title: Protected
author: Blake, Lexi
description: From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake comes a new story in her Masters and Mercenaries series…
  A second chance at first love
  
  Years before, Wade Rycroft fell in love with Geneva Harris, the smartest girl in his class. The rodeo star and the shy academic made for an odd pair but their chemistry was undeniable. They made plans to get married after high school but when Genny left him standing in the rain, he joined the Army and vowed to leave that life behind.  Genny married the town’s golden boy,  and Wade knew that he couldn’t go home again.
  
  Could become the promise of a lifetime
  
  Fifteen years later, Wade returns to his Texas hometown for his brother’s wedding and walks into a storm of scandal. Genny’s marriage has dissolved and the town has turned against her. But when someone tries to kill his old love, Wade can’t refuse to help her. In his years after the Army, he’s found his place in the world. His job at McKay-Taggart keeps him happy and busy but something is missing. When he takes the job watching over Genny, he realizes what it is.
  
  As danger presses in, Wade must decide if he can forgive past sins or let the woman of his dreams walk into a nightmare….
  **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world.  And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**