Protector and Defender Romance Series by Cynthia Eden

He knew she was trouble from the moment they met. Esme Laurent is a con artist. An accomplished liar. A world-class thief. And probably the most beautiful and intriguing woman that Tyler Barrett has ever met. Sure, he has to arrest her at their first meeting, and she absolutely hates him, but…well, he has a job to do. And Tyler always gets the job done. Turns out, she is the new job. The people in charge want to use Esme to bring down a very dangerous criminal operation... moreHe knew she was trouble from the moment they met. Esme Laurent is a con artist. An accomplished liar. A world-class thief. And probably the most beautiful and intriguing woman that Tyler Barrett has ever met. Sure, he has to arrest her at their first meeting, and she absolutely hates him, but…well, he has a job to do. And Tyler always gets the job done. Turns out, she is the new job. The people in charge want to use Esme to bring down a very dangerous criminal operation. And in order to do that, Esme has to stay in the land of the living. She needs protection, she needs a new identity, and she needs to disappear, immediately. Because Esme has more than a bit of power, she makes her own deal…her protection needs to come in the ever-so-gorgeous, ever-so-dangerous, and ever-so-law-abiding form of U. S. Marshal Tyler Barrett. They’ll disappear into Small Town, USA. And they’ll pretend to be newlyweds who just can’t keep their hands off each other. No, absolutely, this cannot be happening. But no matter how much Tyler protests, the new job is, in fact, happening. He’s being sent to Asylum, Alabama, with the delectable Esme. He’s supposed to be her husband—a role that will give him twenty-four, seven access in order to protect her. He needs that access in order to make sure that Esme doesn’t run from the authorities and that she stays alive. But what Tyler doesn’t count on is the consuming desire he feels for a woman who should be off-limits. She’ll test every limit that he has…. Esme doesn’t expect her attraction to the rule-following Tyler. He’s big, he’s buttoned-down, and he’s absolutely…delicious. She also suspects that he may be carefully controlling a wild side—one that she would love to see erupt. Oh, if only. When danger comes calling, Tyler is more than ready to handle any threat. Who knew that falling for the good guy could be so tempting? And so very…heart-breaking. Because there was no way a guy like Tyler would want to stay around once they stop pretending. Everyone knows the bad girl never gets to keep the good guy, especially when she’s still working a very long con. Author’s Note: Are you in the mood for a strong hero who makes “protecting and defending” his life code? Tyler is big, fierce, and more than ready to step into the line of fire in order to protect his charge. He’s also falling fast under the spell of a woman he should not trust. Everything with Esme is just pretend…everything, except the desire they feel for each other. And the very, very real danger that stalks her. A danger that may wind up costing Tyler more than he ever expected. WHEN HE PROTECTS, Tyler gives his all, and when he loves…he will fight like hell for the woman who stole his heart. less

She’s a dead woman walking. Luna Black knows that she’s being hunted. The price on her head is astronomical. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and she saw some very dangerous people doing some very, very bad things. Now she needs to reach the Feds, stat, and get a new identity and a new life. Because her old life? Definitely over. It’s not personal. She’s just a job. Ronan Walker lives in the shadows. His job? Simple—to deliver death... moreShe’s a dead woman walking. Luna Black knows that she’s being hunted. The price on her head is astronomical. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and she saw some very dangerous people doing some very, very bad things. Now she needs to reach the Feds, stat, and get a new identity and a new life. Because her old life? Definitely over. It’s not personal. She’s just a job. Ronan Walker lives in the shadows. His job? Simple—to deliver death. And the latest hit has him tracking down the very elusive and unpredictable Luna. But he’s not the only hitman on her trail. Luna has valuable intel. The kind of intel that can never see the light of a courtroom. When the other hunters swarm in on her, Ronan has no choice but to intervene. Death wasn’t supposed to be so…dead sexy. After he defeated the group trying to abduct her, Luna expected to die by the gorgeous stranger’s hands. Even as he kissed her, Luna was sure that the tall, dark, and fierce predator would kill her. Only…she woke up, very much still alive, and handcuffed to his bed. Before she can even scream, he offers her a deal…protection, but for a price. Is he a hitman with a heart? No, he’s not. Not even close. His heart never gets involved in a job. Ronan faked Luna’s death, and now he has to keep her with him in the shadows until the Feds are ready to use her in order to bring down a massive criminal ring. The problem? He’s not exactly used to sharing close quarters with anyone. Especially not someone like Luna…a woman who pushes him to the edge and makes him want to let go of the fierce control that he’s kept in place for years. On the run. Hiding in the shadows. Pretending to be a couple in love…. Sometimes, it’s easy to pretend. To act like lovers. But what happens when the pretending starts to feel all too real? The longer they are together, the more Luna realizes there is so much more to Ronan than meets the eye. He protects her, he defends her from every threat, and she…just might be falling hard for the hitman who swears he can never love…. The story of her life. To fall for the man who delivers death. Author’s Note: Ronan deals with death. He’s worked undercover as a hitman for years, only seeing the darkest side of life. Then he meets Luna. A woman named for the moon but who feels like sunlight in his arms. No way should he want her as badly as he does. No way should he start to think of Luna as his. But…he does. And anyone coming after Luna will find that Ronan will take “protecting and defending” her to a whole, new level. No one else will touch Luna, no one will hurt her, and he will deliver death to anyone who tries to take her from him. less

He saved her from a nightmare. Once upon a time, Kane Harte rescued Anastasia Patrick from hell. He took her away from a killer, protected her, and maybe even came perilously close to loving her. But then she was given a new life. A new name. A new home. And there was no room for Kane or the darkness he carried in her new world. So he walked away. Didn’t look back. Fine, maybe he looked back a little. Or a lot. Maybe he dreamed of her every time his eyes closed. Sue him. She falls for bad guys... moreHe saved her from a nightmare. Once upon a time, Kane Harte rescued Anastasia Patrick from hell. He took her away from a killer, protected her, and maybe even came perilously close to loving her. But then she was given a new life. A new name. A new home. And there was no room for Kane or the darkness he carried in her new world. So he walked away. Didn’t look back. Fine, maybe he looked back a little. Or a lot. Maybe he dreamed of her every time his eyes closed. Sue him. She falls for bad guys. It’s a quirk. A flaw? Whatever. When her ex turned out to be a killer, Anastasia “Ana” Patrick knew she was in trouble. But enter the FBI—or rather, enter the super scary, slightly shady, and undeniably hot Kane Harte. He protected her, he gave her a new life—new name, new home, new Ana. And he also broke her heart. That would be the previously mentioned issue she had with bad guys. She fell for the dangerously secretive Kane, and he walked away. He shattered her heart but gave her safety. Not exactly a fair exchange…. Now her safe world has been wrecked. Danger has found Anastasia—Ana—once again, and she has no choice but to flee on her own. The killer from her past has escaped prison, and he’s coming after her. Ana runs, desperate to get away, and she finds herself barreling straight into the arms of the protector she never expected to see again. Kane Harte can kill a man in a hundred different ways. He can also break a woman’s heart without batting an eye. She won’t fall for him again. Absolutely, Ana will not make that mistake again. Once burned, twice super cautious. But she needs a hero, and Kane excels when it comes to handling deadly trouble. She will control herself around him—there will be no giving in to the crazy desire she still feels for Kane—and, uh, sure, when the Feds decide that she has to be the bait to lure in the killer, Ana will play by their rules. Not like she has a choice, not if she wants to stay alive…. He won’t keep his control. He won’t play by the rules. And he will take what he wants. Kane is done. He did the whole good-guy routine once before and walked away from Ana. Not happening again. This time, he’ll give in to his need, his obsession, and he will never, ever let go. The Feds want to trap the killer after Ana? Fine. He’ll trap him, but Kane will be the one calling the shots and setting the stage. Kane and Ana will play lovers—they will be lovers—and they’ll draw in the killer. Kane will eliminate the threat to Ana, and he will do whatever it takes to possess the woman who has haunted his dreams for far too long. Kane made a mistake when he let her go the first time. Now, he’s going to fight like hell for his second chance with Ana. Nothing will stop him from claiming Ana. Not the Feds. Not her killer ex. And not his own bloody and dark past. “Heartless” Kane Harte will put his life and heart on the line for his Ana. Touch what belongs to him? Try to hurt her? He will make you pay. less

He didn’t want a new partner, especially not her. FBI Agent Gray Stone knows killers. As a top profiler at the Bureau, monsters are truly his business. So he absolutely does not need to be paired up with the infuriating—and gorgeous—Dr. Emerson Marlowe. But her mother is a senator with far too much power, and, all of a sudden, Gray finds himself on training duty, a duty that includes way too many hours and way too much temptingly close contact with Emerson. He doesn’t play well with others... moreHe didn’t want a new partner, especially not her. FBI Agent Gray Stone knows killers. As a top profiler at the Bureau, monsters are truly his business. So he absolutely does not need to be paired up with the infuriating—and gorgeous—Dr. Emerson Marlowe. But her mother is a senator with far too much power, and, all of a sudden, Gray finds himself on training duty, a duty that includes way too many hours and way too much temptingly close contact with Emerson. He doesn’t play well with others. In fact, he doesn’t play at all. What’s he supposed to do with a sexy shadow? One who is just as good at mind games as he is? One who is smart and funny and…dammit. Emerson has practically no field experience, and the last thing Gray wants to do is put her in harm’s way. He may not want to work with Emerson, but he will not let anyone hurt her. So when a new case goes sideways and a killer gets chillingly close, Gray has to come up with a new training plan. New rules: She follows his orders. She does exactly what he says. And she does not get in the way. Except Emerson can’t follow orders to save her life. She does whatever she wants, and the woman is one hundred percent in his way. In his way. In his mind. In his dreams. And, maybe, just maybe, the infuriating Emerson is even working her sneaky way into his heart. But danger is growing around her, danger that doesn’t seem to just be coming from their work at the FBI. A stalker has eyes on Emerson, a predator who is well-acquainted with darkness and pain. A perp who wants Emerson to suffer. To protect his new partner, Gray will have to let his own darkness come out to hunt. No one turns Gray’s partner into prey. No one terrifies Emerson. No one hurts her. Ever. Gray stops playing the good guy, and he goes all in on protecting her. Protecting and defending—that’s his way of life, but this time, the defense is personal. Emerson is his—uh, his partner, of course, and, hell, maybe a whole lot more. Gray has always kept his inner darkness on a tight leash, but when Emerson is threatened, his control shatters. He will claim her, he will protect her, and he will put the perp who threatens her in the ground. Author’s note: Grayson “Gray” Stone has spent far too many years playing mind games with other people. This time, he’s the one who will see his life spiral out of control as he falls hard for a partner he never expected. Forced proximity, danger, desire, opposites fiercely attracting…oh, get ready for all the fun things. Did I mention the steam? Because there is plenty of it in this romance. less

He made a fatal mistake. He lusted after the wrong woman. Let his need take over. Cassius “Cass” Striker knew that he should have never touched the sexy FBI agent, but he gave in to temptation and had the best one-night stand of his life with Agnes Quinn. It should have meant nothing. He should have been able to walk away…. He can’t walk away. If he does, she’s dead. His enemies know about Agnes, and they plan to use her against him... moreHe made a fatal mistake. He lusted after the wrong woman. Let his need take over. Cassius “Cass” Striker knew that he should have never touched the sexy FBI agent, but he gave in to temptation and had the best one-night stand of his life with Agnes Quinn. It should have meant nothing. He should have been able to walk away…. He can’t walk away. If he does, she’s dead. His enemies know about Agnes, and they plan to use her against him. He’s the leader of one of the most notorious motorcycle clubs in the US. His name stirs fear into the hearts of nearly everyone…and he has a giant target on his back. Those who want to bring him down have been looking for a weakness to use against him—they think they found that weakness in the form of Agnes. Now he either saves her or he watches her die. She doesn’t need saving, but it’s super sweet of him to try. She fell for the bad guy. Not something that typically happens given her occupation, but Agnes couldn’t quite help herself. She’d been drawn to Cass from the first moment, and now the world—uh, the “underworld” thinks that they are hot and heavy, that she’s a way to break the unbreakable leader of the Night Strikers. Cass is vowing to protect her, but the only way to do that? Enter his world. Accept his claim. Eliminate all the threats that exist to them both. She has to go in undercover, continuing to pose as Cass’s lover as they embark on a cross-country trip. She has to follow his rules. She has to seemingly sever her ties with the FBI. In other words, Agnes has to go deep and hard in an undercover mission as she and Cass take out some seriously bad guys. No worries, though. Agnes does love an undercover mission, so this should be fun. The case is a nightmare. It is not fun. And if Agnes flashes her sexy smile at him one more time…. Cass is sure that he’s lost his soul, and he’s not even sure where his criminal life ends and the real man that he’d once been begins. He knows one thing, though. Agnes is trouble—and he wants her. Wants her so badly that maybe he’ll let the dark side of his nature off the careful leash he holds. And he’ll take what he wants as he damns the consequences. Threaten her? Try to use her against him? Worst mistake his enemies could ever make because Agnes is his. Cass was never meant to be a protector, but he sure is one hell of a hunter. less

He’s been in love with her since the day they met. Love at first sight? Sure, you can call it that. Love, obsession, whatever. All Nash Quinn knows is that from the instant he met Delaney Daniels, he fell for her. Hard. Completely. And now…she’s marrying someone else. A man who most people believe to be a prince charming, but Nash knows the guy is a real nightmare, and there is no way–no way–that he can let his Delaney go through with the marriage... moreHe’s been in love with her since the day they met. Love at first sight? Sure, you can call it that. Love, obsession, whatever. All Nash Quinn knows is that from the instant he met Delaney Daniels, he fell for her. Hard. Completely. And now…she’s marrying someone else. A man who most people believe to be a prince charming, but Nash knows the guy is a real nightmare, and there is no way–no way–that he can let his Delaney go through with the marriage. Because as soon as she’s married, she’ll be dead. So he has to kidnap the bride. It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Nash rides in on his motorcycle, and when the priest asks if anyone objects, Nash steals the bride. Only…Delaney comes far too willingly. She jumps on the back of his motorcycle, and they ride off into the night…even as the groom gives chase. She’s in trouble, and the man who once shattered her heart is the only one who can help her. Right before her wedding, Delaney found out just how dangerous and evil her groom-to-be truly was. Desperate and afraid, she’d sent a frantic text to her former best friend, Agnes, hoping for some miracle. She never expected her miracle to come in the form of Agnes’s brother Nash–gorgeous, big, powerful Nash. He storms the wedding and carries her out into the night. Yes, she’s heard the whispers about him. She even has secretly suspected that he might work for the government, but when she learns that big, bad Nash is actually a spy…A spy who just saved her from certain death…everything changes. The CIA wants to use her. Nash just wants to protect her. He has to hide Delaney. Has to whisk her away and stay close to her every moment. But emotions and needs that Nash has held in check for far too long are pushing past his control. This is finally his chance–his chance to have Delaney, and Nash is not going to let her slip through his fingers again. He’ll be the one to put a ring on her finger. And to set a trap for her ex. Another wedding? Sure, why not? When the CIA wants to nab her ex, Delaney is all-in on the plan. Even if that plan means traveling to Vegas, fake marrying the hot and brooding Nash, and risking everything to bring down a killer. She can do this…but, she may just lose her heart to Nash along the way. Her heart, and potentially, her life. Author’s Note: He’s stealing a bride, and he will not give her back. Nash has been in love with Delaney for years, and he is not going to let anyone hurt her. He’ll step from the shadows, he’ll protect her, and he’ll finally claim the woman who owns his soul. If anyone tries to get in his way, he’ll show them just how dangerous a real protector can truly be…. less