Real Talk Book Talk
Book Title: Redeeming Jayden
Author and Publisher: Brina Brady
Cover Artist: Brina Brady
Release Date: June 10, 2022
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Tropes: Age Gap, Hurt/Comfort
Themes: Trust
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Length: 61 972 words/ 232 pages
It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.
Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited
Blurb
JAYDEN BARRON
Twenty-two-year-old artist Jayden Barron is summoned home from New York City by his father to assist in the family business of painting and selling replica art to international rogue buyers. Nothing prepares him for what he encounters when he arrives, however, his entire family is missing.
Those his father has been dealing with rarely return missing people alive. The family attorney sends Jayden out of the country for his protection, straight into a haunted castle with a singing ghost who leaves him lilacs in the middle of the night. Fortunately, the castle also has Harlan Wendell.
HARLAN WENDELL
Affluent, generous, thirty-two-year-old, German interpreter, Harlan Wendell has every material possession he could want, but no love in his life. He hires young Jayden to recreate his family portraits lost in a fire. It isn't long before he realizes that Jayden is much more than an employee to him, and they begin a relationship that fulfills both their desires.
When events take a dramatic turn and secrets are revealed, can Harlan protect Jayden and their love?
Age Gap, Rogue Artist, German Translator, Haunted Castle, Missing Family, Secrets, Steamy, MM Romance Suspense, HEA, KU
Excerpt
Harlan unlocked the door and let them inside the room. He wanted to know why Harlan had called him to the Fireplace room. He had dismissed his guards and his assistant. What does he need to discuss now?
“Sit down and make yourself comfortable. Can I get you some wine?”
“I’d like a full glass,” Jayden said as he relaxed in a very comfy chair.
Offering him wine right away made him worry he had bad news. He couldn’t take any more sadness, especially about his family. Something positive would help. Getting drunk would also help, but Harlan didn’t allow his employees to drink to oblivion. Right now, he wished he could meet his Academy friends for a drink at the English pub in Greenwich Village. He should have told his father no; he had his own life to live. He might have been in New York, not here with a deliciously sexy man acting like a world leader.
Harlan poured red wine into two crystal goblets, handed him one, then sat in the other plush chair.
“Is everything okay so far?” Harlan asked.
“Not exactly. Some strange things happened last night.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this morning?” Harlan crossed his arms.
“I had to check some things out first.” He didn’t look like he had a lot of patience. Why does he act like he’s a king? Get over yourself.
“Tell me now,” he ordered.
“When I was sleeping, someone came in my room and put a vase of lilacs on my dresser. My door was locked.” For some reason, Harlan didn’t look a bit shocked. He behaved as if it were a normal occurrence in the castle. Then he remembered what Mr. Wagner had told him about the castle being haunted. At the time, he hadn’t believed in such things as castles haunted by ghosts. Someone could be living here without Harlan’s knowledge, but he seemed to be a man of details. Nothing would get past him.
“I didn’t put lilacs in your room. The only other people with the keys to your room are your guards, and I doubt they would do that as a joke.”
“I don’t think they would either. Maybe a ghost did.”
“A ghost! It could very well be. Stranger things have happened around here in the past. No one has ever seen a ghost, but doors slam and sometimes, things break without an explanation. It’s been like that since I was a child.”
“Why don’t we look for who is pretending to be a ghost?”
“So far, we haven’t had any problems. If it’s a ghost, it’s a friendly one. I don’t think about it that much anymore.”
“I’d like Blaine to bunk in my room, so I’m not alone.”
“Blaine is only seventeen. He can’t sleep with you.” He clenched his teeth and shot Jayden a death stare.
“Did I say anything about sleeping with him? There’s a smaller bed along the wall.” Jayden raised his voice more than he had wanted to.
“I’m not allowing it.”
“What do you think will go on in my room with Blaine?” Jayden scrunched up his face in anger, puzzled by Harlan’s unfounded jealousy.
“Don’t you see how he looks at you? He admires you a lot more than you realize.”
“And how is that?” He thought Harlan was overreacting and imagining something that didn’t exist.
“He wants to have a relationship with you.”
“That’s nuts. We’re not going to fuck. Are you jealous of Blaine?”
Harlan threw his wine goblet at the fireplace; the shattering glass pained Jayden’s ears. For a moment, everything blurred after his outburst.
Jayden teared up from Harlan’s behavior. “I’m sorry if I said something wrong, but Blaine just wants to be friends.”
Harlan frowned at Jayden. “He’s not staying in your room. I’m not a fool.”
Jayden stood up and wiped his tears with the back of his hands. “Fuck this shit. I’m out of here. I don’t understand why you’re talking shit about me or Blaine.”
“There will be consequences for your blatant disrespect to me. I don’t allow anyone to speak to me in that manner.” He glared at him.
“And I don’t allow anyone to break shit out of anger around me,” Jayden shouted back at him.
“You will do what I tell you to do, so I can keep you safe. You’ll be punished for being disrespectful to me.”
“Punished. I don’t get punished.” Jayden gulped the rest of his wine.
“You will when I discuss the consequences for breaking the rules after you sign a contract.”
“What are you talking about?” Jayden was beyond confused. If he continued to act like this, there would be no contract. He was so immature and jealous for no reason.
About the Author
I am from Huntington Beach, Ca. I taught various subjects at a Continuation High School in Los Angeles, California for 27 years. I obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in History, Secondary Social Science Credential and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Reading and Secondary Education from California State University, Long Beach. I also enrolled in some creative writing classes at UCLA.
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