Page 42 of Emerald

“Nash … I …” Brooks starts to try to explain.

“This wasn’t at all how I wanted things to go,” Ellie states as she stares at me. “And this sentimental friendship bullshit doesn’t normally affect my blackened heart, but …” Ellie lets out a sigh, “we’re family now and I … you know … guess … fuck … ew … this is all weird for me.” I frown at Ellie whose accent has changed from an English hybrid to Russian. What the hell is going on?

“Ellie,” Brooks says her name in warning, this has me sitting up straighter.

“This is Nash, we can trust him,” Sophie tells Brooks, and I hate the fact that she has to remind him in that moment, which makes me realize this is more mission than favor.

“If I’m involved in something and I don’t know, we know that’s when things go south,” I tell him.

“Yeah, it sucks doesn’t it,” Brooks bites back, reminding me of my fuck up. That was like a dagger to my heart.

“It’s not his fault, Nash. It’s much bigger than our friendship,” Sophie explains.

“Does this have anything to do with your sisters being kidnapped?” I ask. Brooks called me to help him find out what had happened to Zoe and Grace when they disappeared, if by some chance, they had wound up in the cartel.

“Yes,” Sophie answers honestly.

“Does your trip to Dubai have something to do with that?”

“Yes.”

I run my hand over my shaved head a couple of times as I try to connect the dots. “This has something to do with the Bratva?”

“Yes,” Sophie answers honestly again.

“Is she Bratva?” I turn, looking at Ellie, seeing her with new eyes.

“That is a difficult question to answer,” Ellie says.

“Seems like a simple yes or no to me,” I bite back.

“Ellie’s right, it’s not that simple,” Brooks adds.

“She is my sister, that is true,” Sophie says.

“Sisters-in-law,” Ellie explains.

Wait a minute, sisters-in-law. How? I’m confused. Why would one of her sisters marry someone in the Bratva?

“It’s complicated,” Ellie suggests.

“Damn right it is. I don’t know what the fuck is going on anymore. Are you even here to find your friend?”

“That part is true,” Ellie advises.

“You remember that Sophie’s sisters were kidnapped by the Bratva and turned into jewels,” Brooks says. I nod even though he can’t see him. “And Zoe was saved and then Grace was kidnapped in revenge for all the shit that went down with Zoe.” Again, I nod. “Ellie is who saved Grace.” I turn and look up at her.

“Her?”

“Yeah. She’s the reason Sophie has her sister back alive,” Brooks explains, and I can hear the appreciation in his voice toward Ellie.

“Believe me, I’m not her biggest fan,” Sophie adds.

“Sophie makes my life hell,” Ellie adds.

“But she put her life on the line for my family and I will never ever forget that,” Sophie adds. Okay, this is freaking me out. Who the fuck is Ellie Clark? And how the hell has she brainwashed my friends? “Please let her explain, and if you still don’t think you can have her around then we totally understand.”

“It will all make sense, I promise,” Brooks adds.

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