Series: Masters and Mercenaries #15
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, BDSM
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment, LLC
Release Date: February 20th 2018
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: InkSlinger PR
Blurb (from Goodreads):
A spy who specializes in seduction
Kayla Summers was an elite CIA double agent, working inside China’s deadly MSS. Now, she works for McKay-Taggart London, but the Agency isn’t quite done with her. Spy master Ezra Fain needs her help on a mission that would send her into Hollywood’s glamorous and dangerous party scene. Intrigued by the mission and the movie star hunk she will be shadowing, she eagerly agrees. When she finds herself in his bed, she realizes she’s not only risking her life, but her heart.
A leading man who doesn’t do romance
Joshua Hunt is a legend of the silver screen. As Hollywood’s highest paid actor, he’s the man everyone wants to be, or be with, but something is missing. After being betrayed more than once, the only romance Josh believes in anymore is on the pages of his scripts. He keeps his relationships transactional, and that’s how he likes it, until he meets his new bodyguard. She was supposed to keep him safe, and satisfied when necessary, but now he’s realizing he may never be able to get enough of her.
An ending neither could have expected
Protecting Joshua started off as a mission, until it suddenly felt like her calling. When the true reason the CIA wanted her for this assignment is revealed, Kayla will have to choose between serving her country or saving the love of her life.
A Masters and Mercenaries Novel by Lexi Blake
*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from InkSlinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or the content of my review in any way.
**Disclaimer: This book contains mature content. As such, my review may contain references to mature content.
Lexi Blake once again wrote a great story, guys! The world of the Masters & Mercenaries keeps getting bigger and bigger and I love it!
This is one wild ride, guys! There's Kay, a badass ex-spy that is slightly jaded in my opinion, and then there's Josh, the sexy, secretive movie star. Add in a little sprinkle of danger, hot sex, betrayal, laughter, tears and sarcasm, and you have the recipe for a great story.
Kay is a great character. I had a hard time connecting with her, simply because I didn't quite understand the desire of young Kay, a civilian, to become a double agent. I liked Kay, she's scary, badass and also such a lovely, quirky woman. She's such a sunny person, so it was difficult to understand her willingness to sacrifice a part of her soul. If you're a fan of this series, and if you've read the previous books, you might recognize Kay, as she's been around for a while. So I was very happy to see a book centered on her. Kay is a strong woman, a woman who knows her worth, and one who isn't ashamed of her sexuality. I liked that side of her. She knows from the very beginning what type of relationship she'll have with Josh, and she doesn't lose time with shame or outrage. Her attitude towards sex as being just a normal part of life is refreshing. The psychologist side of me appreciates that.
Josh is a hero who's been through a lot and behind his charming, yet cold, facade there are some dark secrets. He leads a strange life, the life of a beloved movie star with no privacy, who is also trying to keep his past where it is, in the past. At the same time, having a private life is a challenge, which is why he needs Kayla, a bodyguard who doubles as a sexual submissive. I liked Josh. I liked his ability to close everything off, while also becoming this charming, fun, vulnerable guy when he's with someone he trusts. He's also a very smart man. I feel like in another life, if maybe things were different for him growing up, he would have been a perfect addition to Ian's team. I can almost see Josh sometime in the future, working with the team, maybe not in the field, but somehow getting involved in the action in some way. He's a pretty stand-up guy and I really liked him.
The relationship between Kayla and Josh was a fun, intriguing one. This was an interesting setting for me to read about a D/s relationship. While I've certainly read about BDSM relationships based on a simple, sexual exchange between the partners, completely contracted and without any type of strings attached, I think it's the first time I read about the submissive nature of one of the parties as being a job requirement. I was intrigued by that aspect, and I found myself enjoying the simplicity of such a complex relationship. It's simple, because everything is plainly stated between Josh and Kayla, the rules being quite easy and straightforward, but it's complex at the same time because it is Josh and Kayla. Blake is a master at writing complex relationships, and this one is no exception. While Josh wants a simple relationship with Kayla, he's not able to keep thing strictly physical. He might pretend he feels nothing, but the tiny things he does for Kay show that he does care about her. At the same time, Kayla isn't as unaffected as she wants everyone to believe, including Josh. So their relationship is an interesting mix of simple and complex. There are other reasons why their relationship is complex, but I'll let you discover everything.
The pace, as usual with a Lexi Blake story, is great and I kept reading this book well after midnight. I enjoyed the surprises at the end, and the entire journey that Kayla went on made a little bit more sense. Some things I did not expect to happen, to be honest. We also get to see the master himself, my book-boyfriend Ian and some other familiar faces. Reading this book was a little bit bittersweet. While I know this isn't the last book of the series, thank god, this book ended one chapter of the world, as Lexi Blake herself stated. I am excited about the future of the series, based on the very last chapter. I am ready to see where this series is going.
As already expected, I really enjoyed this story and I cannot wait for the next story.
“Kayla?”
Her eyes came up, a flash of recognition there. “Yes?”
“Are you going to sign the contract or do you have more questions?”
She picked up the pen sitting on top of the contracts that would bind the two of them together for the next six months. They would reevaluate the relationship at that point in time, but for the next six months, she was his. His bodyguard. His submissive.
Bought and properly paid for. He would take care of her and she would give him what he needed.
She signed with a flourish and sat back, a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.
He was curious, too, and there was zero reason to not satisfy their curiosity. Hard and soft limits had been gone over. They would find their communication style as they went along. But first she should understand that he was in control.
“Come sit on my lap.”
She didn’t hesitate. She stood and turned, shifting so she could maneuver her way onto his lap.
Her weight came down on him and he wrapped an arm around her waist. Damn but she made him feel big. He’d seen her take out a man twice her size, but sitting here in his lap she felt small and vulnerable, and fuck but that did it for him.
He slid a hand along her knee, letting himself indulge in the silky-smooth feel of her skin against his palm. “Did you do as I asked?”
He was well aware his voice had gone husky, deeper than normal.
“Yes, Joshua.” She squirmed the tiniest bit, as though trying to find a comfortable position. It might be difficult for her because she was sitting right on his cock, and it was harder and thicker than he could ever remember it being.
“How can I trust you?” This was all part of the game he loved. Here he could let go and play out the darker of his impulses—to control, to take, to possess.
See. Want. Have.
“You’ll have to check,” she replied. “Though shouldn’t we go inside?”
He reached out and picked up his cell with his free hand, pushing one number and connecting to the security room. He put them on speaker. She needed to understand what she was up against in order for the game to be fair. “Landon?”
“This is Burke,” the deep voice replied. “Shane’s on patrol. What can I do for you?”
“Burke, I would like to fuck my submissive on the third-floor balcony. Is anyone watching us? Can you see any cameras pointed our way?”
A low, masculine chuckle came across the line. “No, Mr. Hunt. And given the angle relative to the beach, you should enjoy your evening without worry. The only peepers I would worry about would be your next-door neighbor, and Jared is out for the night.”
“I wouldn’t care if he wasn’t. Keep up the good work.” He hung up and his hand tightened. “I would prefer when we’re playing that you don’t question me like that. I know where I want to fuck you. I know when I want to fuck you, and I’m in charge. If I want you in the middle of a crowded freeway, your only response is a yes or a no. Not to question me.”
She seemed to relax back against him, as though she was giving up the struggle and choosing to submit. “Yes, Joshua. Yes, I understand, and yes to the sex. Please.”
He liked the breathy please and loved how she squirmed. Still, he wasn’t absolutely sure she’d obeyed him, and he was a man who required proof. He slid his hand up her thigh. “Spread your legs for me.”
Her knees fell apart, and he could feel the heat from her core. He slipped a hand up until he made contact with her softest skin. No panties. Nothing but wet heat waiting for him, and it was obvious the play had cranked her up, too. His free hand eased one button on her shirt free, and then another and another until he could move in like a soldier conquering territory. No bra. Her breasts were like the rest of her. Soft and delicate. One nipple rolled against his palm, hardening then and there.
“I can see you’ve been an obedient sub,” he said, his mouth against her ear. “You need to stay that way or there will be punishment. I’m not a sadist, Kayla. I truly don’t get off on your pain, but I will give it to you if you need it. I am a disciplinarian. I gain satisfaction from your obedience. In exchange, I’ll show you how good it can be to obey me.”
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.
