Mine to Have (Mine #5)(67)

Her lips trembled. “Thank you,” she told him.

And he remembered the way they’d met. The way he’d mocked her about not telling him “thank you” and Saxon shook his head. “No, sweetheart, you don’t ever need to thank me, not for anything.” He should thank her, for changing his life, for fighting for him, for—

“Thank you for loving me.”

The machines beeped around him.

“Finally realized that, did you?” He’d wondered when she’d realized just how tangled up in her he truly was. Saxon stared up at her. He didn’t even feel the pull of the new stitches then. “Loving you is easy,” he told her because this was the time for complete honesty. “The easiest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” He paused. “And the best.” For years, he’d had the dream of escaping the undercover work and getting away. Of starting a brand new life.

Then he’d realized that if that life didn’t include her, he didn’t want it.

She was the one thing he’d found that he would fight for. No matter what.

Always.

***

Two days later…

Victor sat at the narrow little table in the prison. Maximum security lock-up. He wore his suit and his ID was on the table. As if Luther Bates would have forgotten who he was.

The door opened, the grating clang seeming to echo in the little room, and then Luther was being led inside.

A new guard was at his side. One who looked far older than the last, one with glinting eyes and a clenched jaw. But when that guard looked at Luther Bates, Victor could see the fear in that man’s gaze, too.

Everyone thinks he’s the bogeyman.

Maybe because he was.

The guard secured Luther in the chair across from Victor. Luther didn’t say a word while his restraints were checked.

“You can leave us now,” Victor said when the guard was done.

The guy hesitated.

Victor sighed. Same story as last time.

Luther rolled his shoulders and glanced toward the door. “This won’t take long,” Luther told the guard.

The man backed away. Luther really did have everyone in that prison jumping at his orders.

When the guard was gone, Luther’s eyes locked on Victor. “Did you find her?”

Victor leaned forward. “Hugh Rowe is dead.”

Luther’s lips curved a bit. “Like father…like son. Maybe they can be together in hell.”

They aren’t the only ones heading to hell.

“So you did save her,” Luther said. “Good. I have to admit, I had my doubts, especially when the sexy little FBI agent came in, offering me such a good deal.”

He already knew that Tracy had been in to see Luther. He’d checked the logs at the prison. “Did you know that sexy little agent was working with Hugh?”

Surprise flashed across Luther’s face.

“That’s the problem with being locked in a cell, you miss the important shit that’s happening out in the real world.” He shrugged. “Like the fact that you were screwed over by not one, but two FBI agents.”

But Luther was grinning his smug smile. “You’re one of those true blue types, right? And you got my Zoe out of there. You killed that punk Hugh and you—”

“I’m not the one who killed Hugh Rowe. My brother did that…the same brother who happens to be in love with Elizabeth Ward.”

That smug smile faltered a bit.

“So I figure you owe him, seeing as how he’s the one who killed the guy.”

Luther looked away.

“We had a deal,” Victor reminded him, fighting to keep his voice even. “Cancel the hit on Elizabeth Ward.”

But Luther’s lips had thinned.

“You bastard,” Victor said. “You wanted Tracy Adams to finish the Ward hit, didn’t you? To kill Maryann’s daughter so you’d have your vengeance. You are as screwed in the head as Hugh was.” No, this man had made Hugh into the monster he’d become. “Destroying your own house,” Victor whispered, truly understanding those words now. Oh, but Tracy must have thought she was so clever when she came in to that prison and started making deals with Victor. “Tracy knew secrets. So many of them. So did Gary. They were both screwing you over, and you didn’t realize it.” Maybe Gary had learned the truth after Maryann and Stan Ward had died. When he’d been reviewing their medical reports. As an FBI agent, it would have been easy enough for him to get access to Elizabeth’s background information, her blood work…as easy as it was for me.

Victor surged to his feet, leaning over the table. “You want some proof? I’ve got some damn proof for you.” And he threw the test results across the table at Luther.

Luther’s manacled hands rose slowly. His bushy brows lowered as he scanned the text. “What the hell is this?”

“Elizabeth Ward got caught in the cross-fire at Rowe’s place. If it hadn’t been for her, the SOB would have blown up that house with all of us inside.” He paused. “When Elizabeth was at the hospital afterwards—she needed a few stitches—I convinced a doctor that I needed access to her blood work. I snapped my fingers, and they ran a test for me. You’re looking at the results from that little test.”

Luther was shaking his head. “No, no—”