Diana Palmer - Defender

The man who shattered her trust is back to protect her... New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer delivers a breathtaking story of second-chance love.

When Paul Fiore disappeared from Isabel Grayling’s life, he told himself it was for all the right reasons. She was young and innocent, and he was her millionaire father’s lowly employee. Three years on, Paul is the FBI agent assigned to Isabel’s case. Too late, he realizes what life in her Texas mansion was really like back then—and how much damage he did when he left.

Once love-struck and sheltered, Isabel has become an assistant district attorney committed to serving the law, no matter how risky it gets. But right now, the man she can’t forgive is the one thing standing between her and a deadly stalker. She knows Paul won’t hesitate to protect her life with his own. But if she can’t trust herself to resist him, how can she trust him not to break her heart all over again?

Praise for the novels of New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Diana Palmer Praise TITLE PAGE Dear Reader DEDICATION ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN EXTRACT COPYRIGHT

“Diana Palmer is a mesmerizing storyteller who captures the essence of what a romance should be.”

—Affaire de Coeur

“The popular Palmer has penned another winning novel, a perfect blend of romance and suspense.”

—Booklist on Lawman

“Readers will be moved by this tale of revenge and justice, grief and healing.”

—Booklist on Dangerous

“Diana Palmer is one of those authors whose books are always enjoyable. She throws in romance, suspense and a good story line.”

—The Romance Reader on Before Sunrise

“Lots of passion, thrills, and plenty of suspense… Protector is a top-notch read!”

—Romance Reviews Today

“A delightful romance with interesting new characters and many familiar faces.”

—RT Book Reviews on Wyoming Tough

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Dear Reader Dear Reader DEDICATION ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN EXTRACT COPYRIGHT ,

This book is something different. It has new faces, although it’s set in Jacobsville and Comanche Wells, with cameos by old friends. The heroine is the daughter of a multimillionaire. The hero is her father’s head of security for his home and racehorses.

But her life of privilege is not what it seems. A tragic decision leads to what seems the end of her dream of love. Her employment as a new assistant district attorney in Jacobsville is the beginning of a murder investigation in which she, her younger sister and their former head of security—now with the San Antonio FBI office—are entwined. The end of this book is the beginning of her sister’s story, which takes place in Wyoming. I loved doing this story. I hope you will enjoy reading it.

This book is dedicated to our nephew. He leaves behind his wife, Heather, his sister, Kathy, his mother, Kathleen, and two great kids, Austin and Tyler. The boys and I play video games together on Xbox One.

As always, thank you for your kindness over the long years, and your friendship. I am your biggest fan.

Love,

For our sweet nephew Tony Woodall, 1965–2015, who left a hole in our hearts with his passing.

Sweet dreams, sweet boy.

Contents

COVER

BACK COVER TEXT The man who shattered her trust is back to protect her... New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer delivers a breathtaking story of second-chance love. When Paul Fiore disappeared from Isabel Grayling’s life, he told himself it was for all the right reasons. She was young and innocent, and he was her millionaire father’s lowly employee. Three years on, Paul is the FBI agent assigned to Isabel’s case. Too late, he realizes what life in her Texas mansion was really like back then—and how much damage he did when he left. Once love-struck and sheltered, Isabel has become an assistant district attorney committed to serving the law, no matter how risky it gets. But right now, the man she can’t forgive is the one thing standing between her and a deadly stalker. She knows Paul won’t hesitate to protect her life with his own. But if she can’t trust herself to resist him, how can she trust him not to break her heart all over again?

Praise Praise for the novels of New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Diana Palmer Praise TITLE PAGE Dear Reader DEDICATION ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN EXTRACT COPYRIGHT “Diana Palmer is a mesmerizing storyteller who captures the essence of what a romance should be.” —Affaire de Coeur “The popular Palmer has penned another winning novel, a perfect blend of romance and suspense.” —Booklist on Lawman “Readers will be moved by this tale of revenge and justice, grief and healing.” —Booklist on Dangerous “Diana Palmer is one of those authors whose books are always enjoyable. She throws in romance, suspense and a good story line.” —The Romance Reader on Before Sunrise “Lots of passion, thrills, and plenty of suspense… Protector is a top-notch read!” —Romance Reviews Today “A delightful romance with interesting new characters and many familiar faces.” —RT Book Reviews on Wyoming Tough

TITLE PAGE Defender Diana Palmer www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dear Reader Dear Reader Dear Reader DEDICATION ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN EXTRACT COPYRIGHT , This book is something different. It has new faces, although it’s set in Jacobsville and Comanche Wells, with cameos by old friends. The heroine is the daughter of a multimillionaire. The hero is her father’s head of security for his home and racehorses. But her life of privilege is not what it seems. A tragic decision leads to what seems the end of her dream of love. Her employment as a new assistant district attorney in Jacobsville is the beginning of a murder investigation in which she, her younger sister and their former head of security—now with the San Antonio FBI office—are entwined. The end of this book is the beginning of her sister’s story, which takes place in Wyoming. I loved doing this story. I hope you will enjoy reading it. This book is dedicated to our nephew. He leaves behind his wife, Heather, his sister, Kathy, his mother, Kathleen, and two great kids, Austin and Tyler. The boys and I play video games together on Xbox One. As always, thank you for your kindness over the long years, and your friendship. I am your biggest fan. Love,

DEDICATION For our sweet nephew Tony Woodall, 1965–2015, who left a hole in our hearts with his passing. Sweet dreams, sweet boy.