Page 44 of Emerald

Ellie looks out toward the horizon and sucks in a deep breath before slowly releasing it. “Because I was the CIA’s most dangerous asset and became compromised.” My brows pull together as I stare at the woman in front of me, trying to picture her as dangerous—annoying, yes, but dangerous? She’s a spy. I don’t see it.

“So, they killed you off?”

“Technically, we were run off a bridge by my very pissed-off ex who was in a helicopter shooting at us. My brother and I were swept downstream where an extraction team was ready for us. Unfortunately, that meant we had to make his fiancée, Sophie’s sister Grace, think he died,” she explains.

“Wait, I’m missing a lot of pieces to this story. Why was your ex shooting at you? And why did you have to pretend you were dead?” I question her.

“Because he found out I had betrayed him. I was a honey trap and had fucked his uncle.”

Oh. That would do it. “I didn’t think the CIA used honey traps anymore?” Ellie is beautiful, I could see why they would use her.

“They very much use us especially as they sold me back to the Bratva.” There is steel to her words, and it sounds like this was something she may have been forced to do. I don’t understand. Why would the CIA force her to sell herself for them?

“Back to the Bratva?”

“My brother was in the Bratva, he was one of the most feared assassins. The CIA kidnapped me and a friend when we were eighteen and told us that we could either rot in jail for the rest of our lives along with our families or help them bring down the Bratva and get immunity for our families.” Fuck. That’s kind of messed up. “You know what I chose.”

“Wait, you said you and a friend were kidnapped. What’s happened to your friend?”

“I haven’t seen her since the end of our training. I’ve spent years looking for her.”

“She’s the friend you’re looking for?” Ellie shakes her head. “No, I am looking for a jewel named Pearl. She was sold as a plaything to Dominguez for his twenty-first birthday.”

“Fuck,” I curse, running my hand over my buzz cut.

“I was a jewel also. That’s how I know Zoe and Grace. I’m Emerald.”

I’m confused. “But they aren’t CIA, are they?”

She shakes her head. “No. They were trafficked. I was planted. Unfortunately, I was kept apart from the other jewels on most occasions, so I never knew what was happening. I thought they were all like me, honey traps. It wasn’t until I saved Grace from my ex that I found out the true devastating cost that Zoe and Grace went through. I hate myself for not being able to save them earlier.” It's the first time I see true emotion on her stone-cold face. “I can never forgive myself for what my ex did to them. It’s now my mission in life to bring him down and rescue every single jewel.”

“Is that why Brooks and Sophie are in Dubai?” I ask.

“Yes. One of the girls is being sold at a slave market.”

“Shit.”

“You know Sophie’s family has started up a charity saving women from trafficking,” Ellie explains. I shake my head, Ididn’t know. Brooks and I are friends but we’re also men and don’t always talk.

“And they are working with the CIA?”

“Kind of, it’s a little delicate. I’m supposed to be on holiday. Vacation they call it. Apparently, I needed one after all my years of service,” she says, rolling her eyes. “They don’t know what to do with me anymore. They need me but they also don’t. I’m too valuable to dispose of.”

She means too valuable to kill.

Fuck.

I’m still not sure who the fuck she is.

“Why are you so valuable? Is it because of your looks?”

Ellie smirks. “What about my looks?”

I roll my eyes. “Please, you know you’re hot.”

“You think I’m hot, do you?” She grins, splashing water on me.

I wipe my face from the droplets. “Now who has the ego?”

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