Bargaining with the Devil (Death and the Devil, #1.4)by L.J. Hayward
Self-published
LGBT, romance, thriller
Meta-State spy Jack Reardon believes it's all been taken care of. He has his verbal agreement with his boss to "keep Blade happy," and Jack is more than willing to do his best in that regard. He also has his bargain with Ethan, to keep seeing each other. Small victories, interspersed with exploding bombs, smashed cars and miffed co-workers, all while consorting with an international assassin.
Contract killer Ethan Blade values his security, and Jack's the first time he's found that with another person. Wiring a warehouse or outback shelter for safety, no problem. Keeping safe a prickly ex-soldier-turned-spy who's a magnet for trouble, not so easy. Instead of faceless, nameless jobs, he's poking his fingers into Jack's cases - a car bomb gone awry, a Hen party gone wild - much to Jack's mounting dismay.
They have a deal; neither one of the can seem to stick to it. It's Jack versus Ethan as the two men learn to navigate their ever-evolving not-a-relationship without losing the benefit of the bargain.
Bargaining with the Devil consists of three short stories/novellas, taking place after Coda and Ethan and Jack's deal to keep seeing each other when it's convenient for them. Of course, nothing runs smoothly when it's Ethan, Jack, and their complex world.
Once again, I was captivated and enthralled by Hayward's writing, Jack's mindset and the relationship between him and Ethan. It's complicated, that's what Jack keeps saying that's what it is, and I love it. Jack works for the government and Ethan's international assassin so nothing is simple between them. The tension is real, but so is their desire for each other. More than that, all three short stories brought something new to the table; Ethan's issues with security, boundaries of their complicated relationship, and Jack's problems with intimacy. I love how complex Jack is and how he keeps telling himself lies. Ethan's just adorable! Deadly, but adorable.
Bargaining with the Devil is stunning, and I highly recommend picking it up - or if you haven't, start the series with Where the Death Meets the Devil.
5 of 5 stars
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