Free LeftInTheDarkness by Stephani Hecht

Whoever said that things need to get worse before they could get better probably had no idea just how bad worse really is.
    While mostly physically healed from a gay bashing that almost left him dead, Taylor is still an emotional mess. Not only does he have to deal with the fact that his own brother was one of the attackers, but Taylor has been disowned by his father as well. The only bright spot in Taylor’s life is his small group of friends, but even they have their own issues. Christian is now angry all the time. James has to deal with his own homophobic father. Devlin is wondering if he’ll ever be able to measure up to others’ expectations. Worst of all, Andy seems to be walking down a path that will only lead to his destruction. Can the Haven House Coffee Boys overcome all their obstacles? Or will the darkness overcome them?

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    This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
    Left In The Darkness
    Copyright © 2012 Stephani Hecht
    ISBN: 978-1-77111-221-5
    Cover art by Martine Jardin
    All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
    Published by Devine Destinies
    An imprint of eXtasy Books
    Look for us online at:
    www.devinedestinies.com
    Left In The Darkness
    Haven Coffee House Boys
    By
    Stephani Hecht

Chapter One
    Taylor pressed his head to the cool window as he gazed down at the hospital parking lot. He still couldn’t believe that just a week ago the area had been filled with people instead of cars. Not just any people, either, but his own classmates who were holding a vigil for him.
    He didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or cry over the sheer irony of that. Who knew that to be popular, all he had to do was get beaten nearly to death? How stupid of him not to think of that before. But, then, in his defense, they’d never offered that tidbit of advice in Seventeen Magazine . He could almost see the headline now, Want to be popular? All you have to do is be on the wrong end of a gay bashing.
    Shoot, even the adults were going crazy over this. If it wasn’t the media hounding him, then it was the police. Of course, he couldn’t forget the time his uncle came in for a visit. Not to check up on Taylor or anything, but to tell him that his father thought that maybe it wouldn’t be a good idea if he came home for a while.
    Sure, his uncle might have tried to act like it was only because one of Taylor’s attackers had been his own brother. They all knew the real truth. His father had finally found a way to get rid of his gay son. Taylor was surprised the jerk hadn’t done a happy dance on his way out.
    He heard a rustling behind him, alerting Taylor that he wasn’t alone. Half expecting it to be yet another police officer, he let out a resigned sigh as he turned. When he saw Devlin standing there, Taylor smiled. “Hey.”
    Devlin gave off that sexy-half smile of his as he walked over. As usual, Devlin looked flawless, his brown hair styled perfectly and the deep blue shirt he wore setting off his auburn eyes in just the right way.
    It made Taylor aware of how much of a mess he must