By
USA Today Bestselling Author
Jen Talty

Life has a way of coming full circle—
we just have to open our hearts
and let go of the past.

As a little girl, all Payton Wheeler dreamed about was coming to Montana and living at her grandfather’s ranch. However, life took a different turn and instead of following her dreams, she followed the path of least resistance. That is until her granddad passed away and left her the Wheeler Creek Ranch. Only, the people of Montana view Payton as an outsider and it appears they will do whatever it takes to scare Payton right back to where she came from, including murdering a gray wolf on her land.

However, nothing is as it seems and those responsible for the threats to Payton might be closer than she thinks.

Justice Kane grew up in a world where he couldn’t trust those around him and love was a foreign concept. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in it. He’d seen what true love could be like for other people.

However, because of his past, Justice would never be able to open his heart and allow himself to be vulnerable. That is until he was assigned to protect Payton Wheeler. She changed everything.

And he would do whatever it took to protect her from the pains of the past. Even if that meant it had to rip open a few old wounds to do it.

Payton inherited her grandfather’s ranch. It was not unexpected since her father had no interest in it not even when he was growing up there. However, she had done some time in the family’s business of real estate before taking the reins of the ranch. This makes it difficult for the residents of * to trust her intentions.

Her grandfather had been a big endorser of saving the gray wolf population in Yellowstone and so is she. When a wolf is found dead in a pasture it’s an escalation that is now interrupted as a threat. As such her ranch foreman Colin calls the Brotherhood Protectors to investigate the issue and to protect Payton.

Justice Kane’s journey to the Brotherhood Protectors started with a dysfunctional family. His father was abusive, and his mother had left him behind. This lead to him befriending Kane, who’s family more or less became his own and when he joined the army Kane went with him. Now retired from the service they both work for Brotherhood Protectors new office in Yellowstone. The area reminds Justice of where he grew up in Lake Placid.

Protecting Payton Wheeler would be his first solo job and he was determined to solve the threats while keeping her safe. He just didn’t expect to be so attracted to her.

Payton’s father is also a bit of a pain, calling every day but when he suggests he should come out Payton has to put a stop to it.

This is a favorite scene.

Payton had often felt suffocated by her mother’s love. It was the kind of love that came with a price tag. It wasn’t conditional, so to speak, because no matter what, Payton felt loved. She knew her mom cared deeply. Maybe too deep. The amount of affection her mother was willing to give was in direct correlation with Payton’s decisions. If her mom approved, then all was good in the world. If she didn’t, well, her mom knew how to hold a grudge.

She sighed.

She needed to accept the fact that her mother did hold her love hostage. That didn’t make her mom a bad person. Her mom wanted certain things from life and she demanded her family respect her wishes.

“And to be honest, I have to admit, with all that is happening, so am I. It’s a different world out there. They have a different code that they live by. Even I’m considered an outsider now and I was born and raised there.”

“There are a lot of people who come here and make Montana their home. I’ll be accepted. I have to stay the course.” She leaned back in her chair. The sound of the front door closing caught her attention.

It had been so quiet, she almost forgot she had company.

She glanced at the clock on the wall.

Eight in the morning.

She’d stepped outside and had chatted with Davey for about a half hour. That had been around seven thirty.

She wondered what time Justice woke and where he’d been. Who had he talked to? What had he found out?

Did he have breakfast? Coffee? Had he had a shower yet?

Christ.

That last thought she needed like she needed another restless night.

“Besides, aren’t you the one who told me that you weren’t greeted with open arms the moment you landed in Manhattan? That you were tested at every turn and people didn’t trust you and did things to undermine you?”

“You’re right. All that is true. But most people in this city aren’t carrying guns and get their point across with violence,” her dad said. “I know you loved your grandpa. And I’m sorry that he and I didn’t have a great relationship for your sake. But this isn’t how you prove your love for him. You can sell the ranch. I’m sure there are a number of buyers ready—”

“I’m not selling.” She pulled off another small piece of her bagel and shoved it in her mouth. She had to keep her parents from getting on a plane. For as long as she could remember, her parents had always tried to make her decisions. One summer they even went as far as to try to cancel her trip out west.

Her grandfather put a stop to that, thankfully.

She understood they wanted the best for their daughter, but what they failed to take into consideration was that their vision for her future didn’t match up to Payton’s desires. She did what her parents had planned for her life, not what she had dreamed about doing since she’d been a ten-year-old little girl.

Now that she had the chance to follow her dreams, she wasn’t going to let her parents bully her out of this opportunity because they couldn’t— wouldn’t— relinquish control. She felt like her father generally played Switzerland, and sometimes it appeared like he privately took her side and did what he could to persuade her mom.

But not this time.

Looking back on her life, when it came to where she went to college or what she did with her life careerwise, her parents called the shots.

“That kind of life is hard,” her father said. “Your grandfather was only seventy-three when he died. That ranch put him into the grave early. Not to mention that it’s a difficult way to earn a living.”

“You know as well as I do that the Wheeler Creek Ranch is financially healthy, so let’s not have that conversation again.” She was tired of listening to how much more she’d earn if she stayed in Manhattan. It didn’t matter to her that she gave up millions to run a ranch that would only net her half her salary at the other family business. “I’m not going to keep having the same argument with you, Dad.” She glanced up and smiled at Justice, who stood in the doorway with a tall mug of something steaming from the top.

He leaned against the doorjamb and smiled back.

Her heart dropped to her gut.

Damn.

She’d noticed him last night, but she hadn’t gotten the full picture with his broad shoulders and thick biceps with ink all up and down his arms.

He hadn’t shaved and she liked the scruffy look on him.

Truthfully, she more than liked a lot about Justice. He was everything that she had been told not to like in a man and that made him even more appealing.

But mostly, he’d been nothing short of a gentleman. He’d been kind, considerate, and damn freaking sweet.

“If you’re not going to sell, then what are you doing to protect yourself? Because I can’t leave my little girl out there all alone.”

Shit. She told herself she wasn’t going to say a single word about the Brotherhood Protectors. But she didn’t want her father showing up unannounced either, and the longer she talked to her dad, the more she realized she didn’t have a choice. “I’m not alone, Daddy. You don’t need to worry. I hired a professional.”

“A professional what? And why didn’t you tell me that at the start of this conversation? You could have saved me a ton of aggravation.”

“A bodyguard and I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to have this discussion, but if it will keep you from coming, then so be it.”

Justice arched a brow as he blew into his mug.

She didn’t understand why he gave her such an amused look. That’s exactly what he’d been hired to do.

“Seriously?” her father asked. “Who? What do you know about this person? Are you sure they are legit?”

“Yes, Dad. He’s from an organization called the Brotherhood Protectors. They are all ex-military. If— and this is a big if— someone is trying to hurt me, they will have to go through him, and trust me, he’s like a gladiator or something.”

Justice covered his mouth and stifled a laugh.

She glared.

“I guess that makes me feel better and I’ll pass that on to your mother. But you better call me if something happens. I will be on the first plane out there. Or better yet, we can put that place on the market.”

“Goodbye, Dad. I love you.”

“Seriously, young lady—”

“Dad. I’ve got to go. I’ll call if there’s a problem.”

“You better,” her father said. “I love you, too.”

She set the phone on the table, keeping her gaze on her bagel. She wasn’t sure if it was the conversation with her father that had made her feel like she wanted to jump out of her skin.

Or the man standing and staring at her.

“I’m not sure anyone has ever described me as a gladiator before,” Justice said as he made himself comfortable in the chair next to hers.
Jen Talty. Guarding Payton (Kindle Locations 687-743). Twisted Page Press, LLC.

We learn a secret about Payton before Justice does and it sort of shifts the investigation. There are just so many people that have motive to drive Payton away.

I really love the way the romance works its way into the story and the way the intrigue gradually builds.

I really have to get the rest of the books in this latest group for Brotherhood Protectors World. They are all written by some of my favorite authors.

5 Contented Purrs for Jen!

Jen Talty

Welcome to my World! I’m a USA Today Bestseller of Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, and Paranormal Romance.

I first started writing while carting my kids to one hockey rink after the other, averaging 170 games per year between 3 kids in 2 countries and 5 states. My first book, IN TWO WEEKS was originally published in 2007. In 2010 I helped form a publishing company (Cool Gus Publishing) with NY Times Bestselling Author Bob Mayer where I ran the technical side of the business through 2016.

I’m currently enjoying the next phase of my life…the empty NESTER! My husband and I spend our winters in Jupiter, Florida and our summers in Rochester, NY. We have three amazing children who have all gone off to carve out their places in the world, while I continue to craft stories that I hope will make you readers feel good and put a smile on your face.