Series: Safeguard (Book 1)
Meet the men of Centurion Corporation - an elite group of
mercenaries who will go to any extreme to complete a mission - even risk their
hearts.
He's not the hero she's looking for As part of the elite
Centurion Corporation team, military-veteran-turned-mercenary Gabriel Diaz is a
natural defender. He'll do anything to ensure a mission is successful. Anything
but get emotionally invested - he learned the hard way that can be deadly. Easy
bodyguard jobs in between the more challenging missions are all he's interested
in now.
Maylin Cheng is desperate and running out of time. Her
younger sister has gone missing but no one seems to take her concern seriously.
Her last hope lies in asking an aloof bodyguard for help. He dismisses her
outright, but all that changes when she is almost killed in a not-so-accidental
hit-and-run right before his eyes.
As Maylin leans on Gabriel, she begins to rely on him for
more than just her safety. But as their attraction grows, so does the danger
surrounding them. When the elaborate web they're trapped in unravels, Gabriel
will do anything to protect them. Even if that means putting his heart in the
crosshairs.
This was a good start to the series, with plenty of
action and a terrific romance to go with it. Maylin is a caterer, working a
high-end event. One of her goals is to talk to the security people working
there. Her younger sister, a brilliant geneticist, disappeared during a
conference in China, and Maylin can't get anyone to take her worry seriously. She's
heard good things about the people of Centurion and desperately hopes that they
can help her. Her hopes are dashed when Gabe turns her down flat.
Gabe and his team are on "light duty" after a
mission that resulted in injuries. Working a charity event is almost boring,
but it's better than sitting around doing nothing. When Maylin first approached
him, he thought she was looking for a hook-up. When he heard her reason, he
bluntly told her that her case was hopeless. First, she couldn't afford them,
and second, her sister was probably dead anyway. But when he later witnesses
her nearly run down by a hit-and-run driver, he thinks that there may be more
to her sister's disappearance than either of them suspects.
I liked the interweaving of the romance and the suspense.
There are sparks between Gabe and Maylin from the beginning, but Gabe prefers
to keep his emotions well away from the job. A recent relationship with a
coworker that ended very badly only reinforced that feeling. But there is
something about Maylin that gets under his skin, and he can't deny the
protectiveness he feels toward her. Though he is ready to help her find her
sister, rescuing the girl is a different matter, once they get a good idea of
where she is. Though he is willing, the boss is adamant that they can't spare
the resources. That is until new information comes to light. It was interesting
to see the abrupt about-face, and how suddenly everyone was all-in.
It was sweet to see how happy Maylin was when Gabe agreed
to help her. One of the things I liked about her was her love of taking care of
people, and how she expressed it with food. She has a stellar reputation as a
caterer, and it shows. I laughed out loud at the team's reactions to the meals
she cooked for them.
I liked seeing the development of their relationship. Though
he tries to resist, Gabe can't help caring about what happens to Maylin. Though
he is pretty gruff and practical on the outside, inside there is a core of
kindness that really comes out around her. It was funny to see his mind keep
drifting to the idea of keeping Maylin in his life, then coming up with reasons
it couldn't happen. Maylin is a woman used to being independent and relying on
herself, but she finds it very easy to lean on Gabe and to trust him. Her heart
quickly gets involved, but she knows that anything permanent between them is
unlikely. I loved seeing them grow closer and ached for them and their belief
that nothing could come of it. I liked the ending, and how a little bit of
foreshadowing came to pass and provided a chance for them to have that future -
if only they were brave enough to take the opportunity.
The suspense was terrific. From the first attack on
Maylin, it was evident that there was more behind her sister's disappearance.
Things became even more complicated during a trip to DC and the Chinese embassy.
Gabe makes contact with someone who has some interesting information to share.
He is also confronted by his ex-girlfriend, the same one who betrayed their
team, went over to a rival firm, and shot him in the back. Jewel's involvement
proves that An-Mei's disappearance is much more complicated than they knew. I
was impressed by the realism of Centurion's investigation, as they dealt with
road-blocks and the knowledge that things might not go their way. The rescue
mission was a nail-biter, especially with some of the twists they had to deal
with. There was an extra twist at the end that I didn't expect, and I'm still
not sure I fully understand. I do get the feeling that they aren't entirely
done with the bad guys yet.
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