against the dark hair on the back of Beck’s arm.

“He told me about his hopeless crush, how he’s been in love with you since he was 14 years old. Since the moment you turned up in his bedroom in Queens.”

The memories are poisonous on Beck’s tongue. And each one cuts Tony like a knife.

“He thought when he was bitten by that spider that he was made for you. That you were going to whisk him away and make him your bride. And while you’re out saving the world, he’s at home touching himself and thinking about you every night, crying into his pillow as he jacks his little dick.”

Tony’s so shocked his words die in his mouth.

Beck laughs at his reaction, a vicious humiliating sound.

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask him yourself.” He forces the boy’s chin up with a cruel twist of his fingers. “Pete, is everything I’ve said true? It’s okay, you can use your words. Look at the bad old man and tell him.”

Peter meets Tony’s eyes and the breathy “yes” that slips past his lips shatters him into a million pieces.

“And when he came to you, you rejected him. Made him feel like a freak,” Beck mocks, eyes theatrically wide.

“That’s not what happened! Peter, don’t listen to him.”

It’s true, the boy had come to him. So shyly at the compound, twisting his fingers into his lap, his pink mouth a worried knot. He had finally murmured, Mr Stark I have feelings for you, eyes shining, and Tony had turned him away. The boy was 16 and confused. He didn’t know what Tony would have done to him, how fast Peter should have turned and run as soon as they had met.

“Peter-”

“You didn’t want me, Mr Stark,” Peter breathes, a sob caught in the back of his throat. “Mr Beck does.”

“That’s right, Peter. I want you. Are you going to show me how much you want me too?”

Beck’s fingers move to Peter’s cheek, nails denting the peach-soft skin, and Tony vows to rip each one out with a crowbar when he’s free.

“Look at me, sweet boy,” Beck says.

Peter does, so earnestly, and Tony thinks about all the times he followed him without a second thought. Like he so desperately needed Tony to guide him, to put a firm hand on him and put him in his place.

“Why don’t we show Mr Stark exactly what he’s been missing?

Beck tilts the boy’s face towards him and the kiss hits Tony in the gut before their lips even meet. How sweetly Peter leans into him, how his pink mouth dimples against Beck’s lips.

Jealousy rips through Tony, so sudden and fierce he feels like he might have a heart attack.

He watches, frozen, as Peter obediently opens himself up for Beck, allowing the man to shove his tongue into his mouth. He whimpers against the onslaught, and the sound he makes burns its way through Tony.

Beck’s arms crush him against his chest, and Peter just moans. As the kiss deepens, Peter tips his head back and lets his mouth be devoured, a shining strand of saliva dripping down his chin.

The kiss goes on for several moments, and Tony can either watch, with a front row seat to Beck licking his way brutally into Peter’s mouth, or look away and listen to the wet slick noises of their lips instead.

Beck breaks the kiss finally, leaving Peter a panting mess against him. Peter chases his mouth again, and Tony tries not to look at the area around Peter’s mouth that’s scratched pink from the stubble on Beck’s jaw. Tries to focus on getting out of the wire and not the plump flesh where Peter’s backside meets Beck’s thigh. Not the way he whimpers. Or how small he is.

Despair claws through Tony. And he thinks for the first time in his life he might let himself beg.

“Please stop. Please just let him go. I’ll do anything you want, just let the boy go.”

His stomach sinks as Beck’s smile just gets wider, as Peter peppers small kisses down the side of his jaw.

“Oh Stark,” Beck says, “we haven’t even started yet.”

#starker #starkerfic #tony x peter #beck x peter #my first starker fic #poor peter baby #just love that peter whump #and creepy mysterio #and jealous tony #honestly the holy trinity #have been cooking this up since seeing FFH #i might write more to this #but i have so many ficlets in my drafts #spiderio

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papagenesblues · 6 years

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when ur texan boyfriend (NO HOMO THO) tries to kiss some british mouse lookin ass bitch so u get jealous

#the monkees #micky dolenz #mike nesmith #davy jones #the monkees tv show #one man shy (peter and the debutante)

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lgbtqiahistoricalromance · 5 years

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LGBTQIA+ Historical Romances For Fools in Love - “We are are all fools in love.” - *Charlotte Lucas in Pride and Prejudice

HEA novels with MCs going against their "better" judgment for love, second chance romances, and healing hearts.

Invitation to the Dance by Tamara Allen

- After trading his tranquil Staten Island existence for a flat in the city and an editorial position at the New York Herald, William Nesmith anticipates as easy and uneventful a transition from bachelorhood to marriage—as soon as he's prepared to ask the vivacious Violet Chapin for her hand. Though Violet longs to climb the social ladder Will scorns, she seems willing to wait for him—and wait she must, for Will intends to make his way without the assistance of Violet's well-to-do connections. Whether that's a vow he can keep comes into question when he runs afoul of Charlie Kohlbeck, a capricious reporter with a keen eye for a story and the flexible ethics to dig up any secret, whether hidden in Manhattan's darkest corners or the grand marble halls of its social elite. When Will is ordered to work with him so they'll come to better appreciate each other's talents, Charlie takes him along on the hunt for an interview with the elusive Lord Belcourt. It's a meeting every reporter in town is after, but Charlie gains an audience by introducing Will as one of the wealthy California Nesmiths—a lie that sets Will on a path up the social ladder at a speed no respectable gentleman could stomach. Offered his own society column if he prolongs the charade, Will wants nothing more than to escape the bevy of eager debutantes on his trail and make peace with a very vexed Violet. But when he helps a shy heiress menaced by swindlers, he's caught in a tangled web turned dangerous and must put his faith in Charlie Kohlbeck—who may possibly prove the one road to ruin Will is defenseless to resist.

Downtime by Tamara and James Allen

- On assignment in London, FBI Agent Morgan Nash finds himself moments away from a bullet through the heart when the case he's working goes awry. But fate has other plans, he discovers when he wakes in a world far removed from his own. At work cataloguing ancient manuscripts in the British Museum, Ezra Glacenbie inadvertently creates the magic that pulls Morgan out of the twenty-first century and into the nineteenth. It's an impromptu vacation which may become permanent when the spellbook goes missing. Further upsetting Morgan's search for a way home is the irresistible temptation to investigate the most notorious crime of the nineteenth century. But it's the unexpected romance blossoming between Morgan and Ezra that becomes the most dangerous complication of all.

False Colors by Alex Beecroft

- 1762, The Georgian Age of Sail: For his first command, John Cavendish is given a ship—the HMS Meteor—and a crew, both in need of repair and discipline. He’s determined to make a success of their first mission, and hopes the well-liked lieutenant Aelfstan Donwell will stand by his side as he leads his new crew into battle: stopping the slave trade off the coast of Algiers.

Alfie knows their mission is futile, and that their superiors back in England will use the demise of this crew as impetus for war with the Ottoman Empire. But the darker secret he keeps is his growing attraction for his commanding officer—a secret punishable by death.

With the arrival of his former captain—and lover—on the scene of the disastrous mission, Alfie is torn between the security of his past and the uncertain promise of a future with the straight-laced John.

Against a backdrop of war, intrigue, and personal betrayal, the high seas will carry these men through dangerous waters from England to Africa to the West Indies in search of a safe harbor.

Provoked by Joanna Chambers (Enlightened Book One) and Beguiled (Book Two)

- Tormented by his forbidden desires for other men and the painful memories of the childhood friend he once loved, lawyer David Lauriston tries to maintain a celibate existence while he forges his reputation in Edinburgh’s privileged legal world. But then, into his repressed and orderly life, bursts Lord Murdo Balfour. Cynical, hedonistic and utterly unapologetic, Murdo could not be less like David. And as appalled as David is by Murdo’s unrepentant self-interest, he cannot resist the man’s sway. Murdo tempts and provokes David in equal measure, forcing him to acknowledge his physical desires. But Murdo is not the only man distracting David from his work. Euan MacLennan, the brother of a convicted radical David once represented, approaches David to beg him for help. Euan is searching for the government agent who sent his brother to Australia on a convict ship, and other radicals to the gallows. Despite knowing it may damage his career, David cannot turn Euan away. As their search progresses, it begins to look as though the trail may lead to none other than Lord Murdo Balfour, and David has to wonder whether it’s possible Murdo could be more than he seems. Is he really just a bored aristocrat, amusing himself at David’s expense, or could he be the agent provocateur responsible for the fate of Peter MacLennan and the other radicals?

Band Sinister by KJ Charles

- Sir Philip Rookwood is the disgrace of the county. He’s a rake and an atheist, and the rumours about his hellfire club, the Murder, can only be spoken in whispers. (Orgies. It’s orgies.) Guy Frisby and his sister Amanda live in rural seclusion after a family scandal. But when Amanda breaks her leg in a riding accident, she’s forced to recuperate at Rookwood Hall, where Sir Philip is hosting the Murder. Guy rushes to protect her, but the Murder aren’t what he expects. They’re educated, fascinating people, and the notorious Sir Philip turns out to be charming, kind—and dangerously attractive. In this private space where anything goes, the longings Guy has stifled all his life are impossible to resist...and so is Philip. But all too soon the rural rumour mill threatens both Guy and Amanda. The innocent country gentleman has lost his heart to the bastard baronet—but does he dare lose his reputation too?

Jackdaw by KJ Charles

- If you stop running, you fall. Jonah Pastern is a magician, a liar, a windwalker, a professional thief…and for six months, he was the love of police constable Ben Spenser’s life. Until his betrayal left Ben jailed, ruined, alone, and looking for revenge. Ben is determined to make Jonah pay. But he can’t seem to forget what they once shared, and Jonah refuses to let him. Soon Ben is entangled in Jonah’s chaotic existence all over again, and they’re running together—from the police, the justiciary, and some dangerous people with a lethal grudge against them. Threatened on all sides by betrayals, secrets, and the laws of the land, can they find a way to live and love before the past catches up with them? Warning: Contains a policeman who should know better, a thief who may never learn, Victorian morals, heated encounters, and a very annoyed Stephen Day.

Her Hardest Choice by Jesalin Creswell (f/f!)

- Lady Vivian is tired of grieving her husband and tries to move on with her life. It isn’t long before she meets a younger woman, Millie, who knows what she wants and goes after it. But, Lady Vivian is unsure how to proceed, because she knows how much she’ll be giving up if she chooses to love Millie.

The Gentleman’s Keeper by Summer Devon

- Confronting the darkness of his past, Gerard finds the light of his future. When an orphan bearing the unmistakable stamp of his family's features shows up at his country estate, Everett Gerard, who has successfully avoided his ancestral estate for years, must return to the Abbey. But unexpected surprises and delights await him in a place he'd loathed since a terrible incident he'd witnessed years before. Miles Kenway is content in his role as the Abbey’s bailiff, until his even-keeled life is disrupted by the arrival of a bastard child dumped on his doorstep. Miles’s anger at Gerard’s negligence of both estate and child erupts when servant and master meet in person for the first time. Heated arguments about the land and the orphan’s future only mask their intense and growing attraction--but giving into desire threatens to destroy the delicate balance of master and servant. Just as the wild lad has come to trust his new caretakers, his security with them is thrown into peril. Can the two men who’ve come to love the odd boy find a way to protect him and create a home?

Heat Stroke by Taylor V Donovan

- At twenty-one years old, Richard Lewis Bancroft was on the fast track to fame and fortune. An award-winning start on the Broadway stage led him to the silver screens of Hollywood, where his star began to rise, and his heart fell hard for professional baseball sensation, Manuel Guzman. But there was no script for living out loud with the man of his dreams in the world of 1964. Then Richard disappeared without a trace. Forty years later, Michael Spencer discovered a journal in his grandmother's attic that would change his life forever, and quite possibly, solve the mysterious disappearance of Richard Lewis Bancroft.

Unchained by Ainsley Gray (On the darkside...)

- If he takes their life, they can never truly leave. That's the mantra Noah Wilmington has lived by for years. He picks up whores and deviants from the local taverns, enjoys their company for an evening...and then hides their bodies in the woods. Edward Yorke has approached the same man in the same public house time and again, never deterred by the cool dismissal he receives. There's something about Noah that calls to him. A shared pain, a shared sadness... But Noah doesn't trust himself. It's too risky to permit someone too close, and Edward is the one person in the world whose life Noah wants to spare. So, every time Edward has asked to buy him a drink, Noah declines. Then one night, out of sheer loneliness, that "no" becomes a "yes." When Edward's night with him sheds light on some of Noah's dark secrets, Noah cannot simply let him walk out the door. But if he doesn't want Edward dead, and he can't let him leave, only one option really remains...

The Replacement Husband by Eliot Grayson

- Goddess-blessed Owen Honeyfield is destined to enjoy perfect good fortune, and the arrival of handsome and eligible Tom Drake in his country town appears to be just the latest manifestation. Tom’s proposal is the fulfillment of Owen’s desires, but Owen is left heartbroken and at the mercy of Arthur, Tom’s disapproving elder brother, when his betrothal takes a disastrous turn. His reputation ruined and his bright future shattered, Owen must choose between loneliness and practicality. Arthur Drake has taken responsibility for Tom’s scandalous behavior all their lives. He doesn’t think much of his brother's engagement, knowing that even Owen’s sweetness won’t be enough to influence Tom for the better. When Tom’s impulsive selfishness threatens to ruin the lives of everyone involved, Arthur has only one honorable choice. He'll need to repair the damage Tom has done and fight for his own happiness, knowing all the while he may never be able to take Tom’s place in Owen’s heart.

A Dangerous Love by Olivia Hampton (f/f!)

- Renee Harding fought hard to get off her family’s red clay dirt farm, and no way is she ever going back. She’s settled into bustling Meeks, Alabama and into her job as a schoolteacher.

She’s sure that she has everything she could ever want: a job, a pretty little cottage all to herself and enough money to pay her bills with a little left over. Independence. Freedom. Everything a modern young woman could want.

Amelia swore she’d never return to her hometown of Meeks, Alabama. Why would she? The scandal that rocked her world and left her life forever changed also changed her as a person, and the memories of that terrible time in her life still linger.

But she’s tired of running, and tired of not having a real home. She’s back and she’s just purchased the worst, most run-down house in Meeks. It’s a crazy decision, but it feels right.

Two women. One forbidden love.

And a town filled with shattering secrets, secrets that could destroy both Amelia and Renee forever.

Lover’s Knot by Donald Hardy (Another darkside novel...)

- Jonathan Williams has inherited Trevaglan Farm from a distant relative. With his best friend, Alayne, in tow, Jonathan returns to the estate to take possession, meet the current staff, and generally learn what it’s like to live as the landed gentry now. He’d only been there once before, fourteen years earlier. But that was a different time, he’s a different person now, determined to put that experience out of his mind and his heart….The locals agree that Jonathan is indeed different from the lost young man he was that long ago summer, when he arrived at the farm for a stay after his mother died. Back then the hot summer days were filled with sunshine, the nearby ocean, and a new friend, Nat. Jonathan and the farmhand had quickly grown close, Jonathan needing comfort in the wake of his grief, and Nat basking in the peace and love he didn’t have at home. But that was also a summer of rumors and strange happenings in the surrounding countryside, romantic triangles and wronged lovers. Tempers would flare like a summer lightning storm, and ebb just as quickly. By the summer’s end, one young man was dead, and another haunted for life. Now Jonathan is determined to start anew. Until he starts seeing the ghost of his former friend everywhere he looks. Until mementos of that summer idyll reappear. Until Alayne’s life is in danger. Until the town’s resident witch tells Jonathan that ghosts are real. And this one is tied to Jonathan unto death…

Diplomatic Relations by JL Langley

- Dalton Fairfax, Lord Ashbourne, has always flaunted the rules of Regelence high society. Despite being the heir to the Marquess of Ravensburg, and cousin to the Townsend princes, Dalton found his calling in the military, first in the Intergalactic Navy and now the Regelence Special Regiment. Finally home, and in the same city as the parents he seeks to avoid, Dalton jumps at the chance to help his planet by taking on the role of bodyguard to the heir of the Duke of Eversleigh.

Blaise Thompson, Viscount Redding, strives to prove himself worthy of carrying on the Eversleigh legacy as the next Regelence IN council member. Maintaining his stellar reputation isn’t easy for Blaise, especially while keeping his outrageous younger brother in line and foiling his rival’s personal attacks. Ever conscious of living up to his responsibilities, Blaise has no time for romance, not even with a lusty special forces soldier.

But opposites don’t just attract… they sizzle. And when the only way to stop a scandal that threatens them both is to compromise their principles, Blaise and Dalton are forced to confront the risk of losing everything… even each other.

Snowball in Hell by Josh Lanyon (Doyle and Spain Book One)

- Los Angeles, 1943

Reporter Nathan Doyle had his reasons to want Phil Arlen dead, but when he sees the man's body pulled from the La Brea tar pit, he knows he'll be the prime suspect. He also knows that his life won't stand up to intense police scrutiny, so he sets out to crack the case himself. Lieutenant Matthew Spain's official inquiries soon lead him to believe that Nathan knows more than he's saying. But that's not the only reason Matt takes notice of the handsome journalist. Matt's been drawn to men before, but he must hide his true feelings—or risk his entire career. As Nathan digs deeper, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay one step ahead of Matt Spain—and to deny his intense attraction to him. Nathan's secrets may not include murder, but has his hunt put him right in the path of the real killer?

As Meat Loves Salt by Maria McCann (Warning, this is the dark side of the madness...)

- In the seventeenth century, the English Revolution is under way. The nation, seething with religious and political discontent, has erupted into violence and terror. Jacob Cullen and his fellow soldiers dream of rebuilding their lives when the fighting is over. But the shattering events of war will overtake them.

A darkly erotic tale of passion and obsession, As Meat Loves Salt is a gripping portrait of England beset by war. It is also a moving portrait of a man on the brink of madness. Hailed as a masterpiece, this is a novel by a most original new voice in fiction.

The Gentleman and the Lamplighter by Summer Devon (This novella is so sweet, because in their own ways, both MCs are widowers, and heal when they find each other.)

- You Can’t Walk Away from Love. Destroyed by the death of his former schoolmate yet unable to show it publicly, Giles Fullerton has taken to walking the streets of London in the middle of the night, the only time he can safely mourn the only person he’s ever loved–until one chance meeting with a lamplighter changes everything….

But You Can Walk Toward It… Widower John Banks knows a thing or two about grief, and immediately recognizes a kindred spirit when he finally meets the handsome, haunted gentleman he’s admired from afar. And in fact, the two men discover shared passions and the possibility of a forever love–if they can overcome social taboos, and their own fears….

The Two Lords of Wealdhant Manor by Katherine Marlowe

- Algernon Clarke risked everything investing in new technologies, but the collapse of his investments has brought him to the brink of ruin. Just when he thinks debtor’s prison is inevitable, he receives a visit from Mr. Sutton, railway solicitor, with paperwork to indicate that Algernon is the long-lost heir of Wealdhant Manor. The railway needs a portion of Wealdhant lands in order to lay their locomotive tracks, and Algernon is in no position to look a gift horse in the mouth. He accepts the inheritance at once, heading off to settle the railway’s affairs.

The situation he finds in distant Lincolnshire is far more complex than he was led to believe, and Algernon is soon at odds with the gruffly handsome groundskeeper whom the village folk refer to as “Lord Jasper.” As the railway’s deadline approaches, Algernon struggles to forge an alliance with Jasper Waltham, to protect the people of the village, and to make peace with the restless ghosts of Wealdhant Manor. Clean romance, no cheating, standalone novel.

A Scot’s Surrender by Lily Maxton (The Townsends Book Three)

- When his brother leaves him in charge of Llynmore Castle, Robert Townsend is determined to make everything go smoothly. What does it matter if he's inexplicably drawn to Ian Cameron, the estate’s stoic steward? Robert is sure he can ignore the way the Highlander's apparent dislike of him gets under his skin. They'll muddle along just fine so long as they avoid one another. An excellent plan…until a fire forces Ian into the castle—and Robert's personal space.

Ian Cameron has worked for everything he owns, unlike spoiled Robert Townsend. And he may not have friends, but he has the Highlands and the stars, and what more could he really need? But when a guest's stolen possession appears in his room, he doesn't have much choice but to admit to the handsome and aggravatingly charming Townsend brother that he needs help. To solve this mystery, they'll have to put aside their differences. And as Ian learns more about Robert, he'll have to guard his heart…or it may be the next thing stolen.

The Heat of the Moment by Ruby Moone

- Milo Callan is convinced the disease that ravaged his legs and left him in a wheelchair as a child has damaged something inside him because, as he grows to adulthood, he only becomes aroused by men. His secluded life means he’s convinced he is alone in this until the day Robert Grange, his temporary valet, rescues him from his life inside and takes him into the summer heat, changing his life forever beneath the shade of an ancient tree.

Overwhelmed, confused, and helplessly in love, Milo struggles to deal with his feelings and pushes Robert away time after time.

When Robert can bear it no longer, he decides to leave. Beside himself with grief, can Milo find the strength to believe in himself and accept their love? Will he be able to convince Robert to stay, or has he pushed Robert away for the last time?

Mask of the Highwaywoman by Niamh Murphy (f/f!)

- Evelyn Thackeray, the spirited daughter of a wealthy aristocrat, is en route to meet her future husband, when a gang of vicious outlaws attacks her stagecoach. In spite of Evelyn’s terror, she is intrigued by the leader of the gang, a beautiful Highwaywoman called Bess. Increasingly entranced by Bess and the prospect of adventure, Evelyn puts up little resistance when she is kidnapped. However, she begins to suspect there is a lot more to her captor than she initially thought and what started as a light-hearted escapade rapidly turns into a desperate escape and a frantic struggle for survival.

Hold Fast by Sebastian Nothwell

- Morgan Turner, agent to the Winthrop estate, owes everything to his benefactor. When the late baronet’s will tasks him with finding the lost heir and making a gentleman of him, he is determined to succeed. Thirteen years ago, Evelyn Winthrop ran away to sea. Now that his hated patriarch is dead, the ancestral home he returns to is more shadowed than what he left behind. Ungrateful relations and old friends alike tie a knot of scandal and depravity only a sailor could hope to unravel. And all the while, the siren song of the sea calls him to return at the first opportunity. Neither man anticipated forming more tender attachments. To Evelyn, his unexpectedly handsome agent is the only thing anchoring him to shore. He sees a captain’s soul within Morgan, and his heart is caught upon the hook of command—if only Morgan would return his affections. To Morgan, his new employer’s charms threaten to tear down the thorns that have grown around his heart—thorns he cultivated to restrain his unnatural instincts. When the estate and all who live there are threatened by a maelstrom of bitter secrets and sinister plots, it is down to Morgan to take command, down to Evelyn to hold fast, and down to them both to navigate their own treacherous sea.

Madcap Masquerade by Persephone Roth

- The Randwick family is as noble as any but lives in greatly reduced circumstances. When Loel Woodbine, Duke of Marche and heir to three fortunes, makes an offer for Miss Valeria Randwick's hand, it seems like a godsend, but the young lady has already promised her heart to another-and a commoner, at that. Desperate to avoid the marriage, Valeria concocts a wild scheme that depends upon the good graces of her monastery-raised brother, Valentine. When the prospective groom sees through the ruse, he surprises Valentine by agreeing to cooperate. But can Marche and Valentine fool London society while dealing with an accusation of murder and the distracting fascination between them?

It Takes Two to Tumble by Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks Book One)

- Some of Ben Sedgwick’s favorite things:

Helping his poor parishioners

Baby animals

Shamelessly flirting with the handsome Captain Phillip Dacre

After an unconventional upbringing, Ben is perfectly content with the quiet, predictable life of a country vicar, free of strife or turmoil. When he’s asked to look after an absent naval captain’s three wild children, he reluctantly agrees, but instantly falls for the hellions. And when their stern but gloriously handsome father arrives, Ben is tempted in ways that make him doubt everything.

Some of Phillip Dacre’s favorite things:

His ship

People doing precisely as they're told

Touching the irresistible vicar at every opportunity

Phillip can’t wait to leave England’s shores and be back on his ship, away from the grief that haunts him. But his children have driven off a succession of governesses and tutors and he must set things right. The unexpected presence of the cheerful, adorable vicar sets his world on its head and now he can’t seem to live without Ben’s winning smiles or devastating kisses.In the midst of runaway children, a plot to blackmail Ben’s family, and torturous nights of pleasure, Ben and Phillip must decide if a safe life is worth losing the one thing that makes them come alive.

False Engagement by Hollis Shiloh (Marrying Men Book One)

- Vander and Michael loved one another once. Now, Vander is back from a long time at sea, getting his estate in order, and Michael is on the hunt for a rich husband so he can avoid debtor's prison. But when a severe social faux pas leads to a false engagement between the two, there is a great deal at stake. Desperate and sarcastic Michael and severe, far from wealthy Vander find their options closing in and their time running out. Certainly, falling in love again would be a mistake beyond the pale.

Smoke & Mirrors by Vesper St. Clair (Gilded LilysBook One)

- 1920s New York: A mobster and a medium, thrown together by tragedy, struggle to escape violence and their own troubled pasts – but they can’t escape what’s growing between them. After his brother was killed on his watch, mob enforcer Frank Valdea knows exactly what it’s like to be haunted. But that doesn’t mean he actually believes in ghosts, no matter how much some blue-eyed, silver-tongued – and incredibly sexy – con artist calling himself the Illusive Kasimir seems to know about his past. Frank is less than thrilled when his boss, the head of the Brunetti crime family, insists on wasting his money and time with a so-called medium. But after a brutal attack during a séance leaves his boss dead, he finds himself stuck with the disturbingly attractive Kasimir as they’re forced together on the run from unknown assailants. The last thing Frank needs is another doomed love affair with a man he can’t trust. Especially since he’s been tasked with hunting down whoever ordered the hit on his boss. But now, to salvage the Brunetti family – and his own broken heart – he’ll have to take a chance on Kasimir, and hope the man can exorcise more than just his ghosts.

Broken Blades by Aleksandr Voinov and LA Witt

- They only had one night together—a stolen interlude at the 1936 Olympics. After Mark Driscoll challenged Armin Truchsess von Kardenberg to a good-natured fencing match, there was no resisting each other. Though from different worlds—an Iowa farm boy and a German aristocrat—they were immediately drawn together, and it was an encounter neither has ever forgotten. Now it’s 1944, and a plane crash in hostile territory throws them back together, but on opposite sides of a seemingly endless war. Facing each other as opponents is one thing. As enemies, another thing entirely. And to make matters worse, Mark is a POW, held in a cold, remote castle in Germany … in a camp run by Armin. They aren’t the young athletes they were back then. The war has taken much from them, leaving both gray beyond their years, shell-shocked, and battered. The connection they had back then is still alive and well, though, and from the moment Mark arrives, they’re fencing again—advancing, retreating, testing defenses. Have they been given a second chance? Or have time and a brutal war broken both of them beyond repair?

* To this day, I still think Charlotte was in love with Lizzie...

#historical romance #lgbt romance #m/m romance #f/f romance

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