*****5 Stars***** Adored (Masters and Mercenaries #8.5) by Lexi Blake

A man who gave up on love

Mitch Bradford is an intimidating man. In his professional life, he has a reputation for demolishing his opponents in the courtroom. At the exclusive BDSM club Sanctum, he prefers disciplining pretty submissives with no strings attached. In his line of work, there’s no time for a healthy relationship. After a few failed attempts, he knows he’s not good for any woman—especially not his best friend’s sister.

A woman who always gets what she wants

Laurel Daley knows what she wants, and her sights are set on Mitch. He’s smart and sexy, and it doesn’t matter that he’s a few years older and has a couple of bitter ex-wives. Watching him in action at work and at play, she knows he just needs a little polish to make some woman the perfect lover. She intends to be that woman, but first she has to show him how good it could be.

A killer lurking in the shadows

When an unexpected turn of events throws the two together, Mitch and Laurel are confronted with the perfect opportunity to explore their mutual desire. Night after night of being close breaks down Mitch’s defenses. The more he sees of Laurel, the more he knows he wants her. Unfortunately, someone else has their eyes on Laurel and they have murder in mind.

WOW! Adored is another fantastic addition to the 'Masters and Mercenaries' series.  For the first time ever, I actually slammed my e-reader closed and throw it on my bed.  I was so flippin pissed with Mitch Bradford that I went into a ten minute rant calling him every name in the book.  Lexi Blake foreshadowed my future rant from the beginning, "You wouldn't think that if you saw how pissed off she gets at fictional characters. The woman yells at her e-reader. She threw it across the room the other day and her only explanation was that someone named Joshua Lake was being a butthead." After I finished my rant, ate some ice cream, I jumped back into the story and cheered on our heroine, Laurel, for being the bigger person. I love when authors compel us into emotional outbursts. Usually I cry or sulk when I'm reading romances. This story took me to the next level.

Laurel Daley is Mitch Bradford's paralegal and also his best friend's sister. They are both mutually attracted to each other, ask Mitch's penis. Mitch however would not claim Laurel  He felt "He was too old for her. He was too rough and hard for her. She was a kid starting out and he'd run through all his chances." Mitch had been married twice before and after the divorce he was forced to start over again. 

Laurel pursued Mitch all the way to Sanctum (a BDSM club he attend) but it was a bullet flying scare that drove them momentarily together. Things quickly went bad and Laural decided to move on. "There wasn't some soft Mitchell Bradford waiting under the surface. All of that had been spent on his two ex-wives, and all that was left for Laurel was a man who meant it when he said he didn't want another commitment, didn't want to even try to love her." 

When Laurel discovers she has a permanent tie to Mitch, they move forward with their relationship however there is danger lurking around every corner. Can their relationship move forward even with Mitch's insecurities and resistance to change? 

It's Laurel, with a little help from her body guard, who is the bigger person and keeps their relationship on track. She also helps Mitch become reacquainted with his brothers, who needed him. Mitch is a stubborn turd most of the time but in the end he redeems himself. I cannot wait for Master No, Masters and Mercenaries, Book 9 by Lexi Blake. This will be Tennessee Smith's story. I really need this story!