“Once a fuck up, always a fuck up.”Words twenty-six-year-old Dante Thorne has had to live with for more years than he can count and a title he finally earned at the tender age of sixteen when one careless decision led to tragedy. And since he can’t deny the truth of the words, why not live by them instead? Fucking up, fucking, it doesn’t matter; as long as it feels good and makes him forget the … forget the day he failed the one person he’d always sworn to protect. A good philosophy to live by until Dante meets the one man who might actually having him wishing he was something more…
At forty-one and with a distinguished career as a Texas Ranger under his belt, Magnus DuCane should have been in the prime of his life. Instead, he’s mourning the loss of the daughter he couldn’t save and contemplating a future that looks nothing like the one he had planned. The only bright spot in his life is the young grandson whose suddenly been returned to him after going missing two years earlier and the new family of men that he’s been welcomed into with open arms. But with his iron will, unfailing self-control and unflappable discipline, Magnus knows he can start a new chapter and get his life back on track…if he can just get past the disturbing, unexpected feelings one young man stirs in him.
Because everything about Dante Thorne is wrong for Magnus. His arrogance, his cocky attitude, every single unfiltered word that falls unchecked out of his mouth and, of course, the fact that he’s a man.
But when his well-meaning friends send Dante with him as a bodyguard when he returns to Texas to testify in a high-profile case, Magnus begins to see beyond the brash words and endless sexual innuendo. And when he starts to discover that what he sees isn’t all that bad, suddenly the fact that that Dante is a man instead of a woman no longer seems like such a big sticking point…
Note: This book contains M/M sexual content and is intended for mature audiences.
Full length novel (94k words)
This is Book 6 in the series, but can be read as a stand-alone story – no cliffhangers.*
The Protectors series crosses over with some of my other series, so for the most enjoyment, they should be read in this order, but it is not required:
Book 1 – Absolution (M/M/M)
Book 2 – Salvation (M/M)
Book 3 – Retribution (M/M)
Logan’s Need (Escort Series #3) (M/M)
Redeeming Rafe (Barretti Security Series #2) (M/M)
Saving Ren (Barretti Security Series #3) (M/M/M)
Freeing Zane (Barretti Security Series #4) (M/M)
Book 4 – Forsaken (M/M)
Book 5 – Vengeance (M/M/M)
Book 5.5 – A Protectors Family Christmas
Book 6 – Atonement (M/M)
more
I am just so weak for Dante and Magnus. Love them soooo much. A frequent re-read for me!
**********Contains Spoilers**********
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought Dante & Magnus were great together even though they got off to an extremely rocky start and seem like complete opposites they just seem to work. It was heartbreaking hearing about Dante’s past and his hunt for his traffi*ked brother Aleks for the last 10 years. His mother and step father are complete a*seholes and that Dante was always treated like sh*t by his step father but after Aleks went missing when Dante was looking after him his mum got in on the act and kicked him out and blamed him. He was only 16 years old himself. Dante has so much guilt for not being with Aleks as he was sleeping with the much older arcade owner while he was meant to be looking after Aleks. He blames himself whereas Aleks blames himself as he didn’t stay in the arcade like Dante told him too and went to the toy store instead and was lured into a trap by telling him that his parents are hurt, it didn’t help that his abd*ctors were dressed as Police Officers so what 8 year old kid wouldn’t believe that they weren’t telling the truth. Magnus hasn’t had it easy either, his ex-wife is a complete and utter manipulative b*tch and a terrible mother. Magnus has so much guilt after telling his daughter that if she leaves that she can’t come back as he’s done with her and it was the last time he’d seen her again as she was m*rdered by Tate’s dad Buck all because she threatened to tell Magnus about them since he’s a cop as she wanted to get another fix, since they dealt Meth. I’m really glad that Magnus took the time to see behind the facade that Dante shows the world as it was a beautiful thing as Magnus also gave Dante a safe space to be vulnerable and talk about his childhood and what drives him. I’m looking forward to eventually getting Aleks story but he needs to heal first from everything he’s been through being a s*x slave for the last 10 years. I’d definitely recommend this book, series, universe and author to everyone.
Another amazing book. I just can’t get enough of this writer and these book/series.
These stories are so touching, heartfelt, full of tragedy, strong characters, amazing family and friends and chock full of sexy hot scenes.
Both Magnus and Dante were hurt so badly in their past, that coming together as a couple took half the book because they fought it so hard. Dante fighting it with his sarcasm and Magnus with his uncertainty of feeling the attraction to Dante but when it finally all came together it was explosive! Add in the rescue of Aleks and this was the perfect story in this series!
I love a good May/December romance with plenty angst, and this book delivered! Two men are so different but they both struggle from grief and pain of losing a loved one. Dante shows the world that he doesn’t care, he hides behind meaningless encounters with men and gets off on riling people up. But it all backfires on him when he meets a man who refuses to play games and becomes unforgettable. I liked Dante for his unfailing belief that he will find his brother, for his strength when his family turned their backs on him, for showing Magnus his true self and letting him shoulder his burdens.
Magnus is always control be it his life, his work or his emotions. He failed the one person who meant the most to him – his daughter, and now he has to comes to terms with the fact that she is never coming back. He deals with grief, betrayal from people who he trusted and his attraction to one man who he could never understand but couldn’t help but love. I loved his protectiveness over Dante, his stable presence when Dante needed him the most.
The relationship between them develops fast. I liked how open with each other they became, how they shared their pasts. They just accepted everything and never judged. What happened with Dante’s brother Aleks was horrible. It was heart breaking to witness that kind of depravity that people can have – to treat human beings as possessions. I was happy and sad when they all got out of dodge because I knew that the healing for both brothers will take time and be very painful and difficult. I can’t wait to read Aleks’ story! I enjoyed all the side characters, all the guys who fell in love and made families of their own, how they had each other’s back and came to help with no hesitation. One big happy family. I loved it! I highly recommend it.
Wow. Again I’m blown away by the depth of the characters. Both Magnus and Dante have struggles and pain. Watching them learn to be there for each other was beautiful. While having some interaction with other characters in the series, this one had less than the others. It truly is an emotional journey to the end.