The stakes have never been higher as an elite team member
must outwit a dangerous killer and save the man she's sworn to protect.
Kyle Yeun didn't start out bad and he doesn't intend to
end his life while on the wrong side of the law, either. His testimony to his
former employer's environmental misdeeds has earned him a protection detail
compliments of the US government. But due to a dark international conspiracy
Kyle was unaware of, his former employers have made ending his life a top
priority. Realizing he needs more protection than the US Marshals can provide,
he turns to Safeguard after seeing the beautiful, deadly Lizzy Scott in action.
One look at Kyle, and sniper Lizzy Scott knows this isn't
going to be an easy protection job. He's arrogant, irritating and almost
irresistible. Instead of being put off by her hardened attitude, Kyle seems to
thrive off the challenge. And she's slowly giving in to his charms. After
narrowly escaping the latest assassination attempt, Lizzy starts taking
dangerous risks to keep him safe. But the last thing Kyle wants is another life
ruined because of his actions. He found his redemption in Lizzy's arms and
he'll risk everything to make sure they both make it out alive. As will she,
even if it means walking away from him to keep him safe.
Terrific book with excellent balance between romance and
suspense. Lizzy is an ex-military no-nonsense member of Centurion, where she
frequently serves as the sniper for her team. As this book opens, she has just
finished an assignment and is about "peopled" out. She wants to get
to her hotel room, take a hot bath, and relax, so she isn't thrilled to find
the elevators blocked. Three goons have cornered a man and are doing their best
to intimidate him. When they blow off her request for them to move, she takes
matters into her own hands. Lizzy is relatively petite in stature and is
accustomed to being underestimated. She handily defeats them, freeing the man
from their clutches, and goes on her way.
Kyle is currently under the protection of the US Marshals
and the Seattle police while he prepares to testify against his former
employers. Unfortunately, Kyle doesn't like being confined and tends to slip
away from his minders whenever he can. This puts him in additional danger. Kyle
is impressed by Lizzy's actions and tracks her down, hiring her to provide extra
security.
I loved both Lizzy and Kyle. Lizzy is a bit of a loner
due to her place as a sniper, but she knows that to advance, she has to work
with others. She is at a crossroads where she has to decide if she'll go back
to Centurion on a fire team, or stick with the Safeguard division and take
single- or two-person jobs. She is very professional, nearly unflappable, and
hates distractions. There is also a feminine side to her that she keeps pretty
well hidden from others, though Kyle figures it out pretty quickly. Kyle is
smart, honorable, and a bit of a wise-ass. He first came across as a bit
arrogant and even a little smarmy with his innuendo-laden comments. But mostly
he's frustrated with his protectors for keeping him in the dark and simply
telling him what to do with no explanation. He'd be a lot more cooperative if
he were allowed to participate in his own safety.
The sparks between Kyle and Lizzy were there from the
beginning. Lizzy wasn't too happy about it because there's no room for
distraction when you're trying to keep someone safe. Kyle also feels the sparks
and derives a great deal of enjoyment out of jerking Lizzy's chain with his
blatant innuendos. I loved their banter as he implies, and she shoots him down.
The pages almost burst into flame during their sparring session and I loved
their honest talk about what is building between them. Over the next few days,
as they are with each other 24/7, under stressful circumstances, I loved seeing
them get to know each other and share some of the things that have made them
who they are. They both acknowledge that there is something special there and
that only time will tell whether it will last. I loved seeing both of them
learn to let go of a little control and depend on the other. I especially liked
that Kyle is willing to listen to Lizzy's instructions and doesn't get bent out
of shape when he isn't in charge. The ending was great, as each decided what
was best for their future, then found a way to make their relationship work
with it.
The suspense of the story kept me glued to the pages.
Lizzy takes her job seriously and has no problem going off the grid when
multiple attacks happen in a short period of time. Lizzy realizes that someone
desperately wants to keep Kyle from testifying, leading her to believe that he
knows more than he thinks he does. I loved watching the lengths Lizzy went to
as they made their way through Seattle right under the bad guys' noses. I also
liked how she was willing to consider alternate plans when they made sense. The
scene at the charity gala was fantastic, especially with Kyle taking the lead
with his "hide in plain sight" strategy. The intensity increased as
the trial grew closer and the bad guys used Kyle's sister and nephew as bait. I
was on the edge of my seat during the final confrontation as Plan A turned to
Plan B on the fly. It did come to a satisfying conclusion, though I get the
feeling we haven't seen the last of that company.
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