Emerald (The Bratva Jewels #3)

1. Elena

1

ELENA

“ Y ou bitch, you fucking bitch,” Grace screams as she sees me step from the darkness after being reunited with my brother.

I understand why she hates me in this moment, but I had to save my brother. And I’d do it again. Grace may never forgive me for the pain I put her through, making her believe Maxim was dead, but at least she now has a future with him, one that she thought was dead and gone when she buried him today.

“You made me believe he was dead,” she screams at me, and I watch the anguish on her face as tears slide down her cheeks. “You tore my fucking heart out. You’re a stone-cold bitch for what you did.” She sneers, pointing her finger at me.

I’ll be the bad guy in her story if she needs me to be. Whatever pain she wants to throw at me, I can handle it because they are both safe together and can now build that future they dreamed about. They deserve that after what Dimitri put them through.

“Grace,” Max says, stepping in front of her, turning her focus on him rather than me. He cups her chin as he tries to calm his distraught fiancée down. “It’s not her fault,” my brother explains.

You don’t have to defend me, Max, I’m a big girl.

I understand Grace’s anger, she buried the love of her life today, and now he’s returned from the dead because of me.

“Do you know the pain you put me through?” she says, pulling herself from Maxim’s grasp as she thumps her hand against her chest.

He’s my brother.

Of course, I understand her pain. I lost him all those years ago.

“It was the right thing to do, Grace.”

“Right thing to do?” she screeches at me.

“Wildcat, I would have died for real if she hadn’t taken me,” Max says softly, pulling Grace’s attention back to him again.

Tears slide down her face as she stares up at him, there’s nothing but love and awe as she looks at him. He uses his thumb to push away her tears that continue to tumble down.

“I had to bury you today, Max. I watched them put you in the ground,” she says, hiccupping on her tears.

“If there was any other way, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. I’ll do anything to keep you safe, Grace.”

My heart aches watching the two of them, and I hate that I’m responsible for the pain that is happening between them. In time, Grace will move on from the distress of today, and hopefully, one day will forgive me.

“You have no idea what it’s been like, Max.” Grace sniffles.

“I do, Wildcat. It felt like my heart was being ripped bit by bit as each day passed. I had to hold on to the hope that I would see you again,” he tells her.

“At least you had hope and knew I was still alive.”

“I will spend until the end of eternity making this up to you. Do you hear me?” Max says as he takes Grace's face in his hands and kisses her.

My stomach sinks as my mind wanders to the last time someone kissed me like that. And I hate the fact that, at this moment, I’m thinking of him . I hate that the asshole occupies a sliver of my blackened heart.

Who the hell falls for a monster?

And what kind of deranged person still misses him after he betrays and tries to kill you? That’s some messed up shit that no amount of therapy is going to be able to work out.

“Grace, who are you talking to? You’ve been gone for … what the fuck?” A blonde comes out looking for Grace.

Ah, Sophie.

She’s the journalist that broke the story about Nikolai and Dimitri that put them in the shit with the Bratva. Pretty gutsy if I do say so. She put her life on the line and made a lot of enemies to save her sisters. That’s the kind of badass woman I can support. Then, right behind her is the large, hulking man known as Brooks, the guy who’s been given enough clearance to know what’s going on but not enough to know what’s going on, if you know what I mean. He looks over at me and gives me a knowing yet discreet nod before feigning a shocked expression upon seeing us back from the dead.

While I’ve been away for the past couple of weeks, I’ve studied everyone who was going to be in Max’s life. There probably isn’t anything I don’t know about the Clark sisters and the surrounding people. What I do know is that they are good people. There was no way in hell I was going to let Max come back and not be safe. Not after everything we’ve been through.

“Oh my god, no it can’t be. No. He’s alive.” Zoe gasps and tears well in her sapphire eyes as she’s a couple of steps behind Sophie.

Moments later, her two shadows, Mateo and Tomas, are right behind her, assuming their protective positions on either side of their woman.

“Fuck me,” Mateo curses.

“Am I seeing things?” Tomas questions.

“I don’t understand. How the fuck are you two alive?” Sophie asks.

“They’re alive,” Zoe squeals before bursting into tears as her two men hug her protectively.

“What’s all the commotion? You’re going to wake Mum and Dad.” Mackenzie, the last of the Clark sisters, arrives. Her mouth falls open as she stares between Max and me. “What the hell happened to your hair?” she asks, looking between us.

Before I know it, I burst out laughing because of all the things anyone could have said that was not at all what I thought someone would mention. Our naturally dark hair has been turned platinum blonde. It took ages to strip the black from my hair. They then gave me extensions and turned me into Malibu Barbie.

Sophie and Grace glare at me as I try to control my laughter.

“You’re not zombies, are you?” Mackenzie asks.

This has me cracking up even more. I think I’m in love with Mackenzie Clark; she has changed the mood entirely. Well for me, anyway. No one else seems to feel that way as they all glare at me.

“Be fucking serious, Kenzie,” Sophie snips at her sister.

“You’re supposed to be dead.” Sergei gasps. He’s the next to step into the melee, and the old man’s face is pale as if he’s seen two ghosts standing before him.

“I’m alive, old man,” Maxim states as he lets go of Grace and rushes over to pull him into a tight hug.

Sergei’s the closest thing Max has had to a father. Ours tried, but he was in too deep with the Bratva to give a shit about his family. I get it. I understand his logic because caring meant we were a liability. Still would have been nice to have been normal for a portion of my childhood. Not that what Sergei did for a living was normal, but he was there for his daughter Anna a hell of a lot more than our own father was for us.

“I can’t believe it, boy. This is real. You are both truly alive?” Sergei asks as tears well in his eyes.

“We’re both alive, old man,” I answer, giving him a warm smile.

Sergei looks up and spots me standing in the distance, and his eyes widen in surprise, as it’s the second time I’ve risen from the dead for him. I’m like a cat with nine lives but it looks like I’ve already lost two of them. He then walks over and pulls me tight into his arms. “Good to see you,” he says. I hug him tightly, soaking in the feeling of safety the old man gives me. Even if it’s for a fleeting moment, I want to be able to absorb that feeling for as long as I can.

Next, Grace’s parents arrive and that’s when the entire night falls into chaos. Tears, screaming, gasping, hugging, kissing, and questions flowed from everyone in the family. They pull Grace into concerned hugs, then shower Maxim with kisses before it’s my turn to be given the same treatment from a family that doesn’t know me other than I’m their daughter’s dead fiancé’s dead sister.

It's complicated.

But they are good people.

Without fuss, I move away from everyone to give them their moments together. I’m not used to all these people, not good ones anyway.

“Nice to see you’re alive, I guess,” Sophie says, walking over to where I’m standing in the shadows.

“Nice to be alive, I guess,” I bite back.

Those green eyes glare at me. “Where the fuck have you been?” she questions me.

I raise a brow at her, I thought she was supposed to be the journalist. “You’re smart enough to know I can’t answer that.”

Sophie rolls her eyes at me. “Do you have any idea the hell you have put my sister through these past couple of weeks? She thought she had lost Max.”

My heart may be black, but it’s not dead.

“I know.”

Sophie looks me up and down before answering angrily, “That’s all you have to say?”

“Not much else I can say.”

Sophie throws her hands up in the air. “You’re a selfish bitch.”

“You know nothing about me,” I bite back, she doesn’t want to push me.

“What I know is that you were too busy sleeping with the enemy. An enemy that did unthinkable things to my sisters and to those girls when you could have been stopping them.” She hisses.

Her words are like a dagger to my heart.

She’s right. I did nothing. You didn’t know. They were hidden from you. How could you have known? Dimitri explained the jewels were killers like me, but I couldn’t interact with them for fear our enemies would know what they were. I thought they could defend themselves from these monsters like I could. They were supposed to be trained. I didn’t realize they were lambs to the slaughter. It kills me knowing what I know now. I consider myself a smart woman, but stupidly I never questioned Dimitri. Guessing he showed me what I wanted to see to ease any questions I might have had. He distracted me with sex I realize now. We spent a lot of time together, and I guess I let what we were doing together physically cloud my judgment. He also always dangled the Anna carrot in front of me, offering to help me find her, telling me he pulled a favor and gave me a tidbit that she was here or there, but nothing ever concrete over the years.

And like a fool, I fell for it.

So, I get Sophie’s anger toward me. I would be angry, too, if the roles were reversed. Finding out what he and the Bratva did to these women, I will never forgive myself for allowing it to happen on my watch. Losing the jewels in Morocco, all those innocent women sold to God knows who, I need to find them and make things right. No. I will find them and make every person involved pay with their lives. My revenge will be swift and punishing.

“Nothing I can say will forgive the horrors that happened to your sisters. If I had truly known about it, I would have saved them. I’ll never forgive myself for being blind to something so heinous. I’ll stop at nothing to make sure these men pay for what they have done,” I tell her honestly.

Sophie doesn’t look convinced. “You broke my sister when she found out Max had died. Do you realize that?”

“I had to save my brother. I won’t apologize for that.”

“Believe me, I get it. I’d do anything for my family. The agony she and we have gone through these past two weeks. We had to monitor Grace to make sure she didn’t do something incredibly stupid because she couldn’t take any more of this fucked up hand she’s been dealt. Or that maybe she would reach for those little white pills that turned her into a zombie last time. My family wouldn’t survive losing her again,” Sophie angrily explains.

“You know, there was no other way.”

“What would Max have done if Grace did something to herself?” Sophie questions, those green eyes narrowed on me.

“That would never have happened. We always had eyes on her.”

Sophie stills, she turns and stares at me. “What do you mean?”

“The Bratva had to think we were truly dead, otherwise, Max and Grace would spend forever being chased. Grace and Max both deserve a peaceful life together,” I tell her.

“Are you saying they believed it?” Sophie questions me.

Do I tell her what I know? Max knows, so it’s only a matter of time before he tells Grace, who will tell her sisters.

“Yes.”

Sophie stares at me with surprise. “And that’s all you’re going to say?”

“I’ve said too much already.”

Sophie stares out at the celebration happening before us, the tears, the shock, the amazement that a miracle has happened. “Even if I guess you will not tell me?”

I shake my head at her question.

“Please tell me you’re not interrogating Elena?” Zoe asks, walking over to where we are standing. Her pregnant belly is on display, looking very cute in her white tank as she shows off her new curves. She’s glowing. I would be too going to bed with Mateo and Tomas every night. No wonder they have knocked her up so quickly. I wonder if she knows which one of those handsome men is the father of her child. Guess it doesn’t matter if the three of them are together. Either way, the baby is going to be beautiful.

“It’s Ellie Clark now. Looks like you’ve gained another sister,” I say uneasily, with a shrug at this new bit of information.

“I don’t need another sister.” Sophie huffs beside me.

“And Max Clark is your new brother.”

“That’s fucking messed up, even for you. They can’t be siblings,” Sophie says angrily.

“They’re not, they’re married but using Clark as their surname. My brother is progressive,” I tease.

“I still can’t believe you’re alive,” Zoe says in awe as she pokes me a couple of times, not quite believing I’m here before launching herself at me with a hug. “Welcome to the family. Can’t have too many sisters,” she says as she tries to squeeze me to death. Even after meeting under horrible conditions, she is still so kind. She’s a strong woman, then again, I think all the Clark girls are. That’s why I know once the dust has settled over our rebirth, everything will be okay. “I’m so happy you’re alive,” she says, still clinging to me.

Is there a warm and fuzzy feeling in my chest or am I having a heart attack? “I am, too,” I tell her.

“Thank you for bringing Max back to Grace,” she adds, stepping out of our hug before her face falls. “I know there was a good reason you did it the way you did,” she says as an errant tear slides down her cheek before she wipes it away. “None of us care about the intricacies of why it had to happen that way.” Sophie coughs, disagreeing with that statement. Zoe rolls her eyes at her sister, ignoring her. “All we care about is that the two of you are back from the dead.” She smiles before turning to Sophie. “There’s nothing else to say on the matter.” Zoe directs that statement to her sister.

“You know I’m not known to hold my tongue,” Sophie quips.

“Guess you’re gonna have to learn,” Zoe fires back as she turns her attention back to me. “We need to celebrate the miracle of your return tonight because this is not how we thought the day would end. It may take people some time to get over it, but that’s a them problem.” She glares at Sophie again, who ignores her. “Come, let's pop some champagne. Today has been a rollercoaster of emotions. Sophie, rally the troops,” she asks her sister, holding out her arm for me to take. Her sister huffs before storming away from us and starts herding everyone inside.

Zoe and I walk in silence for a couple of steps until everyone else has disappeared inside. “Sophie and Grace will come around, eventually. They’re both stubborn bitches.”

This makes me smile. “Thank you. I don’t deserve your kindness.”

“Why wouldn’t you?” Zoe exclaims, surprised by my comment.

“Because I broke your sister’s heart making her believe Max was dead.”

“You had your reasons, and that is something we can talk about tomorrow when everyone’s emotions have settled down. Grace buried the love of her life today, so things may be tense for a while until she feels safe again. It’s been touch and go for her since Moscow and the same with Sergei.”

“It was the only way to keep Max safe,” I reiterate.

“I know, we all know,” she says, patting my hand, “but the funeral was literally today. We all said our goodbyes to you both.”

It was nice that her family included me today at their funeral for Max.

“It was a beautiful service, thank you,” I add.

“We may not have known you well, but we still cared that we had lost you. Wait, you were there?” Zoe asks, her eyes wide with surprise.

I nod. “We watched from afar. It killed Max to see Grace like that. We were supposed to have come back tomorrow morning to ensure the coast was clear, but Max couldn’t wait any longer.”

“Your brother loves my sister something fierce.”

“He sure does.”

“And you think they are safe now?” she asks cautiously.

“I do.”

Zoe lets out a breath. “Good. Well, then welcome home, Ellie,” she says, giving me a bright smile as we walk inside her gorgeous home. “We have a spare bedroom on the other side of the garden near Mateo’s studio. Hope you don’t mind not being in the main house. We weren’t expecting you.”

“I’m fine sleeping under the stars or on a sofa. I won’t be staying long.”

Zoe stops, lets go of my arm, and stands in front of me. “You’re not staying?”

“Don’t you think it’s for the best that I leave Max to it here? I’m a burden. I don’t want to be a constant reminder to Grace or to you of that life,” I explain to her.

“You will never be a burden, Elena,” she says, using my real name to emphasize how serious her point is. “You’re a Clark now and that means you are one of us for the rest of your life. That means you will never be alone again.”

I’ve been alone for so long. I’m not sure if I know what it’s like to be part of a family again.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am. And if anyone has a problem with it, they can deal with a hormonal pregnant woman and see how that goes,” Zoe says with a chuckle.