Cody Freeman, a blue-eyed blond-haired economics student, drops out of college to chase his dreams of becoming a drummer. After a gig, he unwinds with a jog in Hyde Park and saves Prince Aki Chan, an awkward geeky electronics enthusiast, from a lethal mugging. Having spent the night in the safety of Cody’s flat, the two teenagers form a strong bond.

But will their forbidden friendship develop into a royal romance? Or will Cody uncover deep secrets about himself that will alter his life … forever?

14+ due to adult situations

Excerpt:

“Hey, look…” Cody took a few steps forward. Was he an idiot? What was he doing there? He couldn’t help anyone. He was outnumbered. Perhaps he ought to turn and run before it was too late for him to back away. But he couldn’t. “I can either call the cops or you can let your … um … friend go.”

With the bright glow of the moon bouncing off the water, shining behind the group, a clearer outline of a youth struggling to break free could be seen. Two guys were holding him by the wrists and arms, and it looked like the third guy had been using the victim as a punching bag. Cody couldn’t back away now, could he? It wasn’t in his nature to leave someone who was asking for help. The stifled muffled cries were heard again.

If Cody’s calculations were right, there were three attackers. Perhaps with the victim’s help, they might just manage to overpower the thugs. He knew he was outnumbered and the odds of doing any good were stacked against him, but he had to try.

He had nothing on him that could act as a defensive weapon, and then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a rescue lifebuoy. It was a red and white ring with a rope attached, and it was fixed onto a stand that was close to the lake in case someone fell into the water.

The buoy was the only thing to hand and Cody knew what he had to do. It was now or never. He had to decide to act or simply walk away.

Under normal circumstances, confrontation of any sort wasn’t his style, but this wasn’t normal … was it? A group of lads beating someone up wasn’t what happened in real life, or at least not in Cody’s world.

Going over to the stand, he removed the ring from its securing hook. With the lifebuoy held tight in his grasp, he walked with determined strides toward the youths.

Taking a deep breath, he repeated, “I said, let him go.”

“Fuck off,” was the sharp retort.

Was that a glint, a flash of a steel blade?

Then slowly, with a steady swinging motion and with his arms extended, Cody began to sway the heavy lifebuoy ring from one side of his body to the other. He was like a discus thrower preparing to launch a lethal weapon. Only he wasn’t planning to release the lifebuoy aimlessly into the air. He was going to aim it and strike out at the attackers and hopefully hit his target.

As he advanced toward the youths, even under the cloak of darkness, he was able to witness a look of surprise on their faces. Something like disbelief appeared. It was clear they hadn’t expected any opposition to their nocturnal pleasure-seeking adventure, but Cody was there, and he was prepared to fight.