The Payback

Team Zulu Series, Book 2

De: Julie Weaver

Narrado por: Kai Kennicott, Stephen Dexter

Sage

Three years ago, the Mafia murdered my first love and shattered my chance of happiness. I won't stop searching for the gunman until justice is served, even if every step toward the killer is a step into the gaping jaws of Philly's notorious underworld.

If only the new guy in my building, AKA Mr. Tall, Dark, and Annoyingly Alpha, would leave me and my secrets alone. My body might want him, but my head knows better. I've lost too much to risk giving my heart away again, especially to someone as deliciously tempting as Brandon Lewis.

When the Mob catches on to my revenge plans and delivers a deadly ultimatum, my persistent new neighbor discovers we share a common enemy. Brandon might be an incredibly skilled hacker, but why isn't he scared of taking on the most dangerous men in the city? And how does a computer geek get the body of a warrior, bullet scars and all?

Teaming up with the fierce, overprotective man next door becomes a proposition too appealing to resist. Except the more I get to know Brandon, the more I realize he's the last person I could let pay for my foolish mistakes. If it happened again, neither of us would survive.

From award-winning author Julie Weaver comes a steamy protector romance featuring a morally grey ex-black ops hero, touch him/her and you die vibes, and forced proximity. The Payback is book two in the Team Zulu series, but it can be listened to as a standalone.

©2022 Julie Weaver (P)2024 Podium Audio

Answers from the last book!

I enjoyed the narrators and getting answers from the last book- I don’t forgive him though! I’ll be waiting for the next on audio

loved the story. This one is my personal favorite of the series so going on the adventure with Sage and Brandon all over again

I didnt love how its the same voice actors for each book. I loved the voices for Cam and Shep and was looking forward to other cast for the rest of the crew but thats purely a me problem.

Motorcycles, Mobsters, and Maybe Love

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚💜💙❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 😋🙂🤨🤣
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

🛡️ Audiobook Review: The Payback

Series: Team Zulu Book 2
Genre: Military Romance / Romantic Suspense / Mafia
Narrators: Kai Kennicott and Stephen Dexter

🦸🏼‍♀️ Heroine Spotlight: Sage Allen

Sage Allen isn’t just a survivor—she’s a woman forged in fire. After losing her boyfriend Kieran to a mafia drive-by and nearly dying herself, Sage emerges with a singular mission: justice. With the police compromised and the FBI dragging its feet, she takes matters into her own hands. Balancing her criminal justice thesis and a Justice Department internship, Sage is no amateur. But guilt gnaws at her—she blames herself for Kieran’s death, all because of a detour to a rare bookstore in a dangerous neighborhood. Her vow? Never fall in love again. Love, after all, nearly killed her.

🦸🏻‍♂️ Hero Spotlight: Brandon Lewis

Brandon Lewis is a man haunted by absence. Discharged from Team Zulu’s black ops unit, he returns to Philadelphia not for peace, but for purpose. His sister vanished two years ago, and every lead has crumbled—until now. A whisper of mob involvement reignites his hunt. Armed with hacking skills and tactical grit, Brandon infiltrates the underworld, determined to uncover the truth and exact revenge. But Philly isn’t just a battleground—it’s a graveyard of memories, and Brandon’s ghosts are waiting.

📃 Plot Pulse

When Sage and Brandon collide—literally—it’s electric. A near-death moment on a Philly sidewalk sparks a connection neither of them is ready for. Both are emotionally barricaded, driven by vengeance, and allergic to vulnerability. Yet fate has other plans. Their targets overlap, their missions intertwine, and when Sage’s pursuit puts her in danger, Brandon steps in—not just as a protector, but as someone who understands her pain. Their chemistry simmers beneath layers of trauma, mistrust, and reluctant hope.

💘 What Hit Home

• The motorcycle scene? Cinematic and gut-punching. Sage’s PTSD flashback and Brandon’s instinctive rescue felt raw and real.
• Loved the continuity with the previous book—seeing events unfold through Sage and Brandon’s eyes added emotional texture and narrative depth.

🧐 What Fell Flat

• Sage’s emotional resistance dragged a bit. Her constant denial of her feelings—even mid-relationship—felt repetitive. The “will this make things weird?” refrain started to wear thin.

🎧 Narration Notes

Dual narration by Kai Kennicott and Stephen Dexter brings Sage and Brandon to life. Kai’s voice is expressive and engaging, even if her male character tones blur slightly. Stephen’s deep, resonant delivery is a standout—he’s one of my go-to male narrators for a reason.

📝 Final Takeaway

This audiobook blends grit, grief, and slow-burn romance with a pulse-pounding plot. Sage and Brandon are two broken souls chasing justice—and maybe, accidentally, healing. If you love emotionally complex characters, mafia intrigue, and a dash of reluctant romance, this one’s worth the listen.