Mine to Have (Mine #5)(39)
She flushed and glanced toward the one-way mirror.
“So I know you physically, yes, but that won’t have one bit of bearing on my investigation.”
Her hand pulled away.
He gave her a grim smile. There was no room for emotion, not when lives were on the line. Not when Saxon had come so close to death. “Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?”
She blinked quickly, as if trying to banish tears. “Vic…”
It was a good thing he was used to playing the role of the cold-blooded bastard. “No secrets, Tracy,” he told her, voice curt. “And no lies.”
Because no one hurt his brother and walked away. No one.
Chapter Ten
My name is Bethany Meadows. My friends call me Beth.
Elizabeth locked her knees and silently repeated that little mantra to herself one more time.
My name is Bethany Meadows. My friends call me Beth.
Two weeks had passed since she’d lost her life—and that was how she thought of it. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, Elizabeth Ward was gone. Vanished. Victor had whisked her away. He’d gotten her out of the police station in Miami and stayed with her even while a US Marshall came to explain the whole Witness Protection Program thing to her.
After the US Marshall had appeared, she’d expected Victor to dump her and walk away…but he’d stayed. Told her that he was handling things personally with her. Since she’d been barely holding her shit together, she’d been grateful to have him at her side. Victor had lingered while she was transferred and, finally, settled along the California Coast.
Wine country. Victor had put her in wine country, and it truly was a beautiful place. Nestled far from the hustle and bustle of the city, the whole area seemed like some kind of oasis to her. When she stared outside of her little cottage, she just saw miles and miles of rolling green space.
No big buildings. No traffic jams that stretched for miles.
Peace. Beauty.
If it weren’t for the fact that she still felt like her heart had been ripped out, she’d almost be happy there.
Saxon. He was the one thing she missed. No matter what she did, she couldn’t get him out of her head. Or her heart.
“Ms. Meadows?” A feminine voice queried, sounding slightly annoyed.
Crap. That’s me. Elizabeth jumped to her feet. She was at the winery because this place…it was supposed to be her new job site. Victor and his Witness Protection buddies had lined up the position for her. She was there to meet her new boss, and she was already screwing things up before she’d even set her eyes on the man.
The redhead was standing by an office door, with a faint frown on her face.
“Sorry,” Elizabeth mumbled as she hurried past her and into the office. “I didn’t…hear you.”
“The four times I called your name?” The woman’s lips curved in a faint smile that wasn’t cruel, but sweetly kind. “Sometimes nervousness can do that to you.”
Her cheeks stained. It’s not my name, okay? I’m still getting used to it. But, yes, she was so nervous her whole body was shaking.
Before Elizabeth could say anything else, the redhead backed away and pulled the door shut. The click of that door closing sure seemed overly loud in that office—and what a plush office it was. She could smell leather in that place and those floor to ceiling windows on the right were amazing. Talk about a killer view. Insanely gorgeous and—
Where’s my new boss?
Because she was standing in an empty office.
Elizabeth inched a bit closer to the big, mahogany desk. She was supposed to be meeting with a Mr. Laurent. Only he wasn’t there and—
“I’ve been waiting for you.” The voice came from behind her and it was a voice that froze her. Deep, dark, seeming to completely overwhelm her because it was his voice.
Saxon.
She wanted to whirl around, but her body had shut down and she couldn’t move at all. It’s not him. Saxon isn’t here. I’m meeting with a Michael Laurent. I want to hear Saxon’s voice so badly that I’m imagining it.
The floor creaked beneath his footsteps.
“Mr. Laurent.” Her voice trembled and she hated that. Elizabeth cleared her throat. “I’m—”
“I know exactly who you are.”
Her eyes squeezed shut. His voice. I’d know his voice anywhere. After all, she heard it every night in her dreams.
“Look at me.”
She didn’t want to. Because then she might see that he wasn’t Saxon.
He touched her, and a gasp slipped from her because she knew his touch so well. His fingers had curled around her shoulder, and when she looked down, she could see the faint scars that lined his knuckles.
“What are you doing here?” Elizabeth whispered.
“Protecting you.”
Those words pierced right through her. They also terrified her. “I almost got you killed before. I don’t want you risking anything else for me, do you understand?”
Silence was his answer, but his fingers tightened on her shoulder.
“Victor said you were dead to me.” Did he know how much that had cut her up? No, probably not. Because this wild tangle of emotions was all just on her side. Get your control, woman!
“I am.”