Page 50 of Redemption

No matter how hard I try, I can’t shake the impression I’ve seen her before somewhere else. There’s the vague outline of a memory, as though I could use a pencil to shade over the imprint and fill in the empty space. The flicker of familiarity draws me closer. “Of course.” I smile. “Women should stick together.”

“PJ needs me right now. But maybe tomorrow, sometime? We could go for a walk or… I don’t know.” Her expression turns amused. “Share a cuppa and some biscuits.”

“Sounds lovely.” I take her hand and give it a gentle squeeze, making eye contact. “I’m looking forward to getting better acquainted.”

She touches her hair with her free hand in a gesture that reminds me of myself—a nervous habit. I cock my head, trying to decide whether the movement is genuine. Are Finn and Kim right?

“Tomorrow,” Jade whispers, stepping past us to stride down the hall.

Kim watches her go and when she’s clearly out of earshot, she says, “A cuppa and some biscuits.” Her accent is mocking.

I roll my eyes and lead the way to the staircase. “Can you pretend to like her a little? She might be a valuable source of information.”

“I cannot believe these words are going to leave my mouth, but Finn and I are in agreement about her. Maybe you can get something out of her. Will it be real? Will the information put you in more danger? She’s trying to deceive people with her fake accent. What else is she pretending?”

“That bruise is real enough.” I stride out into the fields with Kim a few steps behind me. “Your accent isn’t real either.” Though, now that she’s pointed out the oddity of Jade’s accent, it’s all I hear when she speaks. Is she attempting to blend in? Or hide another accent underneath? Maybe it’s simply PJ’s French merging with Jade’s Irish. That happens. Couples who spend a lot of time together adopt each other’s traits.

Kim doesn’t say much while we make our way toward one of the outbuildings. When I find a spot sheltered from the wind and from the prying eyes of the mansion, I take out my phone. I scroll through my contacts for Demid, but before I can hit Send, Kim puts her hand on mine.

“I know why youwantto believe her. Under normal circumstances, I would too. If she’s manipulating the abuse to gain sympathy or if she’s pretending to befriend you for a power move, the deception goes against who you are at your core. I get that. Hard to believe she’d do that.” We stare at each other for a beat. “But trust me when I tell you, she’s not your friend. She’ll neverbeyour friend. Her loyalty lies with the PLA. I guarantee it.”

I clench my jaw with the things I want to say but keep discarding. She and Jade could be twins, given their deceptive natures. “I guess you’d know.” Then I hit Dial on Demid’s number and put the phone to my ear. I turn my back on her and her hurt expression. Did she betray me when she worked for me? No. Only because I didn’t give her the chance. I’m not going to allow Jade the chance either. I’m too smart to be sucked in.

“Carys.” Demid’s voice washes over me like an old friend.

We haven’t spoken since I sent flowers for Valeriya’s lavish funeral and made a hefty donation to the charity he named in her honor. I’m hoping he remembers those things during the next few minutes.

“You said you had a business proposition for me?”

“Tied to a favor, I’m afraid.”

There’s a beat of silence on his end before he says, “Ah yes. Nothing is ever free. For both of us.”

“Because I respect our previous working relationship, I’m just going to come out with it.” I pause to draw a deep breath of courage. If he says no, I’m not sure what we’ll do to protect everyone who isn’t here with us. “I’m in a bit of a sticky situation with the PLA. They’ve threatened my child and my associate’s family as well. I was hoping I could call on you to take them in. Offer them protection for the next little while.”

He sucks in a breath. “The PLA? Carys, why are you dealing with those thugs?”

“It’s a long story. I—I can’t get into the details, exactly. I need to know what you’d want from me to help us.”

He clucks his tongue and makes various humming and hawing sounds over the phone. Kim raises her eyebrows when I glance at her. My odds are fifty-fifty right now, and the sinking sensation in my stomach is about to drag me under.

“The only thing you can offer me is what you no longer have.”

His words are a knife slicing through my heart. “The ammunitions business.”

“Your father has not been good to me since he’s taken control.”

Of course, he hasn’t. My father understands money, not loyalty. Demid and I worked well together. Rarely legally, but always well. “Do you want me to talk to him?” I’m not sure what else I can offer.

“In exchange for my risk in taking in your family, I want discounted rates and preferential treatment from Van de Berg Ammunitions.” His smile is clear even over the phone. “For life.”

Oh, sweet Jesus. My father is never going to agree to that condition. “I must talk to him. I can’t make that decision on the spot.”

“I understand.Iam in no hurry. You, however, may be.” His thick Russian accent makes the words sound more ominous than normal.

“I’ll be in touch,” I say and hang up the phone. I tap it against my palm and glance at Kim. “Did you hear?”

“Enough. He’s not a quiet talker.”

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