By
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
Lexi Blake

A Tragic Love Story

Charlotte Dennis’s mission was clear: distract and misdirect CIA operative Ian Taggart by any means necessary. If she failed, she would never see her sister again. With her training, it should have been simple, but after one night in Ian’s arms, she knew that saving her sister would mean losing the man of her dreams.

Ian was tracking a terrorist when he met the beautiful American daughter of a Russian mobster. His instincts told him Charlotte was trouble, but his body craved her like a drug and his heart would not be denied. She took his ring and his collar. For once he was truly happy. But as he closed in on his target, her betrayal cost him his mission while her sacrifice saved his life. As she died in his arms, Ian vowed he would never love again.

A Dangerous Reunion

For six years, Charlotte has thought of nothing but returning to her husband, her Master. Working in the shadows, she has devoted herself to earning a chance to reclaim her place in Ian’s life. But forgiveness isn’t a part of Ian’s vocabulary.

Nothing is more important to Ian Taggart than his new mission. But the information he needs is firmly in the hands of the woman who betrayed him. To catch his most dangerous prey, Ian will have to let Charlotte back into his life. As the hunt takes them to some of the world’s most exotic locations, the danger grows and their passion reignites.

Will Ian forgive his wayward submissive…or lose her again?

I have this book as part of ‘The Early Ops’ which contains the first five books of the series. It’s nice moving from one book to the next this way.

Now we learn all about Ian’s wife and the circumstances surrounding her ‘death’. With Charlotte very much alive, Ian is conflicted in more ways than one. His reaction to her was not unexpected at least to my mind.

Even though Ian is somewhat resistant to her overtures, Charlotte isn’t one to give up easily. She’s spent the last five years doing things to be worthy of Ian’s love.

After their initial encounter, Ian has drunk himself into a stupor. Charlotte called Sean to be with him and made her plans to get the team together to discuss taking down Nelson.

When Ian finds out, hungover and all he goes to take care of business.

This is a favorite scene.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Ian was standing in the doorframe, his big body in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. His hair was still damp, as though he’d run from his shower to the office. He looked big and dangerous and completely sexy. He made her mouth water just looking at him.

He even looked good with a black eye. Maybe she shouldn’t have hit him so hard. Well, there was only one way to get through this and that was to be brazen.

“Hello, Ian. I brought your favorite donuts. Lemon cream. Would you like some coffee? Did Sean give you ibuprofen? I told him he should get you some.”

He simply walked in, reached down, and hauled her up. Without a word from him, he slung her over his broad shoulder and started carrying her out.

“All right, then, Adam, you know what to do,” Charlie said, trying to hold her head up. Unlike her husband, she wasn’t willing to have it out in front of his employees and friends.

“God, I wish I had a video camera. Someone make sure security doesn’t erase these tapes,” Adam said.

“Adam!” He could be so damn obnoxious. She had to keep him in line.

He straightened up immediately. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll check into it.”

A hard hand slapped at her ass, making her skin tingle. “He’s not going to check into anything except getting new locks for our fucking doors.”

“Mommy and Daddy are fighting, Jake. What should I do?” Adam asked.

From what she could see, they were all following her and Ian out of the conference room, snacks in hand.

Jake was watching the scene with an amused expression. “I think we figure out who’s scarier.”

“I’m writing this into a book,” Serena said, taking notes on a small pad of paper.

“Is the meeting over?” Grace asked. “Should I clean up?”

Charlie knew exactly what was going to happen. “He’s going to say he doesn’t want a donut, but he totally does. Save him three. He’ll eat them before lunch and then pretend he didn’t. Oh, and he likes his coffee really black, like almost espresso like.”

Grace stopped. “Seriously? I’ve been making it medium.”

“He likes really dark roast.”

Another swat hit her ass. “I hate everything.”

He was so annoying. “You can toss me out on my ass. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

He walked out the glass doors, allowing them to slam shut behind them. “Not if I kill you you won’t.”

Like that was a real threat. “Sure, Superman, slay me hard, buddy.”

He talked such a good game. He talked like he was the biggest badass to ever walk the face of the earth and, in some ways, he was. He could eviscerate a man who did evil and never think twice about it. He was perfectly capable of taking someone’s head off.

But only if they deserved it.

She’d figured him out long ago. He would take apart the bad guys—and no one else. He would have a hard time taking out a woman, even if she did deserve it. He had his code, and he stuck to it rigidly.

Ian Taggart would undoubtedly tell her it made him vomit, but he was a hero. A real live walking and talking American hero. He was her hero.

And damn, his ass looked fine in a pair of jeans. She thought seriously about cupping those strong muscles with her palms, but decided against it. She could only push him so far before he did something he would regret.

“Or I could send you to the street, where you belong.” The elevator dinged open and he strode inside.

She took a breath, steeling herself against the close quarters.

“Ian, come on.” Ian ignored her, looking toward his crew. “You guys stay the fuck in the office or you’re fired.”

“I won’t fire anyone,” she shot back. The elevator was large and elegantly appointed and empty. She’d handled it on her way up. She could take a trip down. “Except Jesse. He nearly killed me.”

She heard a sad sigh. “But I got an apartment last week.”

“You’re not fucking fired, Jesse,” Ian said, frustration evident in his tone. “This is still my company. I wanted to fire you but now I won’t because I know she doesn’t want you here. But if you try to follow us down, I’ll kill you.”

He turned so she couldn’t see anything except the back of the elevator and how fine his ass was. She concentrated on that and not the fact that they were in a small, enclosed space. “He’s a drama queen. He’s not going to kill anyone. He’s definitely not going to kill Eli Nelson because he won’t find the fucker without me.”

A hard smack. Yes, he was definitely coming to the end of his rope.

He slapped a hand at the buttons and the door closed. He made not a single move to let her down.

“I’m not going anywhere, Ian.”

“I’ll bar you from the building.”

“That’s going to be hard since I own half of the top floor.”

A small pause. “No, you fucking don’t.”

It was time to point out a few irrefutable truths of his situation. “We didn’t have a prenup, babe. Even if we did, this is property you bought after our nuptials. Texas is a community property state. What’s yours is mine. On the happy side, I have a ten million dollar condo I’ll share with you. I even bought thousand thread count sheets. I know you have sensitive skin.”
Blake, Lexi. Masters and Mercenaries Bundle: The Early Ops (Books 1-5) . DLZ Entertainment, LLC. Kindle Locations (20450-20490). Kindle Edition.

Lots of suspense, action, snark, fun and sizzling heat in this book.

I’m going to start the next book and catch up to the latest release.

5 Contented Purrs for Lexi!

Lexi Blake

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

By
NY Time & USA Today Bestselling Author
Lexi Blake

Her submission fulfilled her

When Eve St. James married Alex McKay, she had her whole life ahead of her. They were the FBI’s golden couple by day, but by night Eve gave herself over to her husband’s world of Dominance and submission filled with pleasures she came to crave.

His betrayal destroyed her

Worried for her safety, Alex left Eve behind to tackle a dangerous mission. But Alex never suspected that Eve was the real target and her security is destroyed by a madman. By the time he rescues her, his wife has been changed forever.

But when her life is in danger he is her only hope

Unable to heal the damage, Alex and Eve are still trapped together in a cycle of pleasure and misery that even their divorce cannot sever. But when a threat from Eve’s past resurfaces, Alex will stop at nothing to save her life and reclaim her heart.

In this book we learn the whole story behind Alex and Eve, their marriage, their divorce, their D/s relationship and the love they are both denying.

When Evans turns up on the radar again, all Alex can think about it keeping Eve safe and out of the way. He can’t take a chance that she could ever go through that hell again.

Their contact turns out to be a reporter, she’d been sniffing out this story for years. Now she needs Alex and as many of this team as she can get to infiltrate a club she believes is laundering Evans’ money. She’s managed to get him a position as Dom in Residence for this themed Club and also the ability to bring his own sub.

Now when Eve hears about this, she has her own ideas of who that sub should be. The problem is, how is she going to pull this off.

Kristen squeezed his arm lightly. “Amanda is on her way. You’re going to love her. She’s practically the perfect sub. She’ll have these women trained in no time.”

Alex smiled. If Chazz kept calling what seemed like perfectly pleasant women bitches, he was going to strangle the fucker. Though he’d laughingly called Eve a bitch from time to time, it was with deep affection, the same way she would call him a righteous asshole. Still, the whole idea of Amanda walking through those doors and greeting him with a kiss put his gut in a knot. He should have played gay and brought Adam in. It would have been easier on him to kiss Adam than Amanda.

The door opened and a stream of late-afternoon light filtered in making a shadow of the woman walking in the door. She was followed by a big, bulky shadow. Sean. Alex released a long breath. He felt better with Sean here. His back was much safer than before.

Amanda walked through, and it looked like she’d followed his instructions to the letter. Her hair was longer than it had been before. He didn’t know if it was a wig or extensions, but it would change her in a subtle way.

And that was what he wanted, for her not to look exactly like Amanda King.

She moved out of the shadow and he caught a look at the new Amanda. He felt the smile slip off his face because she really didn’t look like Amanda at all.

He blinked to clear his vision because he hadn’t seen Amanda. He’d seen Eve, with chestnut-brown hair that brushed the tops of her breasts. She was dressed in the skimpiest clothes he’d ever seen her wear, a mini skirt that couldn’t possibly cover her ass. It looked like someone had wrapped a bandage around her hips and called it a skirt. Her tank top molded to every inch of her torso, stopping roughly an inch above the skirt, giving him a glimpse of skin every time she moved.

And her freaking legs looked a million miles long in what had to be five-and-a-half inch platforms. She was wearing the thin leather collar that should have been around Amanda’s neck.

Eve. Eve was here, and she looked like sex in stilettos.

Kristen didn’t miss a beat. She greeted Eve like they were the old friends they were supposed to be.

“Hey, Mandy. How was the flight?”

“Great. Couldn’t have been better.” Eve smiled up at him.

Sean held out a hand in greeting. Nothing in his expression gave away the fact that the operation had just gone to hell. “Hey, brother.” He looked around the club. “This is a shit hole.”

“Nice, Sean.” He forced himself to stay calm. “This is Chazz. He runs this shit hole. This is my cousin, Sean Reilly.”
Blake, Lexi. Masters and Mercenaries Bundle: The Early Ops (Books 1-5). DLZ Entertainment, LLC. Kindle Locations (16232-16252). Kindle Edition.

To say Alex was pissed is an understatement. Unfortunately for him there was nothing to do but accept it. Eve definitely pushes his buttons but really she is a valuable asset in this scenario.

Lots of suspense, action and downright scary moments as this tale unfolds. Plus the love and sizzle between Alex and Eve that runs hot and cold and then white hot as they finally discover what their problems really are.

5 Contented Purrs for Lexi!

Lexi Blake

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

By
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
Lexi Blake

A Man with a Past…

Liam O’Donnell fled his native Ireland years ago after one of his missions ended in tragedy and he is accused of killing several of his fellow agents. Shrouded in mystery, Liam can’t remember that fateful night. He came to the United States in disgrace, seeking redemption for crimes he may or may not have committed. But the hunt for an international terrorist leads him to London and right back into the world he left behind.

A Woman Looking for a Future…

Avery Charles followed her boss to London, eager to help the philanthropist with his many charities. When she meets a mysterious man who promises to show her London’s fetish scene, she can’t help but indulge in her darkest fantasies. Liam becomes her Dom, her protector, her lover. She opens her heart and her home to him, only to discover he’s a man on a mission and she’s just a means to an end.

When Avery’s boss leads them to the traitorous Mr. Black, Liam must put together the puzzle of his past or Avery might not have a future…

I have this book as part of Masters and Mercenaries: The Early Ops which contains the first five books in the series. I am reviewing them individually as I read.

Being in London is hard for Liam, so close to where his life went to hell. His brother and several others dead before a bomb took out the building. He shouldn’t have survived but he did. He just can’t remember it all.

Avery has been working for a mostly reclusive philanthropist, Thomas Molina. A man who’s decided it’s time to be more active in his charity workings. There’s something fishy with some of the shipments and someone needs to get close to Avery and see if she’s innocent or not.

It’s decided that Liam should be the one to approach Avery and the rest of the team settles in as neighbors.

This is a favorite scene when Liam makes his move.

Mummies. She forced herself to concentrate. She felt a smile cross her lips. It was so much nicer when her rambling thoughts were about mummies and historical sites than bedpans and whether or not her legs would ever work again. Or where her baby was now that she wasn’t in her arms.

“It can’t be all that bad. I don’t think he minds being stuck in here.”

Avery started, a deep voice pulling her from the edge of a very dark thought. She turned on her heels and, as any sudden movement was likely to do, her weak leg buckled underneath her. She started the long trip to the ground, except this time she was headed straight for the ancient, probably priceless, mummy. God, she was going to set off all kinds of alarms and get kicked out of the museum and maybe out of England, and then she would have to find a new job and who would want a woman who’d been arrested for molesting mummified corpses?

And just like that, she stopped. Two big arms wrapped around her, lifting her away from the oncoming chaos.

“You okay?”

Without even thinking about it, her arms drifted up and around his neck, fingertips brushing warm, deliciously firm skin. The dark-haired man she’d seen before, the one she’d fantasized about last night, held her in his arms. Curly, midnight-black hair and emeralds for eyes. He was dressed for sin in a black motorcycle jacket and a T-shirt that molded to his very well-defined chest. Did he have to buy them one size too small? Did he have to walk around like a big old gorgeous man cupcake when she’d been on a diet for so long?

“Lost the power of speech? Well, that guy’s ugly mug would do that to me, too.”

She’d thought for sure he was British. She’d fantasized about a lyrical accent coming out of his mouth, but no, his voice was pure Midwestern American. And she should say something since the man was still standing there holding her like she was his virgin bride or something. Virgin. She wasn’t. Unless it grew back after too many years of vaginal disuse. God, say something, Avery. “I’m so sorry.”

His lips curled up in a flirty smile. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. He was the single most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Even if that smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I think I’m the one who should apologize. I didn’t mean to startle you. It just seemed like it was time that I should talk to you. I’ve been following you around for days. We seem to have the same tastes in museums.”

He’d noticed her, too? That was odd. She typically blended into the background, when she wasn’t falling down. She was well aware she wasn’t a great beauty. She wasn’t horrific, but she fell into a bland attractiveness that usually required a forceful personality to go along with it in order to be truly pretty. She wasn’t exactly aggressive. She was more a “watch from a distance and dream” kind of girl.

There was no distance between them now. None at all. She could feel the heat of his body against hers, the hardness of his form. How long had it been since she’d been held? Touched? Nothing for years that didn’t include a therapist massaging muscles to keep them from atrophying. Her mother-in-law hadn’t touched her once since she’d discovered what Avery had done. No more motherly hugs. Even the few friends she’d had back home had treated her like she was fragile. No touching allowed or someone would break Avery. Gorgeous Green Eyes didn’t seem to think she would break. His arms were tight around her body, cradling her to his chest.

“Can I put you down? Do you think you can stand?”

She felt herself flush. She was making a complete idiot of herself. He’d only reached out because she’d fallen. Again. Would she ever again feel like she had control over her body? “Yes. I’m fine. I’m so sorry for the whole nearly killing a mummy thing.”

He set her on her feet, holding her until he seemed sure she was steady. He smiled down at her, definite amusement in his eyes. They seemed so much warmer now than a moment before. “I think he’s already dead, sweetheart. Now on the other hand, you nearly gave the security guy a heart attack.”

She gasped and looked around. Sure enough, there was the museum employee in his suit coat with his walkie-talkie at his side. His face was slightly flushed, but he’d taken his place again.

“Think nothing of it, ma’am. Women faint dead away at the sight all the time.” The security guard winked her way.

Avery gave him a smile. “Well, maybe Egypt is too much for my constitution. I think I’ll go have some lunch and fortify myself against the sight.” It was really time to retreat. Deep breath. Confident smile. She turned back to the hottie. That’s what all the girls back in the New York offices called someone who looked like Green Eyes. Hotties. They were right. She could really use a fan. “Thank you so much for the save.”

“Not a problem.” He seemed to be waiting on something.

It was an awkward moment, but then much of her life was made up of them. “Good-bye.”

She turned carefully and hoped she could make a graceful exit.

“So what sounds good? I think there’s a fish and chips place across the street.” Hottie kept pace, not that it was hard for him. He was so much taller. He probably took one stride to her two slightly awkward ones.

She stopped. He was doing the flirting thing. Why? He was obviously out of her league. She wasn’t good at stuff like this. He was far more gorgeous than Simon, and she couldn’t figure out why he was pursuing her beyond the obvious career implications. This guy didn’t even know her name. She decided to try to be polite. Maybe he felt sorry for her. “Thank you for the offer. I really can make my way. Thanks so much for the save.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied, not moving at all. He simply stood in front of the stairs, blocking her way. “You don’t like fish and chips? You do know you’re in England, right?”

“Yes, I know I’m in England.” Flustered. He was making her flustered. “I like fish and chips fine.”

He smiled broadly. “Excellent. I could use a pint. I need some fortification before we get back to the mummies, too. Seriously, these are some ugly dudes. Why would anyone want their body to last this long? I want to immediately be cremated.”

“It was part of their religion. They needed a body if they were to go to the afterlife. I’m pretty sure they didn’t imagine they would end up in a museum thousands of miles away with tourists ogling them.” She started to make an argument about tolerance for other religions, but that was really beside the point. “I didn’t ask you to go to lunch with me.”

He nodded, leaning out of the way so others could come into the hall, but still blocking her advance. “Yes, you forgot to. I admit it was rude, but I’ve decided to believe that you were distracted after your near miss with old Tut back there.”

“That wasn’t King Tut.”

He shrugged. “Yeah, I’m not enormously big on Egyptian history. So we’ve decided that you’re distractible and it totally affects your social skills, but luckily I’m a very focused guy and I can be polite enough for both of us. I can teach you how the polite world works.” He held out a big hand. “Lee Donnelly. I work in construction back in the States. I recently finished a huge renovation job back in Dallas and gave myself two months off to come visit some friends here in London. This is the part where you shake my hand and tell me your name and what you do.”

“Avery Charles.” He’d kind of put her in a corner. There was nothing to do except take his hand. She quickly found her own hand completely wrapped in his. Warmth flooded her system. He had strong hands, callused and rough from work, but so nice to touch. Lee. She liked that name. It was solid and masculine and simple. “I’m the personal assistant to a man who runs a charity fund.”

He nodded at her like she was a slow learner who had finally caught on. “See, that wasn’t so hard. And do you live here in London?”

She kind of wanted to run away, but she had the sudden sense that he would follow, and he would be so much faster. She was caught. Trapped. So why shouldn’t she enjoy the afternoon with the most beautiful man she’d ever met? There wasn’t any harm in it. She spent so much time alone that it would be nice to have a meal with a handsome stranger, and he was obviously at loose ends. He probably felt as out of place as she did and was looking for some company. Despite the fact that the employees of United One Fund were friendly, no one asked her to have lunch with them. They had their own cliques and friendships, and it would be that way everywhere she and Thomas went.

What could it hurt to make a friend? He was probably looking for someone to buy him lunch. It might be nice to have someone to talk to.

“I’m from New York,” she replied, allowing her shoulders to come down from around her ears. Now that she’d made the choice to get to know him, she found herself eager to ask him a few questions. “Are you from Dallas?”

“Not originally, though I’ve spent the last several years there. Wow. It’s getting late. Time flies when you’re having fun.” He moved out of the doorway, his hand moving in a graceful gesture. “Let’s go grab some grub as they would say in my neck of the woods. I’m starving.”

She followed him out of the museum, hoping all the while she wasn’t making a mistake.
Blake, Lexi. Masters and Mercenaries Bundle: The Early Ops (Books 1-5). Kindle Locations (9736-9804). DLZ Entertainment, LLC. Kindle Edition.

Full of suspense, drama, and sizzle this book has it all, CIA, MI6, plus twists and turns to keep you guessing.

I really love the continuity in these books, the characters are as intriguing as the story itself.

I think I’ll just keep reading this series until I’m caught up.

5 Contented Purrs for Lexi!

Lexi Blake

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

By
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
Lexi Blake

A woman in danger…

Serena Brooks is a bestselling author of erotic fiction. She knows how to write a happy ending but hasn’t managed to find one of her own. Divorced and alone, she has no one to turn to when a stalker begins to threaten her life. The cops don’t believe her. Her ex-husband thinks she’s making the whole story up. She has no one left to turn to except a pair of hired bodyguards. They promise to guard her body, but no one can protect her heart.

Two men in search of love…

Adam Miles and Jacob Dean are halves of a whole. They’ve spent their entire adult lives searching for the one woman who can handle them both. Adam is the playful, indulgent lover, while Jacob is the possessive, loving Dom. When Serena comes into their lives, Adam is certain that she’s the one. But Jacob’s past comes back to haunt them all. He is suspicious of Serena’s story, and his concerns are driving a wedge between him and Adam. But when the stalker strikes, they will have to come together or lose each other forever…

I’m going to mention again I bought the first five books as Masters and Mercenaries The Early Ops and I am reviewing them individually.

I fell in love with Adam and Jake in the first book of this series. I love how their relationship is so complex like brothers without the blood connection. When Grace, who is now the receptionist for McKay/Taggart, escorts a possible client to Jake he was immediately overwhelmed with the possibilities and leaves her with Adam in their office. One problem, they weren’t sure they believed her.

Serena is an author of erotic/BDSM books. Although she isn’t in the lifestyle she has researched it and has some fantasies of her own in that respect. Her husband divorced her over her first book and is now looking to get a piece of her success. He is trying to get money from her in spite of not supporting her at all. On top of all that, she is being stalked and the stalker is escalating.

Now the one thing that the guys didn’t know at the time was that Serena’s agent is a friend of Ian’s and she is the one hiring them. After Ian blows up at them they go to start their bodyguard duties. When she doesn’t answer the door, and since they aren’t happy with her security, they break in.

This is a favorite scene.

Adam decided to go first. Maybe she’d hold back when she realized it was him. He was pretty sure she’d shoot off Jake’s junk the minute she had a chance. He lifted the shades, and sure enough, there was someone waiting for him. An enormous dog sat with wide eyes as though he’d been waiting there for a playmate to show up. Adam got a big old kiss from the large mutt who seemed to have some form of doggy halitosis. He sputtered a bit, wiping away dog drool. “You were wrong about the cat. It’s a really big dog.”

Jake’s low voice floated into the room. “He doesn’t sound like he’s growling.”

The dog wasn’t. His tail was wagging in a powerful thump, and he licked at Adam’s face as though greeting an old friend. “Yeah, I think we can bet that this boy wasn’t top of his class at security dog school.”

The dog panted and did a couple of circles as Adam threw a leg over the sill and hauled himself in. The dog took advantage of his now fully exposed body to hop up, put his massive paws on Adam’s shoulders, and lick at him enthusiastically.

“Well, at least we know you’re going to find love in this house. It’s a guarantee now,” Jake said with a smirk as he, too, entered. “That dog is worth nothing.”

But he put a hand out and greeted the enormous thing. Jake snorted slightly as the dog licked him, too. “I think this is a mix between a lab and a retriever. Do you think she walked in and asked for the biggest pussy dog she could find? Yes, boy, I called you a pussy. That’s what you are. You should have already gnawed through Adam’s leg. Yes, that’s what good dogs do.”

Adam had to admit it. Things weren’t looking great for Serena Brooks. If he’d wanted to murder her, he’d already gotten past her security system. He’d made friends with her guard dog, and so far, no one had shown up to clock him with a baseball bat.

Either Serena was very naïve or she wasn’t that terrified.

His concern must have shown on his face since Jake slapped him across the shoulder. “There it is. I knew you could do it. I knew you could think with the other head.”

“You’re an asshole.” His gut churned at the thought that he was wrong about Serena.

Jake shrugged. “Yep, but I’m an asshole who so far has managed to keep us in one piece.”

There it was—that odd invisible tether that somehow kept them together. They had met their first day of basic training. Adam had felt the weight of generations of service on his shoulders. Jake had joined because he had nowhere else to go. Adam had come from privilege and Jake from poverty. And they had fit. Ten years, a war, several near-misses with death and countless women later, Adam couldn’t imagine his life without Jacob Dean in it.

And he’d never forget the way his father had called him a faggot after they had gotten kicked out of the Army for sharing a woman.

His father would never understand. No one would.

Adam cleared his head and got back to the case. His father would never forgive him. Neither would his brothers. Jake was his only family now.

“Do you hear anything?” Adam asked. The house seemed perfectly quiet. Serena had turned off most of the lights. He was in a small breakfast area. Her kitchen was to the right. There was a bottle of wine open on the counter. Sauvignon Blanc. It looked like a decent year.

“At least she has good taste in wine,” Jake noted. “Probably not the best idea to drink when someone is trying to kill you, though.” His head came up. Jake gestured down the hall. em>That way.

And he saw her. She was in the living room. Her figure danced across the opening that led to the large space. She was actually dancing. And then she stopped, as though having a revelation. She was still for a moment and then a single fist pumped in the air and she began dancing again. Ear buds sat in her ears, connected to a small device hooked to her shirt.

Serena Brooks looked completely different than she had earlier in the day. Gone was the bulky sweater and loose fitting jeans. Her hair was out of its messy bun and flew out at odd, strangely sexy angles. In the soft light from her lamp, he could see that her hair wasn’t a simple brown. It was threaded with blonde and red and dark brown, and there was a ton of it. Without the confines of a comb, the soft stuff seemed to go everywhere in a silky cloud. She wore red cotton underwear and a black tank top. Neither was inherently sexy, but on her the cotton clung to her every curve, accentuating her hourglass figure. Her breasts bounced, obviously free of confinement.

“What the hell is she doing?” Jake asked, his mouth slack as he watched her dance.

The dance wasn’t some seductive siren call. It was odd and slightly awkward and joyous. It was the dance of a woman who was completely sure that she was alone. Adam relaxed a bit. She sure as hell didn’t look like a woman who would ruthlessly plot her own stalking to get a little publicity. Maybe he was the naïve one, but damn, he didn’t want to believe it.

“I got it. So simple. Why didn’t I think of that before?” She started to sing. Again, it was probably not a thing she would do if she knew someone was watching. And Adam found her entirely adorable.

“She’s insane.” But there was a smile on Jake’s face.

He had to see that Serena wasn’t anything like Jennifer. Jennifer had been utterly perfect. She was an elegant female, never a hair out of place, even when she was in uniform. She always did the right thing and knew exactly what to say. She’d been ambitious, and she’d known how to get what she wanted.

Serena didn’t even know the words to the song she was trying to jam to. And she played a terrible air guitar. But damn she had pretty tits.

“I could have killed her ten times by now.” Jake didn’t even try to keep his voice down. It was obvious that the music was far too loud for Serena to overhear their conversation.

“You need to get your head on straight and forget the violence,” Adam tossed back, never taking his eyes off Serena. The big mutt had sat down in the middle of the floor between Adam and Jake, as though he belonged there. “Think about the other things we could have done to her by now. We could have her stripped, tied up, and part way to some sweet double penetration.”

“Not a good idea, Adam.” But his voice was tight, as though he was a bit uncomfortable.

It seemed like a perfect idea to Adam. She was unattached, obviously submissive, and in definite need of male attention and protection. They could handle all of her needs. They were a one-stop boyfriend shop. “I don’t see why not.”

Jake turned and shook his head. “Let me show you why not. In three point two seconds, she’s going to be the one thinking about violence.”

Jake strode down the hall just as she turned and finally opened her eyes at the precise right time.

Serena’s pretty green eyes widened to the point of looking slightly painful and she screamed. It wasn’t a girly scream. It was a full-on death scream that must have hit the Richter scale somewhere. The dog whined and ran to his mistress, his tail down but thumping. She pulled the ear buds out, grabbed her dog’s collar, and started to run for the front door.

Jake was on her in an instant, moving almost faster that Adam could see. There was a reason his call sign had been Ghost. He moved like one. Jake wrapped an arm around Serena’s waist and pulled her backward, lifting her feet off the floor. She dropped the dog’s collar, and the poor boy whined and turned in circles as though trying to figure out what to do. Serena kept screaming, her legs kicking out, her fists trying to find purchase.

Adam sighed. They were both drama queens. The whole scene could have been avoided if she’d simply answered either her phone or her door. Or Jake could have been a bit softer. Attacking her after breaking in was sure to make her angry. It might have been a better idea to simply break into her kitchen and cook her a nice meal. Then the whole breaking-and-entering blow could have been softened with a little pasta. He’d been taking some lessons from Sean. Cooking seemed like a good way to get a woman into bed. But no, the caveman had to attack in an attempt to prove he could.

He spied her half full glass of wine. The yelling was reaching a level that threatened to shake the walls. Yeah, he was going to need that. He picked it up and, without a single regret, took a long sip.

“Stop yelling!” Jake ordered. Adam recognized it as his big bad Dom voice.

“Let me go!” Serena screamed back. She seemed to be in excellent physical condition. No one could fight that hard and long without some serious stamina. He was impressed. And the Sauvignon Blanc wasn’t half bad.

“You’re both scaring the dog.”

Adam held out a hand, and the dog ran to him, cowering behind his legs. A Chihuahua would have at least made some noise.

Serena finally seemed to focus. “Adam?”

He winked her way. “In the flesh, sweetheart.”

Jake’s hold had made the tank top ride up. And he’d been right, the pretty girl wasn’t wearing a bra. He got the slightest hint of nipple. Now that she’d calmed down a bit, she looked right in Jake’s arms. She would be a sweet handful in between them. He’d never loved skinny girls. He wanted curves and boobs, and Miss Serena had plenty of both.

“What the hell are you two doing here? Motherfucker.” She tried to pull away.

She also had a potty mouth. “Oh, I would watch the language, sweetheart. The big, nasty Dom doesn’t like swearing. He might spank you.”

Serena stopped, every inch of that fair skin flushing in an instant. Yes. She liked that idea. He was going to have to read some of those books. Her laptop was open on a small desk in the corner. Her whole living room seemed to have been converted to a soft, feminine office. She’d been working, walking around her office and dancing. He wasn’t sure how the dancing helped, but he’d liked it.

“Let me go, please.” Serena’s voice was hoarse from the screaming, but there was a tight control to it.

Jake hesitated. “Are you going to be calm now?”

“Yes,” she replied, going completely still in his arms. “Now that I know you’re not here to kill me, I think I can be calm. You aren’t here to kill me, are you?”

Adam smiled before taking another sip. “Not at all. We’re here to congratulate you. We’re taking your case, sweetheart. We’re your new bodyguards.”
Blake, Lexi. Masters and Mercenaries Bundle: The Early Ops (Books 1-5). DLZ Entertainment, LLC. Kindle Locations (4732-4812). Kindle Edition.

I love the dog, he’s sweet and not a very good guard dog. Adam and Jake immediately make friends with the dog his mistress however would be another story.

So much isn’t adding up, and everyone around Serena becomes a suspect.

I loved the way everything unfolds, including Serena’s introduction into the lifestyle. So much intrigue, suspense, with more than one surprise twist and I am seriously glad my kindle didn’t melt from these three.

5 Contented Purrs for Lexi!

Lexi Blake

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

By
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
Lexi Blake

Owen Shaw and his “brothers” lost everything, their entire existence erased. Science had robbed he and all the Lost Boys of their memories and their past, but not their future. Hunted by every intelligence agency in the world, they are focused on two goals: find a cure for what was done to them and ensure that the technology that ruined their lives doesn’t get out into the world. Rebecca Walsh might be the key to achieving both. Owen has been studying her closely, living in her building, and he cannot resolve how such a beautiful, giving woman could have helped design the evil process that destroyed his past.

Dr. Rebecca Walsh has dedicated her life to researching the secrets of the mind. Her atmospheric rise in her field was fueled by the horror of watching her mother’s agonizing journey into madness at the hands of a disease with no cure. She vowed to never rest until she finds it. But obsession takes a heavy toll, and when Owen moves into her building she realizes how much of her life she has missed out on. Owen opens her eyes to a whole new world, filled with joy, laughter, and possibly love.

Owen and Rebecca grow closer, unraveling more about each other and the mysteries surrounding her connection to Hope McDonald. As the sinister forces working against the Lost Boys descend on Toronto, secrets long buried are uncovered that could shatter the bonds holding the Lost Boys together and cost Rebecca her life.

Once again I am starting not at the first book, I somehow missed the first in this series. I remember all these guys from Masters and Mercenaries and I am so glad they are getting their own books. I will be going back to read the one I missed!

In this one Dr. Rebecca Walsh is the subject of their investigation. They found she had spent time working with the very evil and demented Dr. Hope McDonald, who had done all the damage to these men.

The plan was for Owen and Robert to go in as a married couple and befriend Becca, only fate has a way of stepping in and screwing things up.

It’s been two years since Becca’s divorce and she’s finally considering dating again. Her assistant Cathy, has been wanting to set her up for the longest time and is ready to jump on this.

When the ancient elevator gets stuck with the her and Owen, they end up getting to know each other in more than one way. Nothing like elevator sex to kickstart a relationship.

Plenty of intrigue as ‘Mr. Green’ shows up, once again with his own agenda. Turning the tables on Becca’s boss, who not only wants her research but also the entire company.

Nothing is ever easy and this is no different, I couldn’t put this book down as the guys follow the trail and figure out who’s the criminal in all this. Plenty of heat, some laughs, some nail-biting and I sniffled a bit too.

Definitely going back to read book one, I’ve already started a re-read of Masters and Mercenaries from the beginning as well.

5 Contented Purrs for Lexi!

Lexi Blake

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.

By
NY Times & USA Today Bestselling Author
Lexi Blake

A routine mission…

Sean Taggart is hunting a deadly terrorist, and his only lead is the lovely Grace Hawthorne. She’s the executive assistant for an employment agency Sean suspects is a front for illegal activities. To get the truth, he is going to have to get very close to Grace, a task he is all too eager to undertake when he discovers her deliciously submissive nature.

…turns into a dangerous seduction.

Soon, Grace Hawthorne is living a double life. By day, she is the widowed mother of two college-aged sons. By night, she submits to Sean’s every dark desire. She’s living out her wildest fantasies of pleasure—intimate acts of trust she’s only read about. As passion engulfs her, a murderer strikes, and Grace learns that Sean has a deeply hidden agenda. Will Sean choose his mission and break her heart or be the Master of her dreams?

I have this as the Masters and Mercenaries Collection: The Early Years, which is the first 5 books. I am going to review them individually.

Sean Taggart works for McKay/Taggart a Security firm that also handles some things borderline stuff for the government. A former Green Beret he and two of his former team are hunting down a terrorist.

Grace Hamilton is the administrative assistant for Matt Wright, he runs an employment agency that mostly handles IT contracts. Recently her boss has also started with some janitorial contracts that are handled by Evan Parnell. Grace doesn’t care for the man, and has as little contact with him as possible.

Undercover as a possible client, Sean quickly discovers there is something special about Grace. She’s older than him but he doesn’t care, he has decided to get to know her and when this investigation is over he hopes to win her heart.

This is a favorite scene as Sean begins to convince her of his worthiness.

Grace waved off his words with the hand Adam wasn’t holding. “He’s a man after a good deal. I think he’s figured out the way to the boss’s heart is through his admin.”

“Then why was Kayla playing admin today?” Adam asked.

That had been her solution. Kayla had been more than amenable. Sean had told her that he required someone to take notes and type them up so he would have a hard copy of all the meeting’s high points. Grace had given him Kayla, who was more than happy to stare at the gorgeous man all day long. Grace had beaten a hasty retreat, holing up in the supply closet doing an inventory that wasn’t really due for another two weeks and that should have been handled by someone else.

She’d run like the coward she was, and she wasn’t ashamed. “I had some other things to do. Kayla didn’t mind.”

Adam chuckled a bit. “Give him hell, sweetheart. Don’t you let that big bastard charm you. I know the type.”

“Really?” Jake asked, staring pointedly at Adam.

“I do. He looks like the ‘love ’em and leave ’em’ type. He’s not right for our Grace.” Adam’s hand stroked across hers sweetly. “Grace needs someone different. She needs someone who’s in it for the long haul.”

A long shadow fell over the table. “What are we hauling? Dare I take a wild guess?”

Grace pulled her hand back from Adam’s. Sean stood at the head of their table, his jacket held over one shoulder. Like Jake, he’d ditched the tie and looked gorgeous and casual. He stared down at Adam, a fierce frown on his face.

Adam sat back. If he was intimidated by Sean’s caveman act, he wasn’t showing it. “I was telling my dear friend here how she has to watch out for men who would take advantage of her.”

“Yes, she should be careful of that. She’s a beautiful woman. There are a lot of liars out there. There are a lot of men who would misrepresent themselves in order to get close to a woman like Grace.”

Grace looked between Adam and Sean, trying to figure out the weird tension between the two of them. “Do you two know each other?”

Sean’s face changed in an instant. His smile grew wide, and he ignored Adam. He laid his jacket over the back of the booth and held out his hand. “Not at all, sweetheart. I’m simply jealous that you avoided me all day, but you seek him out. Dance with me, Grace.”

She actually felt her heart speed up. O’Hagen’s had a small dance floor, but despite the music playing, almost no one ever used it. The song had switched from a bouncy pop tune to a slow, sexy ballad. No one danced to music like this. This was the type of music a man used as an excuse to plaster himself all over a lover in public. “Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

His jaw hardened, and his voice was deeper as he spoke to her. “Grace, it would please me greatly if you would dance with me.”

He knew exactly what to say to her. She started to slide out of the bench. Sean took her hand and helped her out. She stood, and he was standing so close she could feel the heat from his body. She had to tilt her head up to see his face.

“Thank you, Grace.” His voice seemed deeper. His lips quirked up in a sexy half-smile. “I’m not so bad, you know. You don’t have to hide in a closet to avoid me.”

She felt herself flush. She’d hoped he hadn’t figured that out. “I had to do inventory.”

His eyes narrowed, and she felt like he could see through her. “I would prefer honesty, Grace, but I don’t suppose we’re there yet. Fine. I can play the game for a while.” He looked down at Jake. “When the waitress comes by, could you order me a beer?”

Grace barely heard Jake’s “yes” before Sean was leading her toward the dance floor. Her hand felt small engulfed in his large one. God, he made her feel petite, and she wasn’t small in any way. Grace glanced around the bar. No one else was dancing. Everyone was going to be watching the big girl and the guy who was obviously out of her league.

Sean halted in the middle of the floor and pulled her close. “Stop it.”

“Stop what?” She was doing as he asked. The trouble was she wasn’t a very good dancer. “If you would prefer prefer someone who knows what they’re doing, please feel free to choose another partner.”

She started to pull away, her face flaming. She should have known better. Sean’s arm tightened around her waist, pulling them closer together. “That wasn’t what I meant. I meant for you to stop stressing about what everyone else thinks.”

“How did you know?” she asked, trying to follow his lead. It was obvious she wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

His arm relaxed as though he understood she was resigned. His hand found the small of her back, and she could feel him leading her gently. “I watched you. Your shoulders come up when you get stressed or nervous. And your jaw locks when you lie.”

“I didn’t lie.”

“You said you didn’t want to dance with me. That was a lie. I saw the way your eyes flared and your jaw clenched when I asked you. You were looking at me the same way you looked at that decadent piece of chocolate cake at the restaurant, and you turned me down the same way you turned down dessert yesterday.”

He was right about that. She was horrifically embarrassed that he could see through her so plainly, but there was a part of her that was amazed he’d learned so much about her. Her husband, God rest his soul, had never figured out those things. “Well, I think you’re both bad for me.”

He surprised her by laughing, the sound as rich as any chocolate. Yep, he was bad for her. He had her thinking all kinds of dirty things. “That is such bullshit, Grace. Everyone needs a little decadence. It makes life worth living.”
Blake, Lexi. Masters and Mercenaries Bundle: The Early Ops (Books 1-5) . DLZ Entertainment, LLC. Kindle Locations (652-694). Kindle Edition.

Sean interrupts her skinny dipping when he decides to take her up on her offer of a home cooked meal after a dinner meeting with her boss. Things started melting my kindle here.

All is not fun and games though as the stakes get higher. Plenty of action, suspense and emotional drama as they get closer to solving this case.

I just keep turning the pages, I’m so glad I have the collection so I don’t have to download the next book!

5 Contented Purrs for Lexi!

Lexi Blake

NY Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance and urban fantasy that she found the stories of her heart. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome, or foursome may seem.