Mine to Crave (Mine #4)(65)
Author: Cynthia Eden

Victor had wondered about that part himself. “Why didn’t he?” He forced himself to let go of Jazz. She’s going to be okay.

“You blamed him for what happened to her.” Saxon shrugged. “It was obvious the man blamed himself, too.”

And the guy was just staying locked up? “Doesn’t make sense.”

But Saxon had turned away. “It does…if he loves her.”

Victor’s spine snapped up at that. “Archer doesn’t love his women.”

Saxon’s hand was on the door. “I don’t think he has any women any longer. I think he just has…her.”

Victor shook his head. Saxon hadn’t seen the background reports on Archer. He didn’t know about the man’s past. Archer wasn’t going to get heavily involved with someone. He was just—

“Because she loves him, it doesn’t mean we lose her. Blood or no blood, do you think Jasmine would ever turn her back on us?”

Victor didn’t answer.

“So you need to go make peace with Archer. Cause if you don’t, the holidays are going to be shit-ass awkward.” Saxon exhaled heavily. “Now I’ve got to talk with the brother because if I don’t, that guy is gonna tear down this hospital.”

Victor glanced back at Jasmine. “Fuck.”

***

Drake didn’t move when the door opened and Victor walked inside the small office. He stared up at the FBI Agent as his gut clenched. “Jasmine?”

“She’s awake.”

Drake’s heart raced in his chest.

“The doctors expect a full recovery.”

Beneath the table, his hands fisted.

Victor paced toward him. The lower part of his right leg was in a black boot, and there was no sign of his crutch. “Why the hell are you still here?”

She’s awake. A full recovery. “I’m in custody, where else would I be?”

“Don’t feed me that BS. You’re letting the FBI hold you. Why? Why haven’t you used one of your high priced lawyers or pulled one of those puppet strings that you and your pal Weston control—why haven’t you gotten out? Why have you been letting the FBI play guard dog around you?”

Drake inclined his head toward him. “You know why.”

Victor’s hands slammed down on the table. “Jasmine? You expect me to believe you stayed prisoner for her?”

Drake didn’t reply.

“You nearly got her killed. You said you’d keep her safe.” Victor’s words rushed out in a furious barrage. “I let you take her, and then…then the next time I saw her, they had her cut open on an operating room table.”

Drake’s jaw locked.

“When her eyes opened, you were the first thing that she asked about. You.”

His chest ached.

“How many enemies do you have out there, Archer? Do you even know? How many of them would love to hurt you…by going after Jasmine? By going after the woman you love?”

“Too many to count.” Did the agent think he hadn’t realized this? He didn’t want Jasmine hurt. That was why he’d stayed with the FBI guards. Why he hadn’t gone back to the hospital, when every cell in his body was screaming for her.

He never wanted to see her bloody and in pain again.

“Shit. You didn’t deny it.” Victor shoved away from the table. “You were supposed to deny it!” His hands flew into the air.

Drake rose to his feet. “I won’t put her at risk again.” He’d been selfish. He could see that now. And though he felt like he was cutting out his own heart, Drake made himself say, “I won’t pull her back into my life.” He couldn’t—because he couldn’t put her at risk ever again.

He was more than obsessed. He was lost in her. And if he didn’t stay away, while he could, he knew that Jasmine would never be free of him.

Victor pointed at him. “You didn’t deny it!”

No, of course not. “It’s my fault she was hurt—”

“Loving her, you dick,” he gritted out. “You didn’t deny loving her.”

Why lie?

Victor swung away. Marched toward a wall. Banged his head against it.

What the hell?

“The holidays are gonna be a bitch,” Victor muttered as his shoulders slumped.

Weren’t they always? Especially since Drake spent them alone. “You’re sure she’s going to recover?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure. Jazz is a fighter, always has been.” He pushed away from the wall. “But you can’t see her now. The cases she was working, they aren’t closed, and I need her out of the public eye. I need her safe.”

He didn’t want to just see her. He wanted to hold her. To never let go.

“I thought I’d be able to protect her,” Drake said slowly. “I was wrong. I won’t be making that mistake again.”

Victor laughed. “Hell, yeah, you will. It just won’t be today.” He waved toward the door. “You’re free to go.”

Drake blinked. “Just like that?”

“Just like that. Sorry for the inconvenience for the last—um, forty-eight hours.”

Drake paced toward him.

Victor held up his hands. “She wouldn’t like it if you kicked my ass.”

Drake was so tempted…but Victor was right. “Make sure she has a good life.”

“Uh…”

“A perfect life, got it? No worries, no fears, not ever. You give her everything that she could possibly want because if I find out her life isn’t perfect, I will be back to kick the ever loving hell out of you.” He held Victor’s gaze to make sure that message was received, then he swung on his heel and headed for the door.

“I think she loves you, too.”

The thunder of Drake’s heartbeat filled his ears. “I’m not a good man to love. She’s better off without me.” For once, once, he’d put someone else first in his life. She deserved more than a damaged guy like him.

“I think so, too…” Victor’s murmur followed him from the room. “But I don’t know if Jasmine will buy that.”

Drake glanced back.

“Maybe we are alike,” Victor added, his expression turning thoughtful.

What?

“And if it were me, I wouldn’t be able to walk away from the woman I wanted more than life. Not without it ripping me apart.”

Drake glared at him. How the hell do you think I’m feeling right now?