Page 90 of Bratva Jewels Box Set
“I couldn’t stop him from telling Nikolai. He was so happy—he wouldn’t listen.”
I wrap my arms around her, trying to comfort her. “It’s okay, it’s not your fault.”
“Why didn’t you run? Was it because of that man you were with?”
I smile. “Yes, it was, plus there is another man.”
The girls gasp and huddle around, like girlfriends do, getting ready to go out on the town.
“I fell in love with two men. They thought they could protect me, but …”
The room falls silent; they understand.
“They’ve tightened up security since you escaped. They watch us girls closely,” Jade tells me with her Southern American twang. Her beautiful, bright green eyes sparkle under the lights.
“I’m sorry.” Because I am, my escaping probably didn’t make their lives any easier. “This is Gracie, she’s my sister. I must get her out, it’s not fair that they get us both.”
The girls all nod.
“I told you I’m not leaving without you,” Gracie says defiantly.
“But I can’t let you stay here, not when … not when Dmitri is …” I can’t finish the sentence.
Gracie grabs my hand. “It’s not like I haven’t slept with him before.”
“But you shouldn’t be here. None of us should be here.”
“Sapphire, they will kill you if you try again,” Jet says, concerned.
There’s a knock at the door, and we all scatter like cockroaches.
Nikolai sticks his head in.
“Sapphire,” he calls, using my work name.
This isn’t good. I steel myself and approach him. I will not show him any weakness.
He walks off down a corridor, and I follow, my heels click-clacking against the marble. He opens the door to what looks to be a library and shows me in, then closes the door and sits down behind a desk. He pushes a manila folder in front of me. “Open it,” he commands.
I hesitantly open it. I can’t believe what I’m seeing. How the? When? I keep flicking.
“I told you I was watching you. And I also know that your two little rainbow lovers are firmly in the closet. Mateo the onscreen heartthrob, the man so many women desire but who, in reality, would rather suck cock.”
I flinch at his tone. I’m talking to the devil tonight.
“And the other one, Tomas. Well, well, well. Papa runs the National Family Party. He comes from a strict Catholic family. Papa dearest likes to preach that homosexuality is a sin, no sex before marriage, and all the stuff his son likes to do. I bet that would be a huge scandal, don’t you think?”
The photos are of Tomas and Mateo together, by the pool, kissing, cuddling, and sunbaking naked. Just seeing their photos again rips my heart open, the tiny stitches that I thought I had put there have been torn wide apart.
“What—what do you want?”
“You catch on quick. I want you to be on your best behavior tonight. Service those men as if it is your lifelong dream to suck their dicks and I will keep your dirty little secrets. But if you don’t play then I will make sure the world knows.”
I can’t let him destroy everything Tomas and Mateo have built together. Neither is ready to come out of the closet yet. And they shouldn’t have to do it like this either.
“Why? Why are you doing this? They’ve done nothing to you. Why can’t you leave them alone?”
Nikolai just smiles. “I couldn’t give a shit about two rainbow lovers, but I know they mean something to you and that is what’s important to me.”
