Against the Grain

Why these tropes fit

In the fifth installment of the THIRDS series, Defense Agent Ash Keeler—a foul-mouthed, hard-tempered but effective agent—and his Recon Agent teammate Cael Maddock face the aftermath of dismantling the extremist Coalition. After Ash takes a bullet saving Cael during the mission, the carefully guarded secrets in Ash's heart begin to surface, forcing him to confront feelings for his supposedly straight teammate. Cael, who has long been in love with Ash, must find a way past Ash's defenses. As their relationship develops, old wounds reopen and new secrets emerge, testing their trust and forcing both men to question old loyalties amid the dangers of New York City.