Page 186 of Bratva Jewels Box Set
“Who took you then?” Sophie pokes.
I can see she is trying to join the dots, but it’s not making sense.
“You can interrogate Grace in the morning, Soph. All we should be caring about tonight is that Gracie is home and safe and looks well,” Zoe states, wrapping her arm around my shoulders and pulling me tightly into her side. As if protecting me from Sophie’s questions.
“You’re right. We have so much to celebrate. It’s such a relief to have you home again, Grace. You had us all so worried,” Sophie states.
“I’m so happy to be home too,” I say, putting on my biggest smile and hoping they all buy it.
The celebration of my surprise arrival continues into the night, but I’ve had enough.
“Do you mind if I go to bed, guys? It’s been a lot,” I tell the room.
Everyone tells me to go to bed. They all give me another hug and a squeeze while more bottles of champagne are popped in my honor.
“Come, let me take you to your room,” Zoe says, linking our arms together as she walks me down one of the corridors toward my old room. “We left everything the same, minus the drugs we found.”
I still. I haven’t thought about my old life in such a long time, especially when it comes to my drug use. Will I slip back into my old ways now that I’m back or am I stronger than before?
“This may sound strange, but you look better now than before all this happened. Did you get kidnapped by a day spa?” Zoe jokes.
“I’m clean now. Have been for months and honestly, I feel so good,” I confess.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were struggling so much that you relied on drugs? I would have been there for you,” Zoe tells me.
“You were dealing with your own issues, babe. You couldn’t look after me too.”
Zoe frowns at my comments before stopping outside my bedroom. “You know you can talk to me about anything. You know I would understand more than most.”
“I will, I promise, just not tonight,” I tell her.
Zoe nods and pushes open the bedroom door, and it feels like a stranger’s room as I stare at the bed, then the desk, and all the things I had left behind and none of it makes sense.
“How are the nightmares?”
“Mostly gone.”
“You want me to stay here with you?”
I shake my head. “No, I’ll be fine,” I tell her.
Zoe reaches out and pulls me into a hug. “You seem stronger, happier, lighter. I don’t know what happened wherever you were, but right now all I can see is how well you’re doing. Like I got the old Grace back.” That’s high praise from the strongest woman I know.
“I feel different but in a good way,” I confess to her.
“Enrique will be over in the morning to ask you questions. Rest up and think about what you want to tell him,” Zoe explains.
“What do you mean?”
“You look like you’ve been at a day spa or rehab for the past couple of months. People are going to have questions. Just think about what and who you want to share that information with.”
Damn her, she knows me so well.
“I’ll never judge you, Grace. Whatever the reason is. I love you. You’re my sister, and I’m glad you are home safe.”
I give Zoe one last hug before closing the door behind me. I suck in a deep breath and let it out. Collapsing on the bed, I stare up at the white ceiling, wondering if Maxim is doing the same thing. My hand slides into my pocket and pulls out the remaining wad of Euros Sergei gave me. That’s when I find a number written down on a scrap piece of paper. I stare at it for way too long before jumping up and urgently searching for my phone. I search my entire room and remember that I had my phone with me the night I was kidnapped, and it was smashed.
Fuck.
