Mine to Crave (Mine #4)(3)
I’ll take her.
He pulled out his phone. “Get the redhead at the bar,” he barked the order. “And—”
She yanked away from the dark-haired stranger’s embrace. Turned on her heel and ran.
Drake’s brows shot up.
The crowd swallowed her almost instantly and Drake saw the fury harden the other man’s face as he surged after her.
“Stop the redhead and the * who is following her.” She’d been the only redhead at the bar, and Drake knew his security team would already have her image in front of them.
He couldn’t see her in that crowd. Not even a glimpse of her hair.
But he did notice that the STAFF door to the right of the bar was swinging closed. That door led to the stock room—and to a flight of back stairs that his employees used. He knew exactly where those stairs would take the redhead.
The night had just gotten a little more interesting.
He turned on his heel and decided to give chase.
It wasn’t like he had to even work hard at the chase. Just a few feet outside of his lounge, a private elevator waited for him. That elevator was the only way to access his lounge. Drake pushed a button on the wall, and his elevator immediately opened. When he stepped inside, the mirrored walls tossed his reflection right back at him.
A flick of his hand and a quick press of his fingers had the elevator heading straight down to the parking garage.
At this rate, he just might beat her before she had a chance to escape.
In seconds, the elevator doors were opening again. He took his time strolling down the hallway, and when he reached the end of that small space, he typed in his security code on the keypad. The door opened and Drake found himself in the cavernous parking garage.
It was close to three a.m., and the folks in his club and casino weren’t about to pull it in for the night. Vegas didn’t sleep, and he knew this town was going strong.
He stilled for a moment and heard the fast and frantic pounding of footsteps as someone rushed down the stairs to the right. Leaning back against the stone wall of the garage, Drake crossed his arms over his chest and he waited.
Five…
Four…
Three…
Two…
She flew down the stairs. Her hair swirled around her face as she ran out of that stairwell and— The dark-haired man was right behind her. He grabbed her arm and yanked her back.
The man snarled, “You’re not getting away, Jasmine!”
Drake was in the shadows, and he knew they hadn’t seen him, but he could see the woman’s face clearly—and he didn’t like the fear that flashed across her delicate features.
Women were to be f*cked. They were to be enjoyed. They weren’t to be afraid.
They also weren’t to be trusted, but that was another rule he’d learned…
The man’s hands were locked tightly around the woman’s arms, and she was struggling against him.
“You’re making a mistake!” She fired at the guy. “Just stop—”
“Let her go.” Drake stepped from the shadows as his arms fell back to his sides. He hadn’t raised his voice. Just kept it low. A few ladies from his past had told him that he had a low and lethal voice.
What the hell ever.
All Drake knew was that his voice usually got action.
It got action right then, too. The woman gave a yelp, and the man swore.
But the fool didn’t let the lady go.
Jasmine.
Drake liked that name.
“This is personal, buddy,” the man snapped at him. “You just need to mind your own business.”
“Oh, but it is my business.” Drake waved a hand toward the parking garage. “My casino, my club, my parking garage. All very much my business.” He cocked his head as he studied his prey. “So when a lady gets accosted at my place, well, you can imagine that tends to piss me off.” He kept his eyes on the man. The guy had dark hair, thinning a bit, a broad forehead, and a too perfect tan. Drake pretty much hated the fool on sight. “Let her go,” Drake ordered, “then get the hell off my property.”
More footsteps pounded in that stairwell. Drake’s gaze lifted just a bit, moving over the man’s shoulder. The security team was right on time.
Swallowing, the guy dropped his hold. “This is a huge mistake,” he began.
Nodding, Drake said, “Yes, it is.”
The redhead quickly made her way to Drake’s side. As she neared, Drake caught the sweet rush of her vanilla scent.
“No!” The man’s face had flushed a dark red. “You don’t know who she is! She’s—”
“Some men just can’t take no for an answer,” the redhead murmured. “You would think when a woman ran away that would be enough of a clue.”
The guy growled and lunged toward her.
The security team locked their arms around him and jerked the idiot right back.
And the redhead sidled even closer to Drake. That vanilla scent was tempting. The lady smelled good enough to eat.
Drake had a very big appetite.
“Get him off my property,” Drake ordered. He pointed at the struggling SOB. “If I ever see you at any of my casinos or clubs again,” and Archer Entertainment was becoming huge, “then you’re going to be sorry.” Because Drake knew too many ways to make a man pay.