Mine to Crave (Mine #4)(15)
Author: Cynthia Eden

And that’s where I come in. “That’s why you hired me. In case she turns on you.” It would have been helpful to know this earlier.

“You’re a hunter. She’s your prey…the instant she runs.”

He realized the truth. “You thought she’d run last night!” No wonder he’d gotten the call to close in. He’d thought the order meant he needed to detain Jasmine, but—

“Jasmine has a…special connection with Archer. I was worried it might prove to be a weakness for her. I sent you after her because if she wasn’t doing her part, I wanted her brought to me.” The boss waved his hand. “She’s not here…so she’s still in play.”

Wayne had no clue what was going on. Above my pay grade.

“Jasmine had her orders. She’ll make contact with me in twenty-four hours, and if she doesn’t, then…well, everything will change for her. She won’t have my protection any longer—and she will feel the force of my fury.”

Wayne edged back a bit. He sure didn’t want any of the boss’s fury to be turned on him. I’m not telling him about the knife. What he doesn’t know…

“Better see about that nose,” the boss ordered with a wave of his hand. “I’ve heard Archer can throw a killer punch.”

The man truly had eyes and ears everywhere. But he doesn’t know I sliced, Jasmine. Not yet. Talk about a lucky break.

Wayne stood there, at that body dump site, frozen, until the boss vanished in his fancy limo.

If I’m the security to make sure Jasmine doesn’t screw him over…then who the hell is watching me?

Because the twist in his gut told Wayne that the boss was all about contingency plans. Screw him over…and you die.

Wayne hurried back to his car. He knew better than to screw over that man.

Chapter Four

“Rise and shine, princess…”

Jasmine’s eyes flew open and she jerked upright, a gasp shaking from her as her hands immediately flew out toward the rickety nightstand and the weapon that had better be there—

This isn’t my motel room.

Her hand slammed into a lamp and it went crashing to the floor.

“Interesting wake-up method you have there,” that deep, rumbling, very male voice told her.

Her gaze shot toward the doorway. Drake stood there, one sardonic blond brow lifted, a faint smirk quirking those sexy lips of his.

No, not sexy. They were hard. They were cruel. They were—

She focused on his eyes even as her hands snatched up the covers. “Did you ever think of knocking politely?”

“My house. My bedroom.” He shrugged. “Besides, it’s getting close to noon. I was afraid you were dead in here.”

Noon? She never slept to noon. Not ever.

“I’ve got some clothes for you.” He glanced down at the bag in his right hand. Wait, that was—

“My bag.” She scrambled from the bed, pulling the covers with her. She kept them around her, toga style, and Jasmine ignored the ache in her side.

“I had one of my men collect your things from that little motel.”

Did she look stupid? “You mean you told the guy to rifle through my stuff.”

He lifted the bag toward her. “I thought you might like some non-bloodstained clothes to wear. And some shoes. Guess I was wrong.”

She hurried across the room and grabbed the small duffel bag.

But he reached out before she could retreat from him, and his fingers wrapped around her wrist. “You keep a gun in your nightstand drawer.”

And she was betting that gun wasn’t tucked securely in her bag. “A lady traveling alone has to protect herself.” Especially when she was dodging trouble.

“It’s time,” Drake told her.

Did he realize that his thumb was slowly rubbing against her inner wrist? Because she did, and that teasing contact was making her all kinds of nervous. “Time for what?”

“The truth. You put on your clothes, then you come to the den and you tell me everything I want to know.”

Not going to happen. “Or what?” He’d already said he wasn’t planning to call the cops on her. So as far as she was concerned, he had zero leverage.

The smirk was gone from his face. He looked…cold then. Hard. Dangerous.

Don’t fall for the bad boys, don’t!

“You don’t want me for an enemy, Jasmine.”

“I thought that you already were my enemy. Didn’t realize I had a choice in the matter.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

Okay, now that scared her. Her chin started to lift.

“But one way or another, you will be answering my questions, and if you lie to me…that will be a mistake I punish you for.”

Then he freed her wrist. Only she felt like he was still touching her. Her skin was hot and sensitive.

“You’ve got five minutes to dress.”

“And you sure like giving orders.”

He flashed her a wide grin. Wow. The man had a really nice, sexy smile.

“Time’s ticking…”

He shut the door.

Her gaze darted around the room. There had to be a way out of there. A way to escape Drake…

Because that man wouldn’t like her secrets. She knew because Jasmine hated them, too.

***

Drake was waiting in the garage. He stood in the back, keeping his body hidden as Jasmine snuck inside. He almost smiled. Did she even realize how predictable she was? She’d ducked out the back of the house, circumventing his security—a nice touch—but he knew the woman would need a ride for her escape off his property.

His garage had, of course, been her most likely destination. So he hadn’t bothered waiting inside the house for her.

He’d just made himself comfortable out there.

Her shoulders were hunched as she made her way to the line of cars. Which one would she pick? The Corvette? The Lincoln?

His lips firmed. Oh, hell, no, the woman was not planning to take his Porsche.

She was.

She slipped inside the car, then disappeared beneath the dash. He stalked toward her as anger pumped in his blood. “If you mess up those wires, I’ll—”

Her head shot up, and she screamed.

He took that opportunity to haul her out of his Porsche. That car was his favorite, his favorite in Vegas, anyway.

“I didn’t plan on us talking out here,” he murmured as he held her. “Princess, you missed the den by about fifty feet.”

She jerked against his hold. He didn’t let her go.