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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Review: Win and Henry's story was definitely a complicated one. I wasn't hooked into this story quite as quickly as I usually am with Lexi Blake's books, but I'm so glad I kept reading. Win was a bit naive at times, but her heart was always in the right place. Henry was a cynical man and Win's light was just what he needed. This story had a murder mystery story line and to say that plot was complicated is an understatement. There were twists and turns that I could see coming, and others that I couldn't. Some of the secondary characters were annoying and by the time the murder happened I had zero sympathy for the victim. Once I was into the story, I was hooked and didn't put it down until I got through the very satisfying ending. I can't wait to read more in this series and the other series by Lexi Blake.
Henry
glanced up at the clock. Two thirty p.m. Somehow he’d expected Win to show up
bright and early this morning. He’d woken up and made a pot of coffee, and he’d
gone over all the ways he would explain to her that this was a bad idea.
Because
it was still a bad idea.
Alicia
might have given in to Noah and Drew Lawless’s blackmail, but she would be back
at some point. Then there was the fact that he dealt with unsavory clients on a
daily basis. He took on high-profile cases and often got dragged through the
mud along with the client.
There
were plenty of people out there who hated him. Loathed him and despised the
very fact that he existed and cheered if he failed. He was used to it. Sweet
little Win was not and would be horrified.
So he
was going to tell her how amazing their night together was and then turn her
down gently.
Except
she hadn’t shown up and that bugged the hell out of him.
She’d
been the one to claim she would be here despite the fact that he’d told her not
to come. She’d told him she didn’t care what he thought.
It was
perverse, but if he’d had her number, he might have called and said a few
things about setting expectations and then not meeting them.
He
started another pot of coffee. This was completely foolish. She’d put some
distance between the two of them and realized how little they had in common. At
least one of them had some sense.
The
scent of French roast hit the air and he realized he was pro-crastinating. He
was putting off the moment when he had to step back into the city and face the
music. He would have to work his ass off to find anyone who wanted to hire a
lawyer with his tarnished reputation. It didn’t matter that his addiction
issues had never cost a client a dime. The perception would be there, and
perception was over half the battle in life.
He
should pack up tonight and leave it all to the agent. It’s what he should have
done yesterday, but he’d enjoyed spending time with David, showing him places
on the island and telling him stories.
It was
time to go home now. Time to forget about pretending to be someone he couldn’t
afford to be anymore. Time to put away thoughts of quiet and peace and get back
to being the Monster of Manhattan. That was the only way he was going to
survive.
The
Monster of Manhattan didn’t give in to urges. He plowed through all problems
with a single-minded, ruthless intent. The Monster didn’t need attention,
though he tended to get it. Attention didn’t matter to the Monster. Money
mattered. Power mattered.
He
would get them both back.
The Monster
certainly didn’t need some do-gooder in his bed. He would select a woman,
rationally discuss his needs with her, and pay her for her services, whether
they be as a plus-one to gatherings or as a body in bed. That was how he would
view it. Transactional.
Transactional
was safe.
So he
was going to stop being such a whiny asshole and be grateful that Win had some
sense.
A
knock broke through the quiet of the house.
He
practically ran for the door.
He
opened it and there was Win, standing in the soft light of the afternoon, her
hair up in a ponytail. She was wearing denim shorts and a blousy, feminine
shirt. She had a bag of groceries in one hand and what looked like a duffel in
the other.
“I
know you said I shouldn’t come back, but you’re wrong and I’m going to give you
all my reasons why.”
He
didn’t care. She was here. He walked straight up to her and cupped that pretty
face in his hands and kissed her for all he was worth.
Fuck
transactional. He wanted something real for once in his damn life.
When
he came back up, he was rewarded with a soft look in her eyes, her lips curving
into a small smile.
“No
arguing with me?”
He did
have some problems they should discuss. “You’re late.”
Her
smile went brilliant. “I had some things to clear up. I thought if you didn’t
mind, I might stay with you for a few nights.”
He
took the bag of groceries out of her hand and led her inside. “I think that
sounds like a great idea.”
“This
is way easier than I thought it would be,” she admitted. “Have you had lunch? I
could whip up some sandwiches and we could have a picnic.”
He
stashed the grocery bag in the fridge. She set down her duffel, and that made
it much easier to scoop her up and into his arms. “I know exactly what I want
for lunch.”
Her
eyes went wide, but she didn’t struggle at all. Her arms went around his
shoulders as he carried her to the big bedroom.
It had
been cozy in his old room, but he needed more space if she was going to live
here with him for a few weeks.
He
stopped at the edge of the big bed he’d had brought in after he’d inherited the
place. It was the only room he’d redone, with the thought of spending long
weekends with his friends up here. He never had managed the time, but now he
was happy he’d spent the cash to do it because he could share it with her.
The
last few weeks of being Henry before going back to the real world.
He set
her down on the bed and pulled his shirt over his head. He wasn’t playing around
this time. That was for later. It had been entirely too long since he’d had
her.
He
needed her.
He
knew it was something he should question, even be slightly afraid of, but he
didn’t care in the moment. All that mattered was she was here and he could put
off any thoughts of letting her go for a few days. He could sink into her.
She
was his reward for every crappy thing he’d been through in the last couple of
years.
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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