Hi guys!  Today I am so excited to welcome author S.E. Jakes back to the blog. I am a HUGE fan of her writing, and am really loving her Men of Honor series.  Yesterday I reviewed the latest book in this series, Bound to Break, and thought it was a fabulous addition to the series.  Today S.E. is here to talk to us more about the series, share an EXCLUSIVE excerpt, and give out THREE great prizes.  So please join me in giving her a big welcome!

 

bound to breakHey Everyone!  First, thanks so much to Jay for hosting me (again!) for my newest release, Bound To Break.  It’s book 6 in the Men of Honor series, and most importantly, it finishes Rex and Sawyer’s story that began in Bound By Danger.

So I wanted to give you guys an exclusive excerpt—and since this book is all about revisiting old characters, here’s a scene that ties in Jace and Clint, along with Rex and Sawyer.  Rex’s former lover—and former POW, Josh—has been found alive, and it’s definitely a bittersweet reunion for everyone.  But for Sawyer, it’s definitely throwing him off balance. It’s up to Rex to reassure him, so this is the start of that.

Excerpt

Sawyer drove back to base, Jace on his Harley behind Sawyer’s truck. They were early for the meeting, fucked around for a few minutes with their other team members, and Sawyer was grateful none of them mentioned the Josh situation.

Rex looked fucking wrecked when he’d walked into the meeting room that morning. Sawyer sat on his hands, forced to pretend it was all business as usual, had to watch the man he’d fallen in love with go over a SITREP with the team and then delve into their upcoming mission plans.

To Rex’s credit, he looked like hell but he didn’t miss a beat. By this time, the entire team knew about Josh, so they all sat quietly and respectfully, with none of the usual banter that went along with mission planning.

And then, when the meeting ended, it was time for training. Sawyer was surprised that Rex was leading the exercises, but he took it as a good sign. Maybe things with Lucky were looking up.

And Rex was doing his usual yelling, the way he always did before a mission. Except this time, he stepped it up a notch, and Sawyer got it. They’d spent time apart and Rex was freaked and he’d push Sawyer and the rest of the team to hell and back, just to make sure they never actually got that far.

But pushing and riding were two different things, and Sawyer was precariously close to breaking. Jace knew it, tried to deflect some of Rex’s yelling while still keeping Sawyer on track. And Rex seemed to have no problem yelling at Jace either, and more than usual.

Sawyer held out for four hours. And then he couldn’t stand it anymore. Maybe if Rex had called or texted or did anything since fucking and running…

“You can’t let it affect you.”

Jace was right. But Sawyer had gone from getting an amazing write-up from the admiral to this, being yelled at in front of the two new guys and anyone in their general vicinity because he hadn’t been able to shave time from the O-course runs.

“What’ve you been doing since I’ve been gone? Sitting on your ass?” It was a blanket statement to all of them, but he got right in Sawyer’s face when he yelled it. It took everything Sawyer had not to give him a satisfying head-butt and Rex knew it, told him, “What’re you going to do? Take me down? Go ahead and try it.”

Instead, Sawyer did the course again, shaved the time and then did it twice more just to prove he could. When he finished, Rex was gone and Jace was telling him that he was staying with him and Clint until he calmed the fuck down.

Sawyer didn’t argue, because being alone right now wouldn’t have helped anything. And he let Jace do all the bitching on the car ride back to Jace’s. Jace loaded his bike into the back of Sawyer’s truck to make things easier.

“Because there’s no way I can keep my goddamned balance after that shit,” Jace grumbled. “I know he’s always like that to you, but how the hell did I get on Rex’s good side?”

“Clint.”

“Clint talked to him?”

“He called one night.”

“And you’re just telling me this now?”

“My misery likes your company.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet.”?Sawyer parked, still in an angry daze. He found himself sitting at Jace’s table, staring at nothing in particular, pushing away Jace’s offers of food.?He wanted to talk about it, but really, what the hell was he supposed to say?

“Hey bud.” Clint’s voice. He sat down next to Sawyer, a look of sympathy on his  face.

“Guess the whole goddamned world knows.”

“Yeah, pretty much. POWs are a big deal.”

“Shit. I know. Hell, I’m glad he’s alive, glad they found him. It’s just…it changes everything.”

“Doesn’t have to,” Clint said.

“It already has.” Just then, Sawyer’s phone rang. Rex. He pressed the speaker button and Rex said, “Come to my house, now.”

“You can go fuck yourself, sir. I’ll see you on base.”?Clint raised his brows, and he and Jace left the room so Sawyer could talk in private.

“You’ll come here and see me now,” Rex said again, calmly.

“Don’t do this, Rex. I won’t.”

“I will spank the shit out of you,” Rex warned him, his voice low.

“Yeah, you try that and you’ll find yourself through the goddamned wall.”?Sawyer could handle a lot of things, but spanking wasn’t one of them. He’d learned that early on with Rex, when even the threat of it made him angry instead of turned on.

“I wasn’t going to do it for pleasure, Sawyer. You don’t think I know you well enough?”?Rex did, and that’s what made this harder.

“Try your Dom punishment shit on someone else.”

“I don’t want to try it on anyone but you.”

“I’m not willing. Isn’t that what you always said—that it had to be safe, sane and consensual?”

“Keep pushing, boy.”

Boy always did it to Sawyer, made the blood rush to his cock faster than anything. He didn’t know why that did it for him, but Rex knew that it did and used it to exploit his weakness.

“Want to let it out?” Rex asked.

“What?”

“You going for sainthood?”

“Fuck you, Rex. Handling this the best way I can.”

“You’re too fucking understanding. And you’re pulling away. Distancing yourself from me. You started the night before I left for South Africa.”

“Because I can see the writing on the wall. Because I don’t want to deal. Because…”

“It’s the thing that’s always bothered you,” Rex said softly.

“Don’t patronize me.”

“You want out?”?Sawyer stared at the table in front of him. He’d been biting back anger and tears for the past couple of weeks and he didn’t think he could anymore.?“Do you want out? Things get a little tough and you want out?”

“Is that what you want me to want?”

“I wanted you to stop acting like a goddamned saint. I know things are bothering you.”

“And pushing me was the way to force me to say it?”

“Only thing that seemed to work.” Rex paused. “I need you to help me.”

“I’m letting you use me as a punching bag. What more do you want?”

“Come to my house. Pull in the garage and wait for me.”?He was about to protest when Rex said, “You’re going to get what you need. But only if you shut your mouth and get here now.”?Rex hung up and Sawyer stared at the phone stupidly.

“Go to him,” Clint said.

“Why?”

“Dom voice,” Jace said with a smile, and Clint put a hand on the back of Jace’s neck. “It’s a good sign.”

Rex hadn’t used it in a while. Not since they were together a lot of the time.?They’d been together, but not together. And before he could ruminate on how stupid that sounded, he said goodnight to Jace and Clint and he was in his car, driving to see Rex. His heart was beating fast, fingers drumming the wheel, not knowing what lay beyond the garage doors.

But he pulled into the opened side and he waited. The door came down behind the car and he cracked his door and started to get out.

“Can’t follow simple directions?”

Rex’s voice. Sawyer stilled, not wanting to get yelled at again. But Rex’s voice was different, almost playful, and Sawyer wanted to hate him.

In reality, he probably did. He pulled back into the car and shut the door and stared straight ahead.

After what seemed like hours, Rex opened his door and said, “Come with me.”

“Rex…I don’t need you to pretend.”

Rex’s expression softened for a second. “I’ve never had to pretend with you. I don’t intend to start now.”

Sawyer followed him, out of the car, into the house and into the bedroom.

“Strip.” Rex told him.

“Rex—”

“Didn’t ask for talking. Clothes off. Or leave.”

Sawyer looked at the floor and wondered why the hell he was putting up with this shit. Until Rex put a hand on the back of his neck and said, “Please.”?He drew in a breath and he stripped. Looked at Rex and the heat in the man’s eyes, and things became clearer. ‘

He’d known why Rex was ultra-freaked, but knowing and dealing with it were two different things.?This was Rex’s apology. And, like the man said, all Sawyer needed to do was accept it.

***

I know people are worried about Sawyer for this book, but remember I always remind you guys that I write romance because I want happy endings.  So trust me. 🙂

Let’s talk about characters having their stories told over several books.  I realize I’m doing that with Prophet & Tommy, but that’s their series, so it’s a little different than what’s happened with Bound To Break’s characters.  I know there are other books that revisit characters—can you name some favorites?  Or talk about why you like (or don’t like) revisiting old characters?

Leave a comment here to be eligible to win a book from my backlist (at this point, I’ll include any book that’s over 2 months old) and a $10.00 Amazon gift card.  Jay will be picking the winners, so 2 readers will win a backlist copy and a third will be the winner of the Amazon GC.  🙂

You can purchase BTB by using the links below!

  • Order Bound to Break from Amazon
  • Order Bound to Break from Barnes & Noble
  • Order Bound to Break from Samhain
  • Order Bound to Break from ARe

***

SE Jakes writes m/m romance. She believes in happy endings and fighting for what you want in both fiction and real life. She lives in New York with her family and most days, she can be found happily writing (in bed). No really…

You can contact her the following ways:

Truth be told, the best way to contact her is by email or in blog comments.  She spends most of her time writing but she loves to hear from readers!


Giveaway

S.E. has brought some great goodies for you guys and we are going to have THREE winners!  Two comments will win  a choice of book from S.E.’s backlist (any book that’s over 2 months old) and another commenter will win a $10.00 Amazon gift card.  Leave a comment at the end of the post to enter.  The contest closes on Saturday, December 7th at 11:59 pm EST.

  • By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win.  The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
  • If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
  • Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
  • Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
  • By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
  • Readers may only enter once for each contest.  Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
  • Void where prohibited by law.
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