To high-end defense attorney Henry Garrison, Win Hughes is a woman he met during one of the most trying times of his life. She’s soft and warm, and he finds solace in their brief relationship. But Win has a secret. She’s actually Taylor Winston-Hughes—born to one of the wealthiest families in the country, orphaned as a child by a tragic accident. Win moves in the wealthiest circles, but her lavish lifestyle hides her pain.
When her best friend is murdered in the midst of a glittering New York gala, Win’s charged with the crime, and the only person in the world she wants to see is Henry.
Henry is shocked at the true identity of his lover, but he can’t reject the case. This case could take his new firm into the stratosphere. Still, he’s not getting burned by Win again. And yet every turn brings them closer together.
As the case takes a wild turn and Win’s entire life is upended, she must look to the people she’s closest to in order to find a killer. And Henry must decide between making his case and saving the woman he loves…
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If Henry gave her a minute, they would be back to polite. He wouldn’t find out if she could want him in an honest way. “Win, I’m an alcoholic. I’m divorced, and it wasn’t some thoughtful conscious uncoupling. It was nasty and ugly. I’m a lawyer who doesn’t give a shit if his clients are guilty or not as long as they have the money to pay me. I have gotten off people who probably went back out into the world to do terrible things, and I’ll probably do it again because I believe in this system. It’s imperfect, but it’s better than anything else. And I’m too old for you.”
She snorted, an oddly amusing sound. “I’m not some shrinking virgin. I’m twenty-nine, and I’ve been around the block a couple of times and with some men I wish I hadn’t ever gotten into the car with. How old are you? Forty?”
He winced. “Thirty-seven.”
Her lips curled up, and it was worth the blow to his ego. “Well, you don’t look a day over forty, and that’s a pretty nice age for a man. You think you don’t deserve such a young, hot chick?”
Thank god she was teasing him again. He’d hated the way her shoulders had slumped when she’d thought he’d rejected her. But still, he had to be honest. If he was going to do this, she would get the new Henry. “I think I could hurt a woman like you if I’m not careful.”
“Then be careful with me, Henry Garrison,” she said, moving closer to him. “And I’m a big girl. I can make my own decisions and live with them. I would like to spend the night with you. It doesn’t have to last beyond tomorrow. I’m not asking to be your girlfriend. I’m asking you to help me get through the night, to help me get that nightmare out of my head, so I can feel safe for the first time in months. It’s been a long time since I felt safe.”
That he could do. She moved in close, right between his legs, and he reached up and cupped her face, holding her still as he looked into her eyes. So much fucking innocence. He didn’t care what she’d been through. She was way too young for him, but she’d said yes and he wasn’t a saint. Not even close. “Be sure. I might want more than one night. I’m here for a few weeks. I could use this. I could use some time with you.”
It wouldn’t work long-term. When he finished up and got back to the city, he wouldn’t have time to spend with her, and she deserved that. He would be knee-deep in the sewer again. It wasn’t a place he would take her, but he could be what she needed here.
“I could use some time with you,” she replied. “You’re right about a few things. I haven’t ever been around a man like you. The men I’ve been with have been boys who cared more about their images than they did about pleasing me. I think it might be different with you. I know you’re trying to scare me off with all that ‘I screwed up my life’ stuff, but I get that. You can’t make me run, or I would run away from myself. Tell me if you can make me forget about everything except what you’re doing to my body because tonight that’s all I want.”
Oh, he could do that. He might not be able to feed her soul, but he could work her body all fucking night long.
Lexi Blake is on my list of authors who I immediately read when she releases a book, no matter the price. I feel in love with her writing when I started her Masters and Mercenaries series. While that series is definitely more on the BDSM level mixed with her romantic suspense, this new series isn’t as intense in the erotic area.
Order of Protection is the start of new series and Lexi starts this one out on the right foot. Lexi definitely had my emotions running amok in this one – and it’s most likely not what you are thinking.
Henry and Win are both recovering from a disease that controlled them – he was an alcoholic and she an anorexic. These two are both broken individuals trying to find control in their life and move forward from their problems. Win and Henry were only suppose to be a brief affair and never to see one another again. However, reality has a different plan for them. And when Win calls upon Henry for help, his true self comes out.
Henry did a number on my emotions – I have to say that most of the time I wanted to rip his balls off and shove them down his throat. The way he treated Win when he realized who she was had my hackles up. Even now as I am writing this, I am so pissed off at him. ARGH!!
What I loved even more was Win not once took his shit – she refused to be his damn doormat. She is straight forward and argued him to the bone. Win is a fighter and a survivor and not even this problem was going to take her down with a battle. I love Win so much – can ya tell?!?
Lexi plays this story out beautifully – it has the suspense, romance and the sexiness (though not as spicy as Masters and Mercenaries but still damn good). She blends it all together with some great characters to deliver one hell of a great book.
Order of Protection is the perfect book for her new readers to discover why so many of us love her and it’s also a great book for her current fans to fall in love with a whole new series. Lexi has this ability that she blends suspense and romance perfectly without either overruling the other. I love her writing so much.
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.
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