Patrick Black thought he could disappear.
He left behind his country, career, partner, and name—vanishing into Europe’s undercurrent, hoping for reinvention. But freedom slips through his fingers when he’s ensnared in a Serbian-run criminal network known as the Gonič. What begins as survival turns into complicity, especially once he meets Vlado, a man who offers protection, control, and twisted comfort.
After weeks on the run, Patrick resurfaces in London—now sober, anonymous, and drifting between routines and empty hookups. Just when he finds uneasy stability, he’s tasked with monitoring Jovan, an alluring and attractive young man scarred by the same Gonič that broke him. As Patrick navigates his own past and a family desperate to find him, he must decide: stay hidden in the life that protects him, or fight to reclaim the one that could set him free.
Dawes’ fiction explores gay intimacy and psychological tension, blending literary style with realism.
About the Author
Richard T. Dawes presents a unique voice in the LGBT+ contemporary romance and crime fiction genre. He explores themes of relationships between people who are dissimilar but thrust together by chance. His love of Patricia Highsmith’s wry and poignant writing is evident by his champion character, Patrick Black. Originally from Long Beach, California, Richard is an avid traveler and foodie. After planting roots in Austin, Texas, he is often found running the lake with his dog or enjoying the eclectic and burgeoning food scene.
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Richard T. Dawes 