Being a gay man in 1827, was not only frowned upon in England, but punishable by death. Magistrate Simon Stockley would know. He'd convicted men in his courtroom and sentenced them himself. Every time, it left a vile taste in his mouth because Simon was no different than the men whose lives he claimed.Overcompensating for his secret, fearing discovery, Simon walked the straight and narrow with everything he did. Being overly cautious with life was second nature to him. The consequences of being discovered were among his worst fears. Sadly, this was his life and he accepted it.Until one cold day in October when James Hansen was led into his courtroom.Blinded by the fire in James' eyes and the energy seething from his core, Simon's entire life was thrown upside down. One cursory glance at the criminal and nothing would ever be the same again.Problem.James' crimes were severe and his punishment was death. However, there was something about him that Simon couldn't put his finger on. Despite all sensibility, Simon couldn't let him go.Maybe some things were worth the risk.Maybe rules were meant to be broken.Secrets were wonderful... until someone found out the truth.