Page 41 of Emerald

“I’ll fucking shoot you.”

“No, you won’t.” She continues to get closer to me. “Under all that gruffness is an honorable man. There is no way in this world you would ever shoot a woman. Your moral compass is too strong.”

I swallow because she’s right, I don’t want to fucking shoot her. I aim the gun away and pull the trigger, shooting the bullet into my wall as a warning shot. I don’t get to see her reaction because she is on me in two point five seconds flat, grabbing for my gun, and we end up in a scuffle until the next thing I know, the barrel of the gun is pointed at my temple, and I hear a click.

Fuck.

I didn’t see that happening. Ellie slowly gets up off me while holding the gun at me. I swallow, it looks like I have severely underestimated this girl.

“Now, I guess you and I need to talk calmly, without violence, unless that’s what you’re into. It’s been a while since someone’s roughed me up.” She keeps the gun aimed at me as she gestures for me to take a seat in the living room. I do as I am told because I know when I’m beaten. I sink into the sofa and glare at Ellie. “I wasn’t expecting you to be so …” she turns her nose up, “so you …” she adds.

“Same could be said about you,” I bite back.

Ellie takes a seat and then I watch in fascination as she completely deconstructs my gun and throws the ammunition in one direction and the gun in the other. “Just so you know, Brooks and Sophie never wanted to keep you in the dark. I didn’t trust you. I don’t trust anyone. But unfortunately, I underestimated you and that rarely happens. Usually, I take more time in researching people, but this time I didn’t, and now it’s biting me in the ass.” I raise a brow at her, what the fuck is that supposed to mean. Ellie then picks up her phone and presses a couple of buttons. Who the hell is she calling? “Hey, we have a situation,” she says into the phone.

“You didn’t kill him, did you? You promised me. Brooks will be fucking pissed,” Sophie chastises through the phone.

“It was fucking close.” She grins.

“Oh, thank God.” Sophie sighs through the phone. Why did Sophie sound genuinely relieved Ellie hadn’t killed me?

“Unfortunately, things have escalated and here we are,” Ellie explains to Sophie.

“What do you mean escalated? It’s been a couple of days,” Sophie questions her.

“Where the fuck is Brooks,” I call out to Sophie. “He has some fucking explaining to do.”

“Oh,” Sophie says, registering hearing my voice.

“Like I said, we have a situation,” Ellie explains to her.

“How bad of a situation?”

“He pulled a gun on me and tried to shoot me,” she explains.

“Fucking, Nash,” she curses.

“How the fuck is this my fault? You lied to me, Sophie. Both you and Brooks sent the devil to my home. What she failed to tell you is that it was a warning shot and then she disarmed me and held the gun to my head.”

“Right, I see.” Sophie chuckles. Is she fucking serious? “Maybe you shouldn’t have shot at her. Honestly, you’re lucky you’re breathing.”

My mouth falls open at her remark before my eyes fall on Ellie who just shrugs as if this is all normal. “Who the fuck is she? And why are you and Brooks lying to me?”

“Brother, I didn’t lie,” Brooks adds, joining the conversation.

“Omitting the truth is still fucking lying. I know she’s not a journalist. I searched for her online, everything was too fucking perfect. You set me up,” I say angrily to my friend.

“I didn’t set you up, but I also didn’t think things would turn south so quickly either.”

“The woman is the most insane, frustrating, infuriating, annoying person I have ever met. It’s been two fucking days and I’m ready to kill her.” Brooks bursts out laughing. “This isn’t fucking funny.”

“It kind of is. Never seen you this worked up before about a woman.”

“Fuck you. I got a ticket to the fucking gala. She can have it. I’m out. I want this bitch gone. Whatever you guys have going on I don’t want any fucking part of it,” I yell at my oldest friend. “And while we’re at it, never call me ever again for a favor.”

“Nash,” Brooks says my name and I can hear the hurt in his voice.

“No. I never thought my brother would do me like this. I thought we were closer than that.”

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