Mine To Protect (Mine #6)(68)

Victor didn’t say another word. He turned on his heel. Walked out of that prison. Kept walking until he was at his car. He never let his expression alter. He cranked the car, curled his hands around the steering wheel, and drove away.

Zoe…

***

Three days later…

Victor closed the suite door. He could hear the roar of the ocean. The waves were beating against the beach down below. The cold chill of Vegas was long gone. Hawaii was warm. Beautiful.

A perfect escape.

“I was wondering when you’d show up…”

He looked up—and into the most beautiful green eyes that he’d ever seen. Zoe stood in front of the open balcony doors. Her arms were at her sides, and a blue cast covered her right wrist. Her face was still too pale for his liking, but she was so gorgeous. The most perfect thing he’d ever seen.

And she was alive. Despite what so many others thought…Zoe had survived, and now she was free. He’d had to be so careful getting to her. He hadn’t been able to leave when she was flown out of Vegas—flown on Drake’s private plane with Drake’s own physician, a guy who’d been paid extremely well to forget Zoe’s existence.

Victor had tied up all the loose ends. Made sure that the world believed Zoe was gone.

After all, he knew how to make a person vanish. He’d done it before.

“Victor?” Zoe frowned at him. “Are you all right?”

He leaned back against the door. No, he wasn’t all right. Because she had nearly died, and he’d almost lost her. “I wasn’t sure you’d be here. You have a habit of running away.”

She laughed and that sweet sound made the ice melt from his heart. “Who runs from paradise?”

He wanted to run to her. To wrap his arms around her and hold her tight. But he’d screwed things so completely with her. He had to make amends. He would spend the rest of his life making everything perfect for her. “I’m sorry.”

Her expression was guarded. “For what, exactly?”

“Lying.” He took a tentative step toward her. “Keeping secrets.” Another step. “Not being good enough for you.” Because he knew that he never would be.

A furrow appeared between her brows.

“But most of all…” Another step. She hadn’t backed away, thank Christ. “I’m mostly sorry that I didn’t tell you I loved you sooner. Because, Zoe, I do love you. I love you so much. I—”

“I know.” Again, her voice was soft. “I heard you…” Her left hand rose and brushed lightly over her stomach. Over the wound that he knew was still covered in stitches. “I heard you talking to me in the ambulance.”

He could almost touch her, but fear held him back. “There’s something you need to know.” Before anything else happened, he had to tell her this part. He’d sworn to never keep another secret from her again. “It’s about Luther.”

He saw her tense.

“I think…I think he may suspect that you’re still alive.”

“Why?” Fear broke in her voice. “What makes you say that?”

“The way he responded.” We both knew she’d never have that while she lived. My daughter couldn’t. Luther’s words kept replaying in his head. “But Luther isn’t going to say anything. He wants the world to think you’re dead. That way, no more hits will ever be put on you. You’re safe now. You can have any life that you want.”

“Can I?” There was doubt on her face.

“Yes.” He’d make sure she got her dreams. Every one of them.

“The problem is,” she murmured. “I don’t know just what life I do want now.”

Victor knew what he wanted. He was staring at her. “Is it too late?”

“Too late for what?”

“Us.” The one word was ragged. “Too late for us to have a chance. A future. Because, Zoe, that’s what I want. All I want. To be with you. To make you happy. To have you look at me—” But he broke off.

Zoe inched closer to him. “To look at you…how?”

“With trust in your eyes. With love. To look at me…and see someone worth loving.”

“Victor…”

She was going to tell him no. “Please.” He was begging her. He’d never begged for anything. Only for her. Always for her. “I can make this right. I can do anything you want. I can—”

A knock sounded on the door.

Zoe tensed.

“It’s okay,” he told her quickly. “It’s just…” He turned away and hurried toward the door. “It’s just for you.” Victor opened the door.

Saxon Black stood on the threshold. Saxon—his chosen brother. Tall and strong and with one serious go-to-hell edge, Saxon had been his friend on the streets and then his partner at the FBI. But Saxon wasn’t alone. He’d brought his wife Elizabeth with him.

Elizabeth…Zoe’s half-sister. And Elizabeth was very obviously pregnant.

“Zoe…” Victor cleared his throat. “There is someone you need to officially meet.” Time to start eliminating all of the secrets. Time to make amends. “Zoe, this is your half-sister, Elizabeth.”

There was dazed shock in both women’s eyes as they stared at each other.