Review - Played by Cara Dee

Darius has settled into life with Gray and their two adopted boys in the forest cabin he built. It was not at all how he saw his life going, but he wouldn't trade it for anything. However, there's still some unfinished business for the two men: tracking down the mastermind of the human trafficking ring that kidnapped Gray. That will help give the young man the closure he needs.

Time-wise, this book overlaps the previous volume of the series, The Job. It covers what Darius, Gray, and their friends are up to while Casey and Boone gather intelligence in Las Vegas. You will definitely want to have read that book, as well as the rest of the series, before reading this one. That said, there are only a couple scenes in common between the two stories, which we get from different points of view.

Once again, Darius brings in his brother Ryan to help, along with several other trusted people he's worked with before, some of whom I recognize from other series by the same author. They also manage to find Niko, one of the other young men Darius helped to rescue along with Gray. It's a large crew worthy of a big-budget heist movie.

Before it all kicks off. Gray and Darius find some time to discuss at least a few of their lingering issues. The pair have had a lot to deal with, from simple things like their age difference to more complicated problems like the way they met in traumatic circumstances and instant fatherhood. In the end, they definitely seem like a couple that will make it for the long haul, if they survive this last mission.

You'd best be warned that this installment of the series ends on something of a cliffhanger. If you've read “The Job,” then you probably have an idea of how things turn out, but you'll probably want to read the next book of the series sooner rather than later. I know I will.

“Played” is available from Amazon.