Stay With Me by Nikki Leigh

Jaci
What do you do when the one who promised to love and protect you turns out to be the monster that lives under your bed that you fear the most?
Simple. You escape, you change your very existence. For seven long years I have guarded a secret close to my heart. Hidden amongst strangers no one had any idea the lengths that had been taken to keep me safe. With the help of an unlikely guardian, we’ve done just that until the monster from my past uncovers my secret.
At the request of my guardian, I turn to a group of men sworn to protect those who are haunted by their pasts. Instant chemistry sizzles between one of their members, but with my life on the line, doubt consumes me. Can I trust the one they call Cobra to protect not only my life but my heart?

Luca
How do you live with yourself knowing you failed the ones you should have been able to protect?
After the tragic deaths of my family at the hands of someone we loved, I stopped living. Yes, I still had a heart beating in my chest, but it was just an organ taking up space in the hollow shell that was my life. Alone and riddled with guilt I promised them, that I would never fail another person depending on me. Those choices led me to Iron Defenders, a team of guardians for those who needed protecting.
My life was predictable and safe until she stormed into it like a hurricane making landfall. A desire like I had never known rushed forward demanding I protect her at all costs. That was the easy part, I could keep her safe, but who would keep my heart safe? Love was a myth: I know that so why can’t I rid myself of the thoughts that if I fail her I’ll break more than my promise… I’ll break both our hearts in the process.