Title: Pulling Strings
Author: Andrew Grey
Series: Standalone
Genre: M/M Contemporary
Romance/ Gay Romance/ LGTBQA
Publisher: Dreamspinner
Press
Release Date: Sept 10 2019
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print (1st
Edition)
Blurb/Synopsis:
A high-stakes case of industrial espionage ties them
together, but before they can pursue their attraction, they must find out who’s
pulling the strings.
Devon Donaldson doesn’t know how a folio of stolen corporate
secrets found its way into his bag, and certainly can’t think of anyone who’d
want to frame him. The trouble is, he has to convince Powers McPherson.
Devon’s firm hired Powers to investigate the theft of a new
banking system, and so far Devon is his only lead. While Powers’s gut tells him
Devon is innocent, he has no intention of letting Devon out of his sight… for
more than one reason. Working together to get Devon’s life back leads to
feelings far beyond cooperation. But before they can act on them, they need to
find the group of thieves’ intent on ruining Devon’s reputation.
His apartment wasn’t large, but it was plenty big enough for
him, with a small bedroom off a decent-sized living room. He had a tiny
kitchen, but it worked for his life. Most of the furniture he got at secondhand
stores and the Salvation Army, carrying it back piece by piece. It made for an
eclectic mix of things, but it was all his and this was home. He loved it…
mostly because no one was going to take it away from him. No one would come in
from work and tell him that tomorrow they were moving to yet another town, and
that he’d have to attend another school with another group of kids that he was
just going to start to get to know before he had to move again. This was
stable; this was his.
Devon set his bag on the coffee table and went right to his
refrigerator. After pulling out a bottle of cold water, he drank half of it and
placed the remainder back inside to remain cold, before wandering into the
bedroom to change out of his work clothes.
He put his shirt in the dirty clothes and hung up his pants
and suit coat, along with the tie. He hoped he could get one more wear out of
them before he had to have them dry-cleaned. Instead of hanging them in the
closet, he put them in the bathroom near the open window, where a steady breeze
could air them out for him. He tried to get a second wear out of his clothes in
order to save some expenses, but it wasn’t always possible.
A pounding at his door made him jump. Devon hurried to pull
on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, rushed to the front door, and peered through
the peephole. Tall, Dark, and Broody stood in his hallway, glaring back at him.
“What do you want?” He wished he’d grabbed his cell phone off the dresser
before coming out.
“I need to talk to you,” he said, pounding on the door once
more. “You need to talk to me, or else you’ll talk to the police.”
Devon undid the latch, keeping the chain on, and cracked the
door open. “I’m the one who’s going to call the police if you don’t go away.”
He closed the door once again, glaring through the peephole. “Go away.”
“You need to talk to me, Devon,” he said, more softly but
with the same urgency. “It’s important.”
“How do you know my name? Are you following me? You a
stalker or something?” Devon leaned against the door, his leg shaking. Damn,
he’d been looking forward to a quiet night. “Just go away.” He sounded whiny
even to his own ears.
“We need to talk,” he repeated.
Devon pulled the door open slightly. “Why?” He peered out
into the hall, wishing his neighbor was home, but she was away on vacation for
the week visiting her kids. Mrs. Lowenski always knew
what was going on and could be counted on to be nosy enough to call the police
for him. As it was, he was on his own.
“I’m not a stalker, and I know you saw me at the gala. You
are probably aware that Mrs. Mauer knows who I am.”
“She doesn’t like you,” Devon said.
He shrugged. “A lot of people don’t like me.”
“Let me see some identification,” Devon said, and the man
pulled out a card and handed it to him. “Powers McPherson. Private security and
investigations.” He turned the card over, but there was nothing else on the
back. “This is really helpful.” Devon rolled his eyes. “Anyone can have
business cards made up that say anything. Go away and leave me alone.”
“I’ve
been hired by your company, and as I said, we need to talk. Now, we can do it
like this in the hallway, or you can let me in.” He wore a suit that probably
cost as much as Devon made in a week, and his shoes shone brightly. Powers
didn’t look like the kind of guy who would mug someone, but Devon still wasn’t
sure. Still, from what Marie had said, Powers worked for Mr. Mauer, and he
didn’t want to get in trouble.
