Page 196 of Bratva Jewels Box Set
“We must find her, Sergei. I can’t leave her in these monsters’ arms another second.”
23
GRACE
Ihaven’t heard from Maxim in days, but I know he’s been busy working through Dmitri’s and Nikolai’s computers.
“A package arrived for you today,” Mackenzie, my sister tells me.
Who the hell would be sending me a package? My heart skips a beat. No, he wouldn’t, would he? Seems like a big risk.
“Thanks,” I say, taking it from her hand.
I make my way to the bedroom where I’ll open it in private. Staring down at the small package with an Italian postmark, I wonder what on earth it could be. Ripping it open, a USB stick and a note fall out.
Wildcat, give this to Interpol. Don’t watch it.
I stare at the note for a couple of moments before ignoring Maxim’s warning, grabbing my laptop, and plugging in the stick. My screen is filled with folder after folder with the names of the jewels, including mine. What the hell is this? I double-click on the folder bearing my name and see videos, photos, and a dossier pop up. The images are confronting, and I slam the laptop shut.
Fuck.
My heart is racing.
I shouldn’t have watched it. He warned me. I didn’t listen. Then I realize Maxim must have seen all of this. He’s seen videos and pictures of that man violating me. Tears fall down my cheeks as my hands shake, my stomach rolls and the dark cloud I thought I had vanquished appears as I try and steady my uncontrollable breathing, staving off the panic attack that wants to raise its ugly head.
Once I’ve gotten myself under control, I take the USB out, making sure nothing is saved to my computer, and I head toward where Sophie and Brooks have set up a makeshift command center where they work in their pursuit to track down the jewels. It’s in the back of Mateo, Tomas, and Zoe’s garden, there’s a separate house right down the back away from everyone.
My hand shakes as I open the door, everyone stops what they are doing, and the room falls silent as they stare at me entering. It’s the first time I’ve come down here since coming home. Sophie and I have been keeping our distance, she’s upset with me for keeping things from her, and I’m upset with her for prying.
“I told you to trust me, Soph,” I say, handing her the USB stick.
Her brows pull together as she stares at what I’ve given her.
“Everything you’ve been searching for on the jewels is on that.”
Sophie’s jaw drops as she quickly turns around and hands the stick to Damon, Brooks’ IT man.
It takes a couple of moments for the file to open on Damon’s computer, but when it does, I swallow hard.
“Don’t play anything while I’m here,” I say quickly before Damon has time to hit play. “There are videos of Zoe and me on there.”
Sophie rushes over and pulls me into her, surprising me with her affection which she isn’t known to give much of. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
Hugging her back. “If it helps you find the other women I don’t care.”
“They sent it to you, didn’t they?” she questions me, stepping out of our embrace.
I nod.
“And how did they get this information?”
“They were able to hack Dmitri and Nikolai’s cloud and phones.”
“How the fuck?” Damon exclaims at my comment. “Are these guys Anonymous or something? That takes some hard-core hacking skills to do that. I’ve been trying for a month.”
“They did it in a week.”
“Motherfuckers,” Damon curses.
