Title: Zero Divergence
Author: Aimee Nicole Walker
Series: Zero Hour #3
Genre: M/M Romance, Mystery
Release Date: March 17, 2020
Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Cover Models: Jacob and Steven
Summary:
Zero Divergence, noun: no deviation from a course or standard.
After a key piece of evidence goes missing, a suspected serial rapist and killer evades prosecution. More than Royce Locke’s reputation is on the line when his investigation into the failed chain of custody suggests Franco Humphries might’ve had inside help. There’s no one Royce trusts more than Sawyer Key to help him right a wrong and uncover the traitor in their midst, but can they do it before the Savannah Strangler strikes again?
Relentless plus fearless equals flawless. Sawyer and Royce have come full circle—from hostile strangers to best friends and lovers. Neither a sniper’s bullet nor an arsonist’s fire could keep them apart, but what about a psychopath hell-bent on revenge? The stakes are high, and there’s no turning back now because the zero hour is upon them. Tick tock.
Zero Divergence is the conclusion to the best-selling Zero Hour series, which follows Locke and Key’s investigations and evolving relationship. This is a series you MUST read in order. It contains mature language and sexual content intended for adults 18 and older.
Trigger warning: Part of the storyline involves coming to terms with a friend’s suicide, which may be difficult for some people to read.
Summary:
Ground zero, noun: the center or origin of rapid, intense, or violent activity or change.
Heat, humidity, and homicide are things veteran detective Sawyer Key expects to encounter on his first day with the Savannah Police Department, but the hostile reception from his new partner catches him by surprise. Sawyer isn’t a stranger to heartache and recognizes that Royce Locke is a wounded man who’s reeling from a devastating loss. Relentless and patient in all things, Sawyer is determined to make the new partnership work.
Savannah, Georgia is known for her quirky people, oak trees draped in Spanish moss, and antebellum architecture. Beneath the Southern charm and hospitality, festering hatred and violence is soaring with the summer temperatures. Locke and Key find themselves at the epicenter when their first case involves the death of a former shock jock who appears to be the victim of vigilante justice.
Opposites in nearly every way, the two detectives set aside their differences to take back their city and restore law and order. From this reluctant truce, an intense attraction grows that will either tighten or shatter their tenuous bond. Falling for his partner spells inevitable disaster, but Sawyer’s always been a sucker for wounded things. Sawyer could be the key to the life Royce has always wanted, if he’s brave enough to trust him. The fuse is lit, the clock is running, and the zero hour is upon them. Tick tock.
Ground Zero is the first book in the Zero Hour series, which follows Locke and Key’s investigations and evolving relationship. Ground Zero has a happy-for-now ending with no cliffhanger. It contains mature language and sexual content intended for adults 18 and older.
Summary:
Devil’s hour, noun: the hour when the demon or devil who leads hell is at its strongest.
Born on the wrong side of the tracks, Royce Locke is no stranger to scrapping and fighting for the things he wants. What he desires most is Sawyer Key—his partner on the force and the man he’s falling in love with. After asking Sawyer to take a chance on him, Royce will need to back up his pretty words with fearless action instead of being his own worst enemy.
Someone is harassing the mayor of Savannah, and Locke and Key are tasked with finding out who. The investigation quickly takes a twisted turn, leading them to an enemy who thinks purification by fire is the only way to save the city. Scarier than The Purists’ elusiveness is their ability to turn public opinion in their favor, creating unrest and threatening anarchy by fanning flames and fear. When you play with fire, someone is bound to get burned.
When menace becomes murder, the two detectives will race the clock against the devil to save their beloved city from becoming a raging inferno. Royce will need to draw on his grit now more than ever if he hopes to realize the dreams that are finally within reach. The rag is lit, the Molotov cocktail is tossed, and the zero hour is upon them. Challenge received and accepted.
Devil’s Hour is the second book in the Zero Hour series, which follows Locke and Key’s investigations and evolving relationship. This is a series that must be read in order. Devil’s Hour has a happy-for-now ending with no cliffhanger. It contains mature language and sexual content intended for adults 18 and older.
Zero Divergence #3
“Oh my god,” he said as the chocolate cake melted in his mouth. “I need this for every occasion.”
“I’ll bake it once a week if you promise to listen to orders from now on,” Royce said, taking a bite for himself.
Sawyer met Royce’s stormy eyes. “I’ll agree to that if you promise not to give stupid orders.” He opened his mouth like a baby bird, and Royce gave him another bite. It was somehow more delicious than the first.
“No more burning buildings,” Royce groused.
“It wasn’t burning when I ran into it,” Sawyer countered. “You ran into the burning building.” He couldn’t be mad at Royce, because chances were, he’d be dead if Royce hadn’t risked his own life to pull Sawyer out of the inferno.
“So insubordinate.”
They stared at one another in a silent battle of wills for a few seconds before a big yawn ruined Sawyer’s fierce expression. “We’ll resume this after I take a power nap.” Smiling, Royce leaned forward to set the plate on the coffee table, but Sawyer stopped him. “But not until after I eat more cake.”
Royce aimed a cocky grin at him. “Got you hooked now.”
“You have no idea.”
Ground Zero #1
Locke tossed a file onto the conference table and ran his hands through his hair. “Maybe they saw our perp and are too scared to talk to the police, or maybe they invited them in to dry off and drink a cup of coffee to celebrate a job well done.”
Sawyer shook his head. “I’m serious.”
Locke sat up straight and stretched his arms over his head, working kinks out in his shoulders and upper back. “I am too. It’s hard to get witnesses to come forward when someone they like is a victim of a homicide. They’re often scared of payback if the killer finds out, and sometimes people are afraid of pointing the finger at a person who could be innocent.”He gestured to the stacks of boxes in the corner of the conference room. “Putz was a well-hated man.”
“You make a good point,”Sawyer agreed.
“I normally do, which is why you should listen when you hear the magnanimous gesture I’m about to make.”
“Magnanimous gesture?”
“Hey, you’re not the only one who knows big words,
Golden Boy. I just wait to use mine when it really matters.”
“And it matters right this moment?” Sawyer asked.
“Yes, so are you ready to hear what I have to say?”
Sawyer dramatically gripped the conference table like he was bracing himself. “Ready.”
“He’s got jokes, folks,”Locke yelled through the open conference room door.
“Give him hell, Key,” Detective Blue from arson said as he passed by. He was built like a tank and spoke in a deep voice, reminding Sawyer of the late actor Michael Clarke Duncan.
Locke gave Blue the middle finger then looked at
Sawyer once more. “Go home.”
“Or I’ll regret it?” Sawyer asked, uncertain where the hell Locke was going.
“Go home because it’s your birthday, and there has to be a thousand things you’d rather do than sit here and sift through Putz’s hate mail.”
Devil's Hour #2
“We’re going to head out and interview the newspaper carrier and then meet you at Clancy’s.”Just hearing the restaurant name perked Royce up. He pointed to his shirt and signaled to Sawyer he’d be a minute, then headed to the locker room to change again.
“Oh my god,” he said as the chocolate cake melted in his mouth. “I need this for every occasion.”
“I’ll bake it once a week if you promise to listen to orders from now on,” Royce said, taking a bite for himself.
Sawyer met Royce’s stormy eyes. “I’ll agree to that if you promise not to give stupid orders.” He opened his mouth like a baby bird, and Royce gave him another bite. It was somehow more delicious than the first.
“No more burning buildings,” Royce groused.
“It wasn’t burning when I ran into it,” Sawyer countered. “You ran into the burning building.” He couldn’t be mad at Royce, because chances were, he’d be dead if Royce hadn’t risked his own life to pull Sawyer out of the inferno.
“So insubordinate.”
They stared at one another in a silent battle of wills for a few seconds before a big yawn ruined Sawyer’s fierce expression. “We’ll resume this after I take a power nap.” Smiling, Royce leaned forward to set the plate on the coffee table, but Sawyer stopped him. “But not until after I eat more cake.”
Royce aimed a cocky grin at him. “Got you hooked now.”
“You have no idea.”
Ground Zero #1
Locke tossed a file onto the conference table and ran his hands through his hair. “Maybe they saw our perp and are too scared to talk to the police, or maybe they invited them in to dry off and drink a cup of coffee to celebrate a job well done.”
Sawyer shook his head. “I’m serious.”
Locke sat up straight and stretched his arms over his head, working kinks out in his shoulders and upper back. “I am too. It’s hard to get witnesses to come forward when someone they like is a victim of a homicide. They’re often scared of payback if the killer finds out, and sometimes people are afraid of pointing the finger at a person who could be innocent.”He gestured to the stacks of boxes in the corner of the conference room. “Putz was a well-hated man.”
“You make a good point,”Sawyer agreed.
“I normally do, which is why you should listen when you hear the magnanimous gesture I’m about to make.”
“Magnanimous gesture?”
“Hey, you’re not the only one who knows big words,
Golden Boy. I just wait to use mine when it really matters.”
“And it matters right this moment?” Sawyer asked.
“Yes, so are you ready to hear what I have to say?”
Sawyer dramatically gripped the conference table like he was bracing himself. “Ready.”
“He’s got jokes, folks,”Locke yelled through the open conference room door.
“Give him hell, Key,” Detective Blue from arson said as he passed by. He was built like a tank and spoke in a deep voice, reminding Sawyer of the late actor Michael Clarke Duncan.
Locke gave Blue the middle finger then looked at
Sawyer once more. “Go home.”
“Or I’ll regret it?” Sawyer asked, uncertain where the hell Locke was going.
“Go home because it’s your birthday, and there has to be a thousand things you’d rather do than sit here and sift through Putz’s hate mail.”
Devil's Hour #2
“We’re going to head out and interview the newspaper carrier and then meet you at Clancy’s.”Just hearing the restaurant name perked Royce up. He pointed to his shirt and signaled to Sawyer he’d be a minute, then headed to the locker room to change again.
He pulled the shirt over his head and dropped it on the bench in front of his locker on his way to the sink to wash off the stickiness before putting on a clean shirt. Otherwise, it would be like changing your underwear after a wet dream without washing off your sticky dick first.
In the mirror above the sink, Royce’s gaze snagged on the puckered scar on his chest. He ran his finger over it, noting how the tissue had softened and lightened from an angry red to dark pink. He heard the locker room door swing open and recognized Sawyer’s footsteps as he searched for him. Seconds later, the man appeared behind him in the mirror. Sawyer’s eyes immediately went to the exit scar next to his shoulder blade. He lowered his head and kissed the scar before sliding his arms around Royce’s waist and resting his chin on his shoulder.
“Have you forgotten where we are?”Royce teased.
Sawyer held his gaze in the mirror. “Nope. This just felt more important after the fight we had.”Sawyer looked at the scar a few inches above Royce’s heart. He ran his fingers over it just like Royce had, then rested his palm on his chest over his heart. “I almost lost you.”
“I’m not going anywhere, baby.”
Sawyer raised his eyes to meet Royce’s in the mirror again. “That isn’t a promise you can keep,”he whispered. Royce knew he was right. Victor Ruiz never would’ve chosen to leave Sawyer.
“If given a choice, I’m going to pick you.”It was the best he could offer—the best anyone could. It wasn’t the first time they’d had a variation of the same conversation nor would it be the last. It usually ended in a lot of kissing and tender sex, but it wasn’t an option right now. Royce’s gaze shifted down the long row of empty shower stalls, and he contemplated putting one of them to good use until Sawyer chuckled and took a step back.
“Get dressed so we can get on the road. I’ll treat you to your favorite catfish sandwich for lunch, Sarge.” Appeasing his stomach was a close second to his cock.
“Deal.”
Royce had used his last spare T-shirt after changing out of his uniform and had to settle for a navy blue polo with the SPD crest on the chest. He kept a few of them on hand for occasions when his casual attire wasn’t appropriate. Once he caught the appreciative gleam in Sawyer’s eyes, he decided to wear them more often. Considering his promotion and new responsibilities, maybe it was time to retire the T-shirts for good.
Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day. I’d love to hear from you.
Zero Divergence #3
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