Release; Catalyst

Book Title: Catalyst

Author and Publisher: Aurora Crane

Cover Artist: Cormar Covers

Release Date: November 17, 2022

Genre: Contemporary MMMM Romance

Tropes: Second chance, Hurt/comfort, Friends to lovers

Themes: Didn’t know they were dating/idiots in love

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 90 000 words

It is the first book in a series that will follow the same four men in a relationship.

Book 2 will be released early 2023.

This book does not end on a cliffhanger and is HFN.

Goodreads

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Detective Quinn Hughes doesn’t have many regrets in life, but Sebastian Devlin is the biggest. As a cop and a defence lawyer, the deck was stacked against them to start with, but Quinn was the one who left a burning inferno behind him. Missing his chance with ex-Special Forces Commando Peyton Sinclair is a close second on his regrets list, but Quinn isn’t going to ruin the happiness Peyton has found with fellow police officer Will McMahon for anything—not even a chance at his own happiness.

Best friends Will McMahon and Peyton Sinclair have been hooking up for years, content with their arrangement and the comfort they get from it. When Sebastian—the hot lawyer they picked up at the club the night before—stumbles over a dead body in their kitchen on his way out, calling Quinn is instinctive for them. Years of unacknowledged tension between Peyton and Quinn is a sore point, but Peyton trusts that Quinn will figure out the mess they’ve landed in.

While Quinn tries to find answers, Peyton and Will quickly find themselves tangled in the tension between Quinn and Sebastian. They’re hoping Quinn can move fast—before one of them becomes the next dead body—but the situation becomes even more complicated when another explosive night proves that Peyton and Will aren’t done with either Quinn or Sebastian, just as much as the two aren’t done with each other.

Between the mind-blowing night Sebastian spent with Peyton and Will, and the fact that every time he turns around it’s either Quinn or the barrel of a gun waiting for him, Sebastian has never had more regrets. If he can survive long enough to get some answers, maybe the four of them together are going to be the catalyst for a future that’s more wildly different than anything they’d ever imagined.

Catalyst is a 90,000-word MMMM romance that ends in a HFN. It is Book 1 in an ongoing series following the same four men and their relationship. It contains adult situations, gun use, references to murder and drug usage, suspense themes and a character with PTSD

Excerpt

Will nursed his empty glass as he waited for Peyton to come back with more drinks. Having some drinks and dancing at a club was their favourite way to unwind after a long week. While they’d stopped pretending that they were looking for anyone to take home years ago—since their casual sex arrangement worked for them and meant they didn’t need to spend their weekends trolling for random hookups—it didn’t mean they didn’t like going out. Sometimes it heightened things later, when they made themselves wait before they went home to fuck.

A few drinks, an up close and personal dance, and they were ripping each other’s clothes off when they got home.

Peyton had been in a foul mood when he’d gotten home and Will had sucked him off in the shower, but it hadn’t helped much. It had eased some of the tension, but Will knew it was still there. Honestly, he wasn’t sure what Quinn’s problem was. They both wanted each other, so why didn’t they? Peyton had asked Will once if it bothered him, and maybe it should have—they’d been exclusive fuck buddies for years—but thinking of Peyton with Quinn had never been a turnoff. The thought of it had spurred on some of their hotter sessions together.

Will figured Quinn had to have his reasons, whatever they were. He would have appreciated it if Quinn had let Peyton know what they were so he could move on, but he didn’t know Quinn well enough to approach him directly. Their relationship was purely professional.

"A guy that looks like you shouldn’t be sitting alone," a voice to his immediate left said.

Will smirked in amusement as he looked up, and then almost swallowed his tongue. Well, hello there.

Dark blue eyes—that reminded him a bit of Peyton, though Peyton’s were a little darker—that were shaped by sleek black glasses and long thick lashes. His bow-shaped lips were drawn up in a smug smirk. It should have been off-putting or smarmy. But coupled with the plain silver barbell piercing in his left eyebrow, it was making Will’s dick stand up and take notice.

He was bulkier than Will—which wasn’t hard, since Will was toned, but lanky—and filled his suit out in all the right places. He was wearing form-fitting black slacks with shining dress shoes. No suit jacket, which was absolutely fine with Will, considering that he had rolled up his sleeves to reveal smooth tan forearms. It was kryptonite to any human being with a pulse.

It was too bad that Will’s only plans included getting Peyton home and naked. Because damn, he was fucking sexy. Will couldn’t even remember if he’d been into piercings before. He was now. Piercings, glasses, exposed forearms. Will might as well have stamped "fantasy issue" on the guy’s forehead.

"Name’s Sebastian."

Will smirk widened as he took the hand that Sebastian offered. "Will."

"Is this seat taken?"

"Well, it’s—"

Peyton returned then, two glasses of whiskey. His eyebrows raised at Sebastian as he slid the glasses on to the table.

"Peyton, this is Sebastian," Will said, smiling playfully.

"Hi, Sebastian," Peyton said, in the same voice. He glanced between them curiously as he sat on the tall stool next to Will. He reached a hand over and placed it in Will’s lap, feeling the growing hardness in his jeans.

Sebastian put one hand in his pocket, smiling sheepishly. "Pleasure. Have a nice night, you two."

"No, stay," Peyton said. He gave Will’s dick a gentle squeeze and Will swallowed, heat rushing over him. He put his hand over Peyton’s but didn’t move it. "Have a seat." Peyton used his free hand to gesture at the empty seat opposite them.

Sebastian stared at Peyton as he did. Will couldn’t blame him. Peyton was stunning to look at. All sultry eyes and delicate features. His shoulder-length dirty blond hair was pulled up in a messy bun, with wisps of it falling over his temple and forehead. The low lighting of the club only made his midnight blue eyes look darker, and his cheeks were still flushed from their earlier dancing.

"You can share my drink," Will said. He took a sip of his drink and then pushed it across. He made a show of arching his neck back and swallowing, so Sebastian could see he’d drank some himself.

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