Mine to Protect (Mine 6)

“Kill…Luther?” Zoe laughed at Tom. “You must be out of your mind. He’s in a maximum security prison.”

Tom wasn’t laughing. “That sweet little knife you just pulled out of your dress? You can smuggle one just like it into the prison. I’ll make sure the guards don’t search you too thoroughly. Luther will let you get close to him. Hell, pretend you’re giving the guy a hug. Then slice his throat open.”

“No.”

“Come on, Zoe…” Now his voice was low, wheedling. As if the jerk hadn’t just broken her wrist. “You know you want some payback. How fitting would it be…especially after what he did to your mom.”

“Stop.” She didn’t want to hear this. She didn’t want the people listening to hear this. She just needed it all to stop.

“You were there. I know you were. Luther told me…said it was the one part he regretted. Not killing her, of course, but that you saw it. He said you even tried to stop him. To save her.”

She could feel her mother’s blood on her fingers. On her clothes.

“He tells me things…because I’m his lawyer. Because he knows that I can’t do anything with the crimes he reports. Confidentiality and all that. Lawyer and client privilege.”

“No.” Her chin notched up. “He tells you because you’re just as sick and twisted as he is and you don’t care what he’s done.”

Tom’s face hardened. “I’m giving you the opportunity for payback. You should be thanking me.”

Had he always been crazy?

“Don’t you think it’s fitting that you be the one to take him out? And only you can do it. You can get close enough. He’s on guard with everyone else. Go in there, kill him…and get your life back.”

“If I kill Luther, then I’ll be the one in prison! I’ll be rotting behind bars!”

Tom snorted. “For killing Luther Bates? Hardly. I’ll be your lawyer,” he promised. “I’ll get you off. All I have to do is tell the jury about your mother. About the poor teenage girl who was found clinging to her mother’s dead body because she couldn’t let her mom go. The girl who has a history of mental and physical abuse at her father’s hands. They’ll pull jury nullification. No one will convict you, no matter what evidence is there. You will walk, I guarantee it.”

***

Her mother. Dear God, her mother…Victor had suspected this truth, but hearing the story this way cut him up. He could barely breathe because he hurt so much…for her. All for her.

Zoe had been through too much in her life. All that pain and she still smiled. Still looked for the good in the world. In people.

In me.

He wanted to take her far away from any pain and betrayal. He wanted to make sure that she was happy for the rest of her life. That she was always smiling. Always happy. Always…

With me.

But she probably wanted to get as far from him, as fast as she could.

“We have the confession we needed.” He yanked off the head phones. He stood facing the van, his eyes on the other two agents. “Now we have to get her out of there.”

“No.” The voice was sharp and it came from directly behind him. “No, Special Agent Monroe, that is not how this operation will go down.”

Victor turned—very slowly—and came face-to-face with FBI Assistant Director Percy Chase. The guy wore a long trench coat and his shoulders hunched forward as he glared at Victor.

“There is a police officer still missing! Or have you forgotten that?” Percy blasted at him. “If we move now, we may never see that woman again.”

“I haven’t forgotten a damn thing, and if we move now,” Victor gritted right back, “we can force Tom to tell us where Michelle Lane is. We have the power and the fucking confession, thanks to Zoe. Now we need to do our part and get Zoe out of the Vine before she gets hurt.”

When he’d left her in that elevator, he’d known that she would be able to get Tom’s confession. Zoe was smart and tough and strong. She humbled him with her goodness. She made him want to change the whole world for her. She made him—

I love her.

“Once we know where Michelle Lane is, then we move.” Percy was adamant. “Not a minute sooner. It’s not like Tom Winters is going to kill Zoe. I was listening, too.”

Of course, he fucking was. That had been one of the reasons Victor hadn’t wanted the truth about Elizabeth to leak. He’d known Percy was out there on surveillance watch, too. There had been far too many ears listening.

“He needs Zoe,” Percy said. “He won’t kill her.”

“If she doesn’t do what he wants, then Tom will hurt her. He could be hurting her right now.” He couldn’t stand the thought. “Shit, the man took out a hit on her! Doesn’t that tell you he isn’t exactly sane? If he’s pushed, if he gets angry with her, he’ll spiral out of control. Zoe—”

“Can survive a little pain.” Percy waved his hand dismissively. “This case is huge. It will go down in the books—make my career and yours. You hear what I’m saying? When we do this…the right way…you can have any job at the Bureau that you want. We’re going to have Tom Winters for all the crimes he committed, and we’ll have a new murder to pin on Luther Bates. Bates will tell us everything we need to know about the crime syndicate in the East. We will destroy them all.”

There was silence from behind Victor. He could feel Russell and Lauren watching him.

“And all of that…” Percy murmured. “All of that can’t really be measured against a bit of pain that one woman might experience for a just a little while, now, can it?”

Victor studied the assistant director. Tall, thin, balding. An arrogant, cold bastard.

“Tell me what you want,” Percy continued, swallowing a bit nervously as the silence stretched and Victor kept glaring at him. “Name your title, tell me the job, just tell me what you want because you have more than earned everything—”

“I want Zoe.”

Percy’s face hardened. The streetlight overhead glared down on him. “She’ll be fine, once we’ve finished the case. When we know where Michelle Lane is being kept, when we have the police officer in custody, then you can take Zoe back into protective custody.” He rubbed his hand along the back of his neck. “Though I’m thinking that it will be time for us to turn her over to Witness Protection. She gives us what we want on Bates, and then we set her up in a nice house somewhere in the country.”

“I’m not giving her up.” Cold, lethal words.

“She’s just a case,” Percy responded flatly. “You, of all people, should know that personal involvement is never a good idea

. I have to say, I’m mighty disappointed in you. Here I am, offering you the world and you—”

“She is my world.” And she didn’t know it.

A long, black limo turned onto the street. When he saw that limo, Luther knew that Drake and Jasmine had arrived. Talk about fast back-up. Drake had told him they were close, but Victor hadn’t realized just how soon they’d be on the scene.

“Get your head in the game, Agent,” Percy snapped. “Stop thinking with your dick.”

Victor stepped toe-to-toe with the bastard. “This is my last case. I’ve been planning a career change for a while now.”

Percy’s jaw dropped. “What?”

“I’m going private. My brother-in-law and I…we’ll be doing some ventures together.” He gave the assistant director a cold smile. “So consider this my notice, asshole. I’m done with you and your shit. And if you ever say anything that so much as feels a little negative in regard to Zoe again, I will beat the ever loving shit out of you. FBI or no FBI.”

“B-but—but—”

“Now, I’m going in the Vine, and I’m getting Zoe out. I’m doing that shit, either with your support or without it.” He narrowed his eyes on Percy. “You’re a dumbass who hasn’t been in the field in over ten years. You don’t know when a situation is about to go super nova, but I do, and I won’t risk her.”

Percy puffed out his chest. “I won’t allow a single other agent to follow you in there—”

“This agent will be following him in,” Russell announced as he jumped out of the van. “Because Victor Monroe has never steered me wrong. I’ll cover his back.”

Percy sucked in a sharp, stunned breath.

“I’ve been meaning to say,” Victor murmured to Russell. “I could sure use you in my new business venture.”

“We’ll talk about my split soon enough,” Russell assured him. “Count on it.”

Victor nodded. It was good to have the right friends at your side.

Drake and Jasmine were closing in. Russell was ready to go. And Percy…

“Get the fuck out of my way,” Victor barked at the guy.

The assistant director stumbled back.

***

Lauren knew she had just been witness to a scene that would become legendary at the FBI. Victor and Russell had just handed the assistant director his own ass.