Page 119 of Emerald

“Still in the honeymoon phase then.” She giggles.

“How are things with Damon? Any more luck there?”

Mackenzie shakes her head. “No. It’s like I don’t even exist anymore.” The door opens, and in walks Anna with Sergei by her side. She’s changed into a designer outfit, which is a bright red wrap dress that is cut low, high heels, and her neck is dripping in the diamonds she made me hide in the Birkin bag. She seems a little overdressed for the occasion, but it is hard to break out of a character she has been playing all these years. Also, it probably feels safe to her to keep playing Annika Dominguez, a bit like a security blanket. We watch as Anna makes a beeline to where Sophie and the guys are standing, Brooks introduces Damon to her, and the next thing we hear is giggling. Damon’s cheeks arebright pink as Anna flirts with him. Nash turns around and gives me a‘what the fuck’look as he listens to their conversation.

“Wow, that’s unexpected,” Mackenzie says.

“That’s just her, she flirts with everything, it’s what we are trained to do,” I explain to Mackenzie because I can see she is hurt over the exchange between Anna and Damon.

“You don’t have to spare me feelings, Ellie, he was never interested in me,” Mackenzie says stoically.

Her feelings are hurt seeing Damon give Anna more attention than I’ve ever seen him give her. “You deserve better than him, there are plenty of men who would die to date you. You’re a fricken catch,” I tell her.

“I am, but I don’t think I’m going to find one on the Clark compound though,” she says, letting out a sigh, “but it’s not about me and my lack of a love life it’s about saving those girls from hell.”

“It’s not an either-or situation, Kenzie. You can save these girls while looking for love, too,” I reassure her.

“Maybe,” she says sadly while continuing to watch Anna and Damon flirt.

42

NASH

It’s been a week living in Ibiza. It’s great hanging out with Brooks and working on locating the rest of the missing jewels, it’s even better that I get to work with Elena, too. Unfortunately, Anna has joined in, too, and as much as Brooks and I can’t stand the girl, she does have insight into the cartels and has filled in bits where the team was missing information, and because of that, we’ve had to let her stay.

Tonight is Sergei’s birthday, and we’ve just had a great Russian meal in the main house. There were a lot of tears from Sergei who is so happy that Anna is home. Bottles of vodka were pulled out in celebration, and before we all knew it, we were drunk.

“Fuck, my head is going to ache in the morning.” Brooks groans as we stumble in the gardens to go take a leak. The sound of Russian music and people singing and enjoying themselves echoes through the warm night.

“That shit tasted like fucking rocket fuel,” I curse, my legs feeling uneasy as we stumble into the darkness.

“Remember in Beirut, we drank Arak, that aniseed-flavored shit,” Brooks asks.

“I thought I was going to have to get my stomach pumped, never in my life have I ever been so ill.” I shudder at the memories. Just remembering that night makes my stomach queasy as we find a spot and take a leak.

“Good times.” He chuckles.

“Yeah, they were good times.” Remembering all the shit we used to do.

“You’ve inspired me,” Brooks states with a slight slur.

“Me?” I question him as I finish taking my piss.

He nods doing the same. “I’ve watched you and Ellie these last two weeks working together, looking happy, and I want that,” he confesses.

Oh shit, this is huge. “With Sophie?”

He nods. “We make a great team. I trust her with my life as she does mine. I’m in her bed most nights.” That is a revelation. “She’s my best friend and I fucking love her.” My jaw drops, I can’t believe he confessed that out loud to me.

“It’s only taken you fucking years to come to that realization.” I grin.

He flips me off. “I’m going to tell her tonight when she crawls into my bed.” Alcohol is a truth serum.

“I’m proud of you, buddy,” I say, slapping him on the back.

“I hope it doesn’t fuck up things.”

I shake my head. “I think she feels the same. Why else would she keep you around, especially not in her bed.”

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