When I glance back at the screen, Maxwell and Rex are frozen, staring in obvious shock.
“I’m staying,” I say, my vision blurring. “I’m not leaving my husband.”
Maxwell’s mouth drops open. If it were any other situation, I’d laugh at my straitlaced brother rendered speechless.
“I love him,” I whisper.
Elias tightens his arms and murmurs, “Myzemër.”
He tells my brothers, “I’ll die before I let anything happen to Lana.”
Silence.
My brothers cock their heads in near-identical expressions. I can see them working through various scenarios to arrive at how Elias won me over.
Because the man we knew for so long would never betray us, despite what happened at the vault.
Then Rex whistles and throws his head back, laughing. “Elias motherfucking Kent. I should’ve known. You love my sister. All that forced-marriage crap and the damn heist were bullshit. I knew it.”
“I survived,” Maxwell says quietly, understanding clear in his eyes. “Wouldn’t have if you didn’t want me to.”
Elias freezes behind me. Then, a small nod.
Air rushes out of my lungs. The truth I suspected all along lands heavy, but merciful.
Elias was never our enemy.
“I’m sorry,” he rasps.
Maxwell waves him off. “All I care about is what we’re going to do about the situation.”
“We need to lure them out.” Elias straightens. “Get the evidence before they claim it.”
“How do we do that?” I ask as he faces me.
He cups my face, gaze soft, thumb trailing my cheek. “A decoy.”
Chapter 48: THE SURPRISE
Lana’s pacing around theliving room when I descend the stairs.
“Sit down,” Sofia exclaims. “You’re making me dizzy.”
“Easy for you to say,” Lana mutters. “You’re not the one with the target on your back.”
“Maybe I’ve been through worse,” Sofia replies quietly. Something haunted flickers in her eyes.
She flashes Lana a small, sad smile. “I’ve learned that in life-and-death situations, don’t show fear. Don’t let them get to you.”
She taps her temple. “If you’re strong here, you’ll survive anything. Trust me.”
“Boom.” Aleksei whistles under his breath as he strides in. “Security cameras are all clean. No bugs. Nothing unusual.”
“So we just wait?” Lana asks, pacing again, then freezes, gaze darting to Sofia. She sighs and sits. Cece jumps into her arms and purrs as if to comfort her. “Right. Mind games.”
“Elias is right.” Sebastian removes his mask and stares at his laptop. “Going on the offensive. That’s the only logical choice.”
Ren signs something, then looks at Lana and Sebastian. He rolls his eyes, clearly exasperated, and pulls out his phone.
