This is the first story I’ve read by this author. I believe that it should be stated that this includes explicit noncon force and explicit consensual intimacy so people with triggers will be warned. I don’t have those triggers but I can feel for those that do and stumble into something unexpected. I’m using words that I think won’t get turned down so they are probably not as strong as should be.
This story starts by Paris running away hoping to claim his freedom. Due to being captured he ends up meeting Lucius, son of his captor and they find themselves falling for the other. When Lucius’ dad finds out he sells Paris to a gladiator school. Paris is there to be a slave to the gladiator’s and faces his choices until he is able to attend the school and become a skilled gladiator. While he is being schooled, he meets Publius a member of the Praetorian Guard. With the attraction between Publius and Paris, Paris is given special privilege and with Publius’s help becomes a skilled fighter. As Publius is promoted and sent to Rome, Paris is allowed to follow and perform for the Emperor. He wins enough to buy his freedom but decides to continue fighting while buying a home with Publius. Then things start to make Paris unsatisfied. And his life takes a turn for the worse.
There is so much more to this story. There is a lot of emotion between what happens between and to the characters. This is so out of the normal of what I usually read but I enjoyed the story because the author is so good at describing the characters and surroundings that I easily could picture this happening.