Rating: 4.5 Stars

Publisher: Jacki James

Genre: Gay Romance

Tags: Contemporary, Daddy Kink (Daddy/boy), Opposites Attract, Romance, Series

TW: Talk of past physical abuse and sex trafficking. 

Length: 333 Pages

Reviewer: Cindi

Purchase At: Amazon

Blurb –

At six foot four, muscles for days, and a take charge attitude, Duncan Hawkins is exactly my type and everything I’ve sworn to avoid… So when I find myself in trouble, why is he my first call?

Mika has run before—first from trouble at home, then from an abusive ex.

For the past two years, he’s built a quiet, safe life in Vesper, Texas, determined to never run again. But when his past comes knocking, he needs protection. And there’s only one man he trusts to keep him safe—Hawk.

Hawk is ex-military, a seasoned bodyguard, and the very type that man Mika has spent years avoiding—big, tough, and in charge. Exactly his type. Exactly the kind of man who once broke him.

But Hawk is different. He’s protective, patient, and unwavering in his promise to stand between Mika and danger. As Hawk teaches Mika to fight back—both in his self-defense classes and in life—sparks fly.

But trusting a man like Hawk means risking everything, including his heart. And with his ex growing more dangerous by the day, Mika must keep running, or stand and fight—with Hawk by his side.

Review –

Mika and Hawk were introduced in the Station 69 series that I recently read, but I honestly didn’t even think about that when I downloaded the book. I got an Amazon notification saying Jacki James had a new book out, so I got it. Only then did it click that it’s Mika and Hawk’s story. While I wouldn’t say you have to read those three books first, I do recommend it because it’ll give you more insight about both men, Mika especially.

Mika is Andy’s best friend from Smoke Screen, my favorite book in that series. Until now, Mika was a bit of a mystery.

Then there’s Hawk. Hawk is part owner of Three Bears Tactical Services, that he co-owns with his two best friends. They teach self-defense classes, cover security for certain events, and are bodyguards when necessary. They do more than that, obviously, but that’s the gist.

I have to just go ahead and say this. Kat, a woman who works for Three Bears Tactical, is a total bad-ass, and probably one of my new all-time favorite secondary characters. I absolutely loved her.

Mika is in Hawk’s self-defense class. They know each other a little from Kirby’s, the bar owned by Andy’s man, Jesse, and Andy’s brother. Hawk has had a bit of a ‘thing’ for Mika since the first time he met him. He’s curious about Mika’s story. He’s the only man in that particular self-defense class. Mika hasn’t said much, but it’s obvious that he’s not there simply to learn skills that he may or may not use someday. He’s there because at some point he’d been in danger.

Being protective wasn’t new for me – hell, it was in my job description – but I’d never felt the urge to hunt someone down and seek retribution before. For for him, I did.

Mika ran from an abusive relationship two years before. The ex, Butch, was a bad biker dude who wouldn’t hesitate to kill Mika if he ever saw him again. Not only did Mika run, but he also took some of the guy’s cash to help him get as far away as possible. He knew after the last incident of abuse that he probably wouldn’t be surviving the next time. He went to a bus station and picked a town at random, deciding on Vesper, Texas because of the name. He’s been there for two years with no sign of Butch… until now.

At first, he thinks he sees him out in public, but then he chalks that up to him seeing something that’s not there. Unfortunately, the sighting is confirmed when a note is left on his car. Hawk knows something is wrong during that night’s class, but he doesn’t push. He does, however, give Mika his phone number in case he needs him someday. That day comes not long after when Butch shows up at Mika’s door.

From that moment on, Hawk is Mika’s bodyguard, his protector. With the exception of an incident when those self-defense skills Mika learned come into play, Hawk never leaves his side. Something does happen later, the ‘resolution’ of Butch, but that’s different. I can’t say what it is without giving a spoiler.

Other than the Butch and his gang situation, there’s zero drama in this book. Mika and Hawk come together fairly quickly after Hawk gets over his ‘I’m here to protect you, not have sex with you’ mindset. This is a Daddy/boy book, but it’s not overkill. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about Daddy kink, but some books do take it a little far with certain things, in my opinion. Hawk is a Daddy through and through, but he’s also a partner to Mika. Mika may be a boy, but he’s very independent. As much as he loves his Daddy taking care of him, he also lives his own life with his friends, his employer, and his own hobbies. I liked that a lot. Too often I read books where the boy turns over EVERYTHING to their Daddy, and while I’m not saying that’s wrong, it’s kind of a breath of fresh air to see somebody like Mika.

Mika works as a companion for eighty-something Mary Ellen. I adored that woman.

“He isn’t charging me. he just wants to keep me safe. We’re, umm, involved.”

“Well, that’s all the more reason for me to meet him. Some decisions have to be made with a clear head, not your penis dear.”

Overall, this is a really good book. I loved seeing all the guys from Station 69 again, and I can’t wait to read Gator’s story at the end of the year. Jacki James has been a favorite author of mine for a few years now. She definitely didn’t disappoint with Hawk.