Mine To Protect (Mine #6)(60)

She looked back.

“I think I like you.” He nodded. “You’ll go far at the FBI.”

“Good…because that’s just what I want.”





Chapter Sixteen


“So what’s the plan?” Jasmine demanded as soon as they headed toward the casino.

The plan? Get Zoe. Keep her safe always. Throw Tom Winters in a cell and never let him see the light of day again.

He took the gun that Russell offered to him and tucked it in his waistband. “The plan is for me to distract Tom Winters.” A simple, basic plan. “I’ll get all the attention focused on me. While I do that, Jasmine and Drake, you two find a way to access the Vine’s security files.” Jasmine had always been gifted with computers. “You get on the network. Get access to every secret you can find.”

Russell gave a low whistle. “You think you can find Michelle Lane by hacking the place?”

“It’s sure as shit worth a try. Get control of the system,” Victor ordered them. Drake and Jasmine both had plenty of talents—many of which weren’t exactly legal. “I want you to take control of all the security cameras. Turn off the feeds.” Now his gaze zeroed in on Russell. “As soon as they have control, you get up to the penthouse because I will be needing your backup.” He had no idea how many guards would come running once he attacked. “We arrest Winters while we still have our FBI badges and we get Zoe the hell out of there.” He glanced at the team, trying to make sure everyone was in agreement with his spur-of-the-moment plan. It’s better than nothing.

Drake nodded. “Sounds good to me…provided you don’t get yourself killed while you’re fighting to get the guy’s attention.”

Jasmine grabbed Victor’s arm. “He won’t.” The threat was in her eyes. “He’d better not.”

“Don’t worry, Jazz. I’ve got too much to live for now. Dying isn’t on my agenda.”

Her brow furrowed. “Vic?”

“I need her. I can be happy…with her.” I am happy with her. As long as I can get Zoe to forgive me. As long as I haven’t screwed things up too badly. As long as I have a chance.

Jasmine’s face softened. “Then let’s get her the hell out of that building.”

Damn straight.

***

“I need proof that Michelle is alive.” Zoe licked her lips. They’d gone desert dry. Her wrist still throbbed and nausea churned in her belly. “Before I do anything else, I need proof.”

Tom tilted his head to the side, seeming to consider the matter.

“Proof of life,” Zoe whispered. “I have to get it or there is no deal that will ever happen.”

“Fine.” He marched back to his laptop. Typed on a few keys. Then he spun the laptop around to face her. “Here you go.”

She inched closer to the desk so that she could see the laptop screen. Video footage was playing. Footage that showed a woman—bound hand and foot and gagged—as she lay on a lush, four-poster bed.

“I gave her a nice suite,” Tom said. “Pity she can’t really appreciate it.”

Michelle is in the hotel.

“Now…” He snapped the laptop closed. “Do we have a deal?”

“I can’t kill Luther Bates.”

He sighed. “Fine.” Tom pulled out his phone, dialed quickly, then put the phone to his ear. “The guest in room 2804 is checking out. Make sure there isn’t a mess when she leaves.”

The guest…

“No!” Zoe screamed because she knew exactly what the bastard was doing.

“No?” Tom’s brows climbed. “Why not? Michelle is of no use to me if you won’t make the deal for her. Better to just kill her now.”

“No, don’t!”

“Then do we have a deal?” he asked silkily. “Say it, Zoe. I need the words. I need to hear you say that you’ll kill your father.”

“Why?” Zoe paced away from him, hurrying toward the windows that overlooked the city. She’d gotten his confession. When Victor had spoken those last words to her in the lobby, she’d realized what her job was. She’d done the job. Now shouldn’t the FBI be storming in to save the day? Tom had just said where Michelle was. She’d seen her…alive. It was time for the good guys to swoop in and stop this nightmare.

Only…no one was swooping. Her shoulders hunched as she stared at the street below. There was no sign of swarming cop cars. No men and women in bullet proof vests rushing toward the building. “Why do you need me to say the words?” Zoe asked, trying to buy some more time. “So you can record me…the way you recorded Victor’s little attack on you? Then you’ll take my words and show them to Luther. Show him that I could never really be trusted. That you’re the only one who had his back all this time.” She was just bullshitting but even as she said the words, they did make a twisted kind of sense. Frowning now, she glanced over her shoulder at him. “Why do you want me to say the words?”

His eyes gleamed. “You’ve always protected him.”

No, she hadn’t.

“Luther told me that you were the one who would never turn on him, no matter what. That blood was thicker than anything else.”