Page 67 of Sapphire
“You won’t.”
It’s late by the time Enrique finishes going over everything Zoe remembers. Mateo and I decided it was best to let her talk to Enrique by herself. Each time we came in, I could tell she was skirting around the issues, and this is so much bigger than me wanting to be near her. If I’m honest, I don’t think I could handle hearing all the things that had happened to her while kidnapped. Just knowing what she has come from and the small snippets she’s told us is enough for me to light this motherfucking world on fire for her. I can only imagine the depths of their depravity, and I don’t need my worst thoughts to be confirmed.
“Thanks for today, Zoe. You’ve given us so much invaluable intel you have no idea. I’ll be in touch. Tomas knows how to contact me if you remember anything else,” Enrique explains to her.
“I’ve organized for an extra security firm to look after us. We will be protected 24/7 until this man is disposed of,” I tell my cousin.
“I’m going to choose to ignore your choice of words, cousin,” Enrique warns me.
“Best you do that,” I tell him as I walk my cousin to the front door.
“Is she going to be okay?” I ask him when we are far enough away.
He gives me a grin. “That woman is amazing—she is strong, intelligent, and funny. I can see why something is happening between the three of you.”
My cousin’s words surprise me. I didn’t think we were overly affectionate with Zoe all night. How did he know?
Enrique chuckles at me. “You do know it’s my job to pick up on the unspoken signs between people. I can see it in your eyes, the way the two of you look at her. It’s something a little more than fun.”
“You’ve met her, it’s hard to not fall for her.”
Enrique slaps me on the shoulder. “I’m happy for you both. It’s unconventional, but if the three of you are happy that’s all that matters. She is going to need you both to heal from this.”
“Is it that bad?”
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it, yes. It’s good in some ways that her mind still hasn’t given her all her memories. I’ve seen what these men do to these women. They show no mercy. Please be careful. If Nikolai finds out she is alive, then none of you are safe. As you know they are dangerous people, Tomas. He knows many more powerful than your father. I’ve been after this bastard for five years, and I’ve never been this close before.”
Message received loud and clear. “What about her family? They must be worried sick about her. These fuckers were able to make her disappear. They were able to convince her family she is safe and well.”
“Like I said, they are very powerful, and if they can make hundreds if not thousands of women disappear from the streets without a trace, they can make one girl disappear easily. I will find her family and keep an eye on them. My main concern is her sister Gracie. They have probably stopped watching her now that they think Zoe is dead, but we can’t be too careful.”
“Do you think we should bring Gracie here? Keep them safe together. That might help Zoe.”
Enrique thinks my request over. “Leave it with me. I’ll look into her a little more and see if we can maybe extract her off the books without alerting Nikolai’s men.”
Thanking him, I send him on his way.
I walk back into the lounge room and find Zoe asleep in Mateo’s arms. The image of the two of them together thaws my heart. I love them more than life itself, and I will do everything in my power to protect them.
21
ZOE
The boys have been acting funny all day today. It’s been a week since I found out who I am, and the memories have started flooding back a little more regularly. I wake up every night with nightmares, but Mateo and Tomas are there, helping me come back. I know these nightmares are taking their toll on the boys, I can see it in the secretive glances they give each other. They hate the things that have happened to me. I don’t tell them about what I see because they don’t need to know how tainted I am. If they do push, they get a censored version.
But today they have both been jittery, which has my instincts on high alert.
There’s a knock at the front door, and my stomach sinks as I watch Mateo and Tomas jump up and rush to it.
“Where is she? Where the hell is she?”
That voice.
I know that voice. My eyes widen as I see my sister’s stricken face.
“Zoe, Zoe!” she screams as we sprint to each other, both of us dissolving into sobbing tears, clinging to each other as if our lives depend on it. “I had no idea, Zoe. I thought you’d fallen in love and run away with your boyfriend,” she confesses through uncontrollable tears.
She’s safe, she’s here with me. Nikolai can’t hurt her now. Then it hits me, the boys arranged this. That’s why they’ve been nervous all day. I pull myself out of Gracie’s arms, making her frown.