Payoff

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Synopsis

Tristan and Jared have become Market Garden favorites with their special brand of exhibitionism and power play that the clients can't seem to get enough of. But the closer they grow outside of work, the harder it's become for Tristan to keep their work compartmentalized from their relationship. Tristan is feeling edgy, and not understanding why, Jared has become worried that Tristan might want to break up. Before they can have a conversation about it, Rolex, their favorite wealthy client, shows up, once again requesting their services. The only problem is that this time, he doesn't just want to watch. He wants to have Jared while Tristan plays voyeur, and he's willing to pay handsomely for the privilege. The boys agree, but as their evening progresses, nothing about the scenario feels right to Tristan, and even the huge pile of cash Rolex offered might not be enough to get him on board. However, a private heart-to-heart with Jared to clear the air just might be what he needs to find a solution that works for everyone.

Review

Payoff is the sixth book in L. A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov's Market Garden series, which follows the rent boys at the London club/brothel of the same name. It's also the third book of the series to feature club favorites Tristan and Jared. They were the male leads in the first two books, Quid Pro Quo and Take It Off. Quid Pro Quo showed the beginning of their relationship and was written entirely from Jared's POV, while Take It Off showed some progression in their romance and was written entirely from Tristan's POV. Payoff is in dual-perspective and finally gives these boys a more solid ending.

As a refresher, Tristan and Jared got together when an out-of-town businessman came into Market Garden wanting to play voyeur while these two got it on, and then he came back for seconds at a later date. In between, Tristan and Jared began a casual relationship outside the Garden, but have continued to work there, both solo and in tandem. Tristan has become increasingly bothered when Jared goes out solo. He wants something real with Jared and doesn't like the idea of other men who don't care one whit about his boyfriend having sex with him. Jared also wants to be with Tristan. He knows there's something eating away at him, but is having trouble getting him to talk about it. Then Rolex (the nickname they gave their wealthy benefactor on his first visit because of his expensive watch) returns for round three. This time, he doesn't want to just be a passive voyeur. He wants to bang Jared, while Tristan watches. The two men agree to the job, but as the scene starts to play out, Jared is trying to give their client a good time, while sensing that Tristan is completely out of sorts. A part of Tristan is turned on, but nothing about the scenario feels right to him. Not only is he jealous of Rolex, but he's used to the power play games he previously engaged in with the client, which aren't a part of it this time. Unable to take it anymore, he finally puts an end to it, but after a private heart-to-heart with Jared, they just might find a scene that's amenable for everyone involved.

Payoff is a novelette, so it's a little longer than the first two stories featuring Tristan and Jared. Throughout the first half, Tristan is rather uncomfortable. He's both out of his element, as he likes to be in control, not just a passive bystander, and he's also jealous of Rolex's interactions with Jared. For his part, Jared is worried that Tristan may be about to break up with him, because of the distance he feels between them. As a result, the chemistry is off, which is why I dropped the half-star, but I also admit that it was probably necessary for Tristan to realize just why he was feeling that way. Once he and Jared talk, and Tristan gets back into the driver's seat, this story was just as blazingly hot as all the others. Those scenes are extremely well-written and deliciously steamy. I like that Rolex isn't a demanding client. He genuinely seems to care about the rent boys as human beings, giving them time to work things out, rather than treating them like mere pieces of meat. This will definitely hold him in good stead with me as he moves forward to become one of the heroes of the final book of the series, On the Clock. I like that Tristan and Jared are finally on the same page, and while it maybe wasn't quite as solid of an HEA as I typically like, I'm happy that they're now in a committed relationship and discussing the possibility of leaving Market Garden to be exclusively with each other. So, overall, Payoff was an enjoyable wrap-up to these two men's story that left me feeling like the future was bright for them.

Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, including voyeurism/exhibitionism, sex work, and a MMM menage scene, which could be objectionable to sensitive readers. 

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L. A. Witt

Aleksandr Voinov