Page 91 of Sapphire

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.”

He has me and he knows he has me. Not only does he have my sister to threaten me with, but he also has Mateo and Tomas.

My shoulders slump, the fight I thought I could continue, leaves me. I turn around and walk to the door as his evil laugh reaches my ears.

“You win, Nikolai.”

31

ZOE

Once we are all ready, the guards guide us along the palatial corridors of the grand palace. It’s quiet, only the sounds of our high heels echo across the marble. Eventually, we stop at gilded doors, and the guards open them and usher us into a grand dining room.

Sitting before us are about ten men of various ages and varying looks. Their eyes light up as they see us standing before them.

“Men, let me introduce you to the Bratva Jewels,” Nikolai says.

The room erupts into loud applause.

I want to be sick, and my eyes scan the exits, but all I see are glass windows and armed guards, and any hope starts to sink rapidly.

Gracie gives my hand a squeeze. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispers, giving me a weak smile.

I know exactly how she’s feeling. I remember the first of Nikolai’s famous parties—thankfully I got a nice man who was gentle and loving, but some girls are not so lucky. I hope nothing happens to Gracie tonight. I don’t know what I’ll do if someone hurts her.

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