His eyes twinkle, and Georgiy’s mood plummets, but Senator Ruiz and I are friends. Just friends, no matter how sexy he is in real life. When we first met, he wasn’t sure about me, but then I made him this really nice jewelry piece for his wife, and he really liked that I did that. She even wears it to parties.
“So nice to see you, too. How long are you staying? I have so much to tell you,” I say.
“Well, we’ll have to make time. I’m just staying tonight. To make sure everything gets sorted.”
“Oh, well, I have something for your wife.”
Georgiy’s hand loosens slightly at that, and my chest puffs up from the knowledge that hewasjealous.
Georgiy is jealous over me.
Delicious.
We all take our seats, Nova bringing Ellery into the room to tell everyone what they know. It’s the same thing they relayed before.
Henry is Samvel.
Virgin is Emma.
Fuck, why does the name Samvel sound familiar? I don’t know. Everything about my past is foggy and confusing.Hemade sure of that.
I don’t even have a real name.
I gave myself the name Bane.
I don’t even remember what I was called when I was younger—just a boy left to rot in small spaces. Hidden in the walls. A disgrace. A forgotten piece of history.
I shift on the cushion next to Georgiy as everyone discusses and interrogates Ellery. They chat about the clues they’ve collected, and Senator Ruiz agrees to look into any underground casinos or mentions of the Mavericks with his dealings in San Francisco.
“Is it retaliatory? Is this all related?” I hear Luca ask. More murmuring and discussion, and then, “This could be a full-on war if we let it get out of hand. And what about those drugs they’re trying to frame us for? Pink.”
“We don’t know yet. We don’t fucking know anything yet,” Anthony says. “I need to know who the fuck Samvel and Emma are. Have Lex or Diablo gotten any information? Sebastian? Is he still at fucking Disneyland? Goddamnit. I need some fuckinganswers. I’m tired of operating blind. Do you remember where this house was, the one where Samvel and Emma lived?” he asks Ellery.
“I don’t fucking remember. I was young, and we moved around a lot. I’ve lived in five different states. Military kid with shady parents and all,” Ellery says.
“Fuck. Write them all down, and we’ll get Diablo on it. What if we show you a map? Will that help?”
“You can try, but I have a selective memory. A lot of trauma, you know?”
Anthony’s eyes twitch. “Nova, you keep her in your sights at all times until she can remember where that fucking house is. I need to know where Samvel and Emma stayed. And I need to know now.”
“Yeah, yeah. I can’t remember when I’m under stress. I think I need a spa day. Especially after you gave me the wrong pronouns.”
Anthony growls, but I’m fading into some kind of state. The way he says those names. Over and over. Something inside me shifts, and I feel my stomach clench.
Samvel and Emma. Samvel and Emma.
Not Henry and Virgin.
Different people, lies.
It was all lies.
Ara.
That name flashes through my mind, and my heart thumps frantically in my chest. I scratch at it, trying to keep up with the conversation, but my brain starts to go slightly fuzzy and I start to itch. Everywhere. Georgiy’s hand on my thigh is the only thing holding me in place.
My eyes move to the wall behind me, and I feel the incredible urge to disappear into it. I want to move through the darkness for a minute, to be alone. I can’t breathe.
