He was my first crush. My forever crush. He was the reason I discovered my true self. Ferguson I met Jack Hogan at fifteen years old when my dad took me to watch him box in an underground fight run by the mob. I was instantly drawn to the older man and the reason I discovered I was gay. But that was my secret and burden to bear. A year later, tragedy hit when my parents were murdered, leaving me gutted. And losing my father, who had taught me how to box since I was big enough to throw my first punch, turned me bitter and angry. Jack quickly took up the mantle as a father figure and my best friend while I used boxing to blow off my rage. I also had to earn much-needed money since my sister and I were left alone. Years later, Jack pushed me to get out of the underground scene and go pro with him as my manager. After my first win, I finally got to have a taste of Jack, and while it strained our friendship, I craved more. One taste wasn’t nearly enough. Jack Ferguson Mulligan thought he could hide his attraction for me. I had known it for years but kept it to myself. I was emotionally unavailable, clinging to another man whom I thought loved me. As nine years progressed, Fergs grew into a man with an amazing talent for boxing. I knew he could succeed at it, so I got him out of the illegal fight scene and into the professional world of boxing. After a night of celebration and too many drinks, I dropped my walls and went to a place I shouldn’t have. I hadn’t been ready to be with anyone else intimately, especially with my best friend. Plus, I was his manager. It was a bad idea all around. But that night awakened something in me, allowing me to see Fergs beyond a boxer and my best friend. I just wasn’t ready. He deserved all of me, not broken pieces. The two men eventually let go of their fears to grow something deep and meaningful. But could their relationship survive when Fergs finally learned who killed his parents? With a need for vengeance and his temper out of control, it could destroy all they had worked for. Tropes: Second chances, slow burn, boxing, best friends to lovers, hurt/comfort, age gap, pining, one that nearly got away, close proximity, work together, fighter/trainer. (While this has boxing, it's not quite a sports romance) Knights of Boston is a three-book subseries from Kings of Boston, filled with fan-favorite secondary characters. Each book will work as a standalone and the characters will not mingle with each other. Each one will be its own story. Triggers: Internalized homophobia (not the MCs), grief, explicit sex, violence, and language.