Author: Ashavan Doyon
Cover Design: Ashavan Doyon
Length: 16,500 words
m/m romance, contemporary romance, gay romance, angst, hurt/comfort
Caleb McDonnell lives his life online. A thirty-year-old fast food worker, he spends his time talking in an Internet world where his job and living conditions can't dictate his friendships. He’s found acceptance, friendship, and even romance. But when an online friend is revealed as a fake, Caleb loses all sense of trust. To stave off the emotional collapse of his betrayal, Caleb leaves his online life behind and retreats into the monotony of his job.
Nicodemus Rokos feels like his heart has been torn out. He knew Caleb would be hurt, but he’d hoped not to be shut out of his boyfriend’s life. He can only hope Caleb still feels something when he shows up in person to reclaim what he’s lost.
* The Byte of Betrayal was originally published under a different cover by Dreamspinner Press for their Daily Dose: Mended collection in 2014.
Ebook downloads are delivered as links in an email upon completion of your purchase. You are permitted 3 downloads of the ebook file, which comes as a zip file containing mobi, epub and pdf versions of the book.
Cover Design: Ashavan Doyon
Length: 16,500 words
m/m romance, contemporary romance, gay romance, angst, hurt/comfort
Caleb McDonnell lives his life online. A thirty-year-old fast food worker, he spends his time talking in an Internet world where his job and living conditions can't dictate his friendships. He’s found acceptance, friendship, and even romance. But when an online friend is revealed as a fake, Caleb loses all sense of trust. To stave off the emotional collapse of his betrayal, Caleb leaves his online life behind and retreats into the monotony of his job.
Nicodemus Rokos feels like his heart has been torn out. He knew Caleb would be hurt, but he’d hoped not to be shut out of his boyfriend’s life. He can only hope Caleb still feels something when he shows up in person to reclaim what he’s lost.
* The Byte of Betrayal was originally published under a different cover by Dreamspinner Press for their Daily Dose: Mended collection in 2014.
Ebook downloads are delivered as links in an email upon completion of your purchase. You are permitted 3 downloads of the ebook file, which comes as a zip file containing mobi, epub and pdf versions of the book.
EXCERPT
Caleb McDonnell sat in the dark, looking at the glowing screen of his laptop. His back was pushed against the headboard, his fingers poised over the keys. Caleb was waiting for something, and it didn’t take long. The soft tone of an incoming message arriving sounded, and Caleb smiled.
kevin2010: hey! you’re out?
macalebhottie: yeah. done for the day, thankfully.
kevin2010: working late too much.
macalebhottie: need the money. how are u?
There was a long wait, and finally Caleb sent another message.
macalebhottie: sorry. know u hate to talk about it.
kevin2010: just, this is my escape, you know?
macalebhottie: it’s fine. I just get concerned.
kevin2010: appreciate it, but don’t bother. trust me, enough people worried here already. hey, you ask him out yet?
Caleb closed his eyes for a moment. He should never have told Kevin about that. His little useless crush. He’d never even met Nic. Of course, he’d never met Kevin either. Hardly mattered. He told Kevin everything.
macalebhottie: that’s not happening.
kevin2010: why not?
macalebhottie: because it’s not. just stop it.
kevin2010: like you stop telling me to take care of myself? you should ask him.
Caleb ran a hand through the dark copper red of his tight curls. He sighed, letting the breath out, slow and long. “Sure, right,” he muttered. “Like I could ever really tell Nic.”
He glanced around the room. It was a studio apartment, and even now Caleb could feel the color in his cheeks. Even if he had the confidence to tell Nic, he could never invite him here. A crappy studio apartment? Besides, Nic was happy and far away in one of those Midwestern states. Caleb tried to pretend he didn’t know which one. That he didn’t know the city and the street. That he hadn’t used street view to look at the house. God, he was a stalker!
macalebhottie: can’t.
kevin2010: you mean won’t.
macalebhottie: same difference.
kevin2010: you had confidence once. what happened?
macalebhottie: what do u mean?
kevin2010: macalebHOTTIE. It took confidence. You had it once. what happened?
macalebhottie: we’ve been chatting for months. u know what happened.
kevin2010: no. because every time I ask, you do this. before everything started happening, I was a psych major. I might be tempted to call what you’re doing deflection.
Caleb groaned. Why was Kevin always so frustrating?
macalebhottie: so I let myself believe I was hot once. convinced others, even.
kevin2010: seen pictures. weren’t imagining.
macalebhottie: those were just beach pics.
kevin2010: you were wearing a speedo. you didn’t look embarrassed to me. you looked good. If I didn’t have Scottie, I mighta been interested.
Caleb looked away from the screen. His stomach did that thing, the one that made him all uncomfortable. Butterflies, gurgles, who cared what they were called. All Caleb cared about was that it felt crappy. Because he was jealous. Jealous that Kevin had someone. Jealous that a twenty-year-old who was barely even out was engaged to a great guy. Jealous because, at thirty, he was alone and living in a crappy studio, while Kevin was….
kevin2010: hey! you’re out?
macalebhottie: yeah. done for the day, thankfully.
kevin2010: working late too much.
macalebhottie: need the money. how are u?
There was a long wait, and finally Caleb sent another message.
macalebhottie: sorry. know u hate to talk about it.
kevin2010: just, this is my escape, you know?
macalebhottie: it’s fine. I just get concerned.
kevin2010: appreciate it, but don’t bother. trust me, enough people worried here already. hey, you ask him out yet?
Caleb closed his eyes for a moment. He should never have told Kevin about that. His little useless crush. He’d never even met Nic. Of course, he’d never met Kevin either. Hardly mattered. He told Kevin everything.
macalebhottie: that’s not happening.
kevin2010: why not?
macalebhottie: because it’s not. just stop it.
kevin2010: like you stop telling me to take care of myself? you should ask him.
Caleb ran a hand through the dark copper red of his tight curls. He sighed, letting the breath out, slow and long. “Sure, right,” he muttered. “Like I could ever really tell Nic.”
He glanced around the room. It was a studio apartment, and even now Caleb could feel the color in his cheeks. Even if he had the confidence to tell Nic, he could never invite him here. A crappy studio apartment? Besides, Nic was happy and far away in one of those Midwestern states. Caleb tried to pretend he didn’t know which one. That he didn’t know the city and the street. That he hadn’t used street view to look at the house. God, he was a stalker!
macalebhottie: can’t.
kevin2010: you mean won’t.
macalebhottie: same difference.
kevin2010: you had confidence once. what happened?
macalebhottie: what do u mean?
kevin2010: macalebHOTTIE. It took confidence. You had it once. what happened?
macalebhottie: we’ve been chatting for months. u know what happened.
kevin2010: no. because every time I ask, you do this. before everything started happening, I was a psych major. I might be tempted to call what you’re doing deflection.
Caleb groaned. Why was Kevin always so frustrating?
macalebhottie: so I let myself believe I was hot once. convinced others, even.
kevin2010: seen pictures. weren’t imagining.
macalebhottie: those were just beach pics.
kevin2010: you were wearing a speedo. you didn’t look embarrassed to me. you looked good. If I didn’t have Scottie, I mighta been interested.
Caleb looked away from the screen. His stomach did that thing, the one that made him all uncomfortable. Butterflies, gurgles, who cared what they were called. All Caleb cared about was that it felt crappy. Because he was jealous. Jealous that Kevin had someone. Jealous that a twenty-year-old who was barely even out was engaged to a great guy. Jealous because, at thirty, he was alone and living in a crappy studio, while Kevin was….