Page 50 of Emerald

“Yes,” Brooks confirms.

“And something about jewels.”

“Right,” Brooks answers.

“She never said anything about being an assassin,” I tell him.

“You know what a honey trap is?”

“Yes,” I answer, annoyed by his question.

“Don’t you think that is an assassin?” he asks.

“That’s a killer. It’s not like she’s a sniper or something,” I say, rolling my eyes.

Brooks is silent for a while, and then I hear him mumble something to someone who must be Sophie. “If she wanted him to know she would have told him.”

“Wanted me to know what?” I ask Brooks.

He lets out a huff. “Fine. If she kills me, it’s on you,” he tells Sophie. Who is killing him? “You shouldn’t worry about Ellie, she can look after herself.”

“Her using her looks isn’t going to be able to take down the cartel. There are plenty of hot chicks in Mexico,” I explain to him.

“It’s interesting you mention her attractiveness.” Brooks chuckles.

“She’s a fucking honey trap, isn’t that her job to look hot?” Brooks continues to laugh at me. “Fuck you, motherfucker, this isn’t funny, that woman is going to get me killed,” I warn him.

“She won’t. You remember hearing about Persephone,” Brooks asks.

“Yes, but what does that have to do with this?” Then it hits me. “No. That woman in there is the most feared female assassin? You have got to be kidding me. No fucking way. No.”

“Her brother is ‘The Shadow of Death’.” Fuck. “I’m surprised you have lasted this long.” Brooks chuckles again.

“Me too,” I answer slowly. I’ve heard the stories, but I never thought it would be her. Guess that’s why she’s so good, people underestimate her. “Look, Ellie loves her brother, and he loves Grace Clark. She won’t do anything to mess that up,” he explains to me.

“You’re telling me I need to trust her tonight on this date, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I am. Let her do her thing. Don’t get in her way. She’s survived this long and has taken down worse men than the cartel. I’ve seen her in action, trust me, she will survive this.”

“Just not sure I will.”

“We will protect you if things turn south. There’s a helicopter on standby to take her and the jewel to the private plane in Cancun. If you need it, make sure you’re on it,” Brooks explains.Fuck.

“Fine. Good luck in whatever the hell you are doing.”

“Thanks, brother. Oh, and one more thing,” he says before signing off. “Don’t sleep with her.”

WatchingEllie get ready for her date was making me crazy, so I headed into the bar, busying myself with paperwork in the office until it was time for Ellie to arrive. I hated the itch of anticipation sliding over my skin. No. She can handle herself, why the hell am I worried about her? She could probably handle herself better than I could knowing about her reputation. My mind is lost in everything that has happened today as I replay it.

The phone on my desk rings and I pick it up.

“Um, boss, we have a problem. Manuel Gomez has arrived,” Jose says.

I still. No. This must be a coincidence. Ellie wouldn’t be that stupid to be on a date with Manuel Gomez.

“I’ll be right down,” I tell him.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

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