Page 3 of Emerald

“Not much else I can say.”

Sophie throws her hands up in the air. “You’re a selfish bitch.”

“You know nothing about me,” I bite back, she doesn’t want to push me.

“What I know is that you were too busy sleeping with the enemy. An enemy that did unthinkable things to my sisters and to those girls when you could have been stopping them.” She hisses.

Her words are like a dagger to my heart.

She’s right. I did nothing.You didn’t know. They were hidden from you. How could you have known?Dimitri explained the jewels were killers like me, but I couldn’t interact with them for fear our enemies would know what they were. I thought they could defend themselves from these monsters like I could. They were supposed to be trained. I didn’t realize they were lambs to the slaughter. It kills me knowing what I know now. I consider myself a smart woman, but stupidly I never questioned Dimitri. Guessing he showed me what I wanted to see to ease any questions I might have had. He distracted me with sex I realize now. We spent a lot of time together, and I guess I let what we were doing together physically cloud myjudgment. He also always dangled the Anna carrot in front of me, offering to help me find her, telling me he pulled a favor and gave me a tidbit that she was here or there, but nothing ever concrete over the years.

And like a fool, I fell for it.

So, I get Sophie’s anger toward me. I would be angry, too, if the roles were reversed. Finding out what he and the Bratva did to these women, I will never forgive myself for allowing it to happen on my watch. Losing the jewels in Morocco, all those innocent women sold to God knows who, I need to find them and make things right.No.I will find them and make every person involved pay with their lives. My revenge will be swift and punishing.

“Nothing I can say will forgive the horrors that happened to your sisters. If I had truly known about it, I would have saved them. I’ll never forgive myself for being blind to something so heinous. I’ll stop at nothing to make sure these men pay for what they have done,” I tell her honestly.

Sophie doesn’t look convinced. “You broke my sister when she found out Max had died. Do you realize that?”

“I had to save my brother. I won’t apologize for that.”

“Believe me, I get it. I’d do anything for my family. The agony she and we have gone through these past two weeks. We had to monitor Grace to make sure she didn’t do something incredibly stupid because she couldn’t take any more of this fucked up hand she’s been dealt. Or that maybe she would reach for those little white pills that turned her into a zombie last time. My family wouldn’t survive losing her again,” Sophie angrily explains.

“You know, there was no other way.”

“What would Max have done if Grace did something to herself?” Sophie questions, those green eyes narrowed on me.

“That would never have happened. We always had eyes on her.”

Sophie stills, she turns and stares at me. “What do you mean?”

“The Bratva had to think we were truly dead, otherwise, Max and Grace would spend forever being chased. Grace and Max both deserve a peaceful life together,” I tell her.

“Are you saying they believed it?” Sophie questions me.

Do I tell her what I know? Max knows, so it’s only a matter of time before he tells Grace, who will tell her sisters.

“Yes.”

Sophie stares at me with surprise. “And that’s all you’re going to say?”

“I’ve said too much already.”

Sophie stares out at the celebration happening before us, the tears, the shock, the amazement that a miracle has happened. “Even if I guess you will not tell me?”

I shake my head at her question.

“Please tell me you’re not interrogating Elena?” Zoe asks, walking over to where we are standing. Her pregnant belly is on display, looking very cute in her white tank as she shows off her new curves. She’s glowing. I would be too going to bed with Mateo and Tomas every night. No wonder they have knocked her up so quickly. I wonder if she knows which one of those handsome men is the father of her child. Guess it doesn’t matter if the three of them are together. Either way, the baby is going to be beautiful.

“It’s Ellie Clark now. Looks like you’ve gained another sister,” I say uneasily, with a shrug at this new bit of information.

“I don’t need another sister.” Sophie huffs beside me.

“And Max Clark is your new brother.”

“That’s fucking messed up, even for you. They can’t be siblings,” Sophie says angrily.

“They’re not, they’re married but using Clark as their surname. My brother is progressive,” I tease.

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