Page 17 of Sapphire

I reached out, cupping his face in my hands and urging him to his feet and then kissed him with everything I had. Now everyone knew who he was to me and me to him. He would always stand with the Irish, but he would protect me first.

I broke the kiss, turning back to face the crowd with a smile. "Then it is done. From this day forward, Seamus O'Malley and I will rule the Bratva as one. As partners, as equals.”

Another cheer went up, so loud it shook the rafters. I basked in it, let it wash over me. This was it. The moment I had been fighting for, bleeding for, nearly dying for. I didn’t ever think that when I sent Natahsa to the Irish that this would happen.

I caught Aria's eye across the room. She tipped her head to me, a queen acknowledging another, and then turned to whisper something to Liam.

I saw the way he stiffened, saw the flash of heat and anger and fucking possessive need that crossed his face. I knew that their story was just beginning.

But first, the traitor must be found.

Chapter 16: Seamus

It has been six months since Kamilla took her throne. Six months of waking up every morning with her in my arms, her hair tickling my nose and her cold fucking feet pressed against my calves. Six months of falling more and more in love with her every damn day, until I wasn't sure where I ended and she began.

We'd been searching for the traitor. All of us. The Irish, the Russians, the Italians - we were all united in our hunt, all determined to root him out and make him pay for their betrayal. So far, we'd come up empty. Every lead, every clue, every fucking breadcrumb we followed had led us to a dead end. Liam tried to follow the money, but it was a never ending rabbit hole. It was enough to make a man want to put his fist through a wall. Or a skull. I wasn't picky.

Cara did have an ace up her sleeve. A secret weapon that she swore could help us, but she wasn’t sure how trustworthy that person was also.

That person?

Diamond.

That was the only name we had. A hacker who could find anyone, anywhere, for the right price. And Cara was willing to pay. Not for revenge but for survival. About protecting our people, our fucking family, from the rot that threatened to destroy us all.

So, Diamond was our hope and she promised she would have the person soon, and then that person will pay.

I'd been brooding by the window, my hand going to the gun at my hip on pure instinct as I heard the door open. Fuck. I hate being on edge all the time now, but I relaxed when I recognized the footsteps.

Kamilla walked towards me. It had only been a few hours since I'd seen her last, since I'd kissed her goodbye and watched her sashay out of our bedroom with a wink and a sway of her fucking perfect hips, but fuck, I missed her. I stood to go over to show her how much, when I realized Kamilla wasn't alone. Cara was with her, her face set in grim, determined lines. And behind them was Liam. His eyes hard and his mouth pressed into a thin, bloodless line.

"We found them," Kamilla said, her voice cold and flat. "Diamond came through. We know who the traitor is."

I stared at her, my mind reeling. This was it. The moment we had been waiting for.

"Then let's go get the bastard. Let's show the whole fucking world what happens when you cross the Bratva, the Irish, and the Italians."

Kamilla's eyes flashed, as she stepped closer, her hand coming up to curl around the back of my neck, her nails digging into my skin like the claws of a lioness claiming her mate. My cock throbbed with the need. I knew I had found my mate when she was excited about the chase as I was.

"Damn right we will," she purred, her lips brushing the underside of my jaw, sending a shiver of pure, electric want down my spine. "We're going to hunt them down, my love, and when we're done.” She pulled back, her eyes locking with mine. "We're going to come home. To our bed. To each other with nothing to worry us.”

Behind us, I heard Liam clear his throat, a pointed, impatient sound that dragged me out of the haze of lust and love and fucking bloodthirsty anticipation. I glanced over Kamilla's shoulder; my brow raised in silent question.

"If you two are quite finished eye-fucking each other," he drawled, "we have a traitor to catch. And Aria's waiting in the car, so unless you want to be on the receiving end of her wrath, I suggest we get a fucking move on."

I barked out a laugh, shaking my head with a mixture of exasperation and reluctant admiration. I almost felt sorry for the poor fucker. Almost.

“I have a feeling you like it when she gets angry.” I said as I stepped away from Kamilla as she and Cara walked away. Then I got serious.

"Let's go hunting, then.”

Chapter 17: Kamilla

Four months on

It had been four months since we'd found the traitor and put a bullet between their lying, scheming eyes. Four months of relative peace, of the Irish and the Russians and the Italians retreating to our own corners of the city. Me, Aria, and Cara. We were a force to be reckoned with, a united front against anyone who dared to challenge our authority or threaten our people.

That didn't mean we were friends. It didn't mean we trusted each other, beyond the basic agreement to stay out of each other's way and not start any wars we couldn't finish. No, the only person I trusted, the only one I knew would have my back no matter what, was currently buried between my thighs, his tongue doing wicked, wonderful things to my clit as his fingers pumped in and out of my dripping core.

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