Page 16 of Sapphire

Liam grunted his agreement. "She's not wrong. If someone's selling us out, they're doing it because Sokolov is lining their pockets.”

I nodded slowly, the pieces beginning to click into place. "So, we follow the money.”

"Liam can do that," Aria said. “We both trust him and if there's any dirty money changing hands, he'll sniff it out."

Liam nodded. “It will take a few days but I’ll see if I can trace anything.”

"In the meantime," I continued, my gaze sweeping over the room once more, "I want everyone to be on their guard. Trust no one, question everything. And if you see or hear anything suspicious, you bring it to me. Immediately."

As we strode from the room, I felt a flicker of unease, a prickling at the back of my neck that made the hairs stand up on my arms. Something wasn't right. Something was still off. I didn’t know what, but I knew I would find it eventually.

Chapter 15: Kamilla

Ifelt like a fraud and I was terrified. I was scared of the responsibility, of failing, of proving everyone right who had ever looked at me and seen nothing but a useless woman or someone’s wife. I was scared of losing Seamus. The man who had seen past all my bravado to the broken, bleeding heart beneath. The man who had loved me, not in spite of my scars and my sins, but because of them.

It was time. Time to formally become the queen I was always meant to be.

I crossed the room on legs that were only slightly unsteady, my heels clicking against the polished wood floor. As I opened the door, Seamus stood there, grinning. He was dressed in a suit, the black fabric stretching across his broad shoulders and narrowing at his trim waist. His hair was slicked back, his jaw freshly shaven, and fuck, he looked like every dirty fantasy I'd ever had come to life. It was his eyes that caught me. Those damn eyes, so bright and fierce. Full of trust.

In me. In us. In the future we were going to build together.

"Kamilla," he said as he walked in. "You look perfect.”

"You're just trying to get under my skirt again."

He grinned, slow and wicked, and stepped closer, his hands settling on my hips and pulling me flush against him. "Oh, I'm definitely trying to get under your skirt, love. But that doesn't make it any less true.”

I shivered, my hands coming up to rest on his chest, feeling the steady, reassuring thump of his heartbeat beneath my palm. "I'm nervous, Seamus," I admitted. "Scared of letting everyone down. Scared of losing you, of watching you walk away when you realize I'm not worth the trouble.”

He stilled, his eyes searching mine with an intensity that made my breath catch in my throat. Slowly, he lifted his hands to cup my face, his thumbs stroking over my cheekbones with a tenderness that made my heart ache.

"Never," he said, his voice fierce. "You hear me, Kamilla? I’ll never walk away from you. Not now, not ever. You are mine. You're worth everything, sweetheart. Everything and more."

I closed my eyes, letting his words wash over me.

"I love you," I said, the words tearing out of me. Then I clung to him as he was kissing me, hard and deep. I kissed him back just as fiercely, just as frantically as I clung to his arms, feeling him grow hard against me.

A throat cleared behind us, loud and pointed, and we broke apart with a gasp. I turned, my cheeks flushed and my lips swollen, to see Aria and Liam standing in the doorway, identical smirks on their faces.

"Sorry to interrupt," Aria drawled. "But the natives are getting restless. They're ready for their queen, Kamilla.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath and squaring my shoulders once more. "Then let's not keep them waiting any longer."

I took Seamus's hand, lacing our fingers together and holding on tight, as I stepped out of the room.

The room was packed, every inch of space filled with bodies and noise. The Bratva, the Irish, the Italians - they were all there, all waiting for me. I was ready for them. Ready to work with them for a future where women didn't have to live in the shadows. A future where we could be kings and queens in our own right, ruling over a world of our own making.

I stepped up, Seamus by my side, and turned to face the crowd. The room fell silent.

"My new family," I said. "Today, we stand on the brink of a new era. An era of change, of growth, of unity. Today, we put aside our differences, our past grievances and our petty squabbles. Today, we come together as one.”

A cheer went up.

"But I did not do this alone.” I turned to Cara, Finn, Arai and Liam. "I had the trust of the Irish and Russians. We came together as one and we will stay together so there will be no more bloodshed between us. It will be a better life for all. I needed the strength and the wisdom of these people who stand beside me. I need the love and the loyalty of the man who has been my rock.” I turned to Seamus. "Seamus O'Malley, my partner, my king in all but name. Will you stand with me? Will you rule by my side, now and always?"

Slowly, he sank to one knee before me, his head bowed in reverence.

"Always," he said. "I am yours, in every way that matters. Your sword and your shield, your lover and your friend. I will stand with you, fight for you, fucking die for you if that's what it takes.”

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