Mine To Protect (Mine #6)(46)
Always.
“Zoe.” This time, he said her name a little louder.
She stretched against him and her eyes opened.
“I have some presents for you.”
“What?”
She’d nearly broken his heart before. With the look on her face…the wistfulness in her voice.
I want to give her the world. And all I’ve done is set her up for pain. He cleared his throat. “I got Russell to do a little shopping for us. He arrived in town earlier—along with the rest of our FBI back-up. The guy knows where to find some really good toys.”
She sat up in bed, pulling the sheet to her neck. “Are you talking about sex toys?”
If only. He shook his head, and he offered her the stack of boxes that he’d gotten Russell to pick up for them.
Hesitantly, she reached for the first box.
“We’ll be going to the Vine soon,” Victor said. Because the thing Zoe wanted most? Michelle’s life. Her safety. And if Zoe wanted them to free the woman, then they would. But I will do everything to protect Zoe. “So I wanted you to be ready.”
She opened the box. “Um, Victor…did you just give me a knife?”
He lifted it out of the box. “It’s small enough to hide easily on your body. Most people wouldn’t find it during a search.”
Zoe blinked.
“I want you safe,” Victor said clearly. “I need you safe.” The knife wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing. Zoe always should have a way to protect herself.
“Thank you.”
He handed her the second box.
“You know,” Zoe mused as she held the box. “Most men give women diamond earrings. At least, that’s what I heard lovers do.”
She opened the box.
Diamond earrings glittered up at her.
“Victor?”
He wished they were just diamond earrings. A gift from a lover without any strings. He rolled back his shoulders. “There’s a listening device on this one. A very, very small transmitter.” He tapped the earring that was slightly bigger. “Wear it in your right ear. I’ll have a listening device on me, too. We’ll use mine first, and yours will be back-up. Just in case…”
“In case what?”
“In case we become separated when we go into the Vine.”
She paled. “Right.” Fumbling, she put the earrings in place. Then her gaze darted to the last box. “I think I’m scared to see what’s inside there.”
He gave her the box. A very big box.
Zoe bit her lower lip and slowly, so slowly, opened the box. In it were—
“Feathers?” Zoe laughed. She pulled out the feathers. “My old showgirl costume! Victor, how did you—”
“I just wanted something to make you smile. When you were on the plane, you seemed so happy when you talked about dancing.” He spoke gruffly. “It’s…not a big deal. I just thought you’d like to have it, that’s all.”
Oh, hell, it looked as if she might start to cry.
“I can get rid of it,” Victor said quickly. “I can—”
She threw her arms around him. Held tight. “Thank you, Victor.”
Slowly, his own arms rose to hold her. It was strange, but she seemed to feel…right…against him.
“The costume does make me happy, but you make me happier.”
He didn’t know what to say. Zoe eased back and stared up at him. “Thank you,” she said once more.
“You don’t need to thank me. Hell, I’m the idiot who is letting you walk into danger. I should be sending you away.”
“No. You’re the good guy, Victor. Helping someone in need, that’s kind of your thing.” She rose from the bed, still holding the costume tightly. She squeezed it a moment, as if gaining courage, then she said, “So want to tell me the plan?”
The big plan.
“It’s simple. Got to give credit to Roy Duncan. He inspired it.”
Zoe just stared back at him.
“We go in the Vine together. Make a big entrance.” He nodded toward the box on the dresser. The box he’d originally brought in to her hours before and Zoe had asked if it was a present. Now, he strode to that box. Opened it and pulled out the dress inside. “You’ll wear this. Every eye in the place will be on you.”
“And we want that?”
Grimly, he nodded. “We want you to catch the right attention.”
“You mean the wrong attention.”
Yeah, he did. “Before it’s too late, are you sure this is what you want to do?”
She put down her feathered costume. Walked slowly toward him and reached for the dress. “Yes. Because I am not like my father. I won’t let someone just die. I won’t.”
No, that wasn’t who Zoe was. He gazed down at her, wishing that things were different. Wishing that he didn’t have secrets and lies between them.
“Victor? What is it? Why do you look so sad?”
Fuck. He glanced away. “It’s time for us to go, Zoe.” And time for him to do his job.
Falling for her wasn’t the plan. But it’s too late.
Too late for us both.
Chapter Thirteen
The Vine. Decadent. Massive.