Adria stood, bringing the book closer to her face and angling it slightly. There was an embossment of sorts. Her finger traced the worn page.
She went into the study and grabbed a pencil.
With soft movements, she etched on the surface of the paper, soft deliberate strokes until the image revealed itself.
She frowned. “It’s a mountain?”
Eric stood behind her. “What does it mean?”
Adria wasn’t sure. “Maybe a family crest?”
“What does Farias have to do with the mountains?” Eric said.
“I don’t know.”
Adria wanted to dismiss it as a frivolity, a meaningless symbol, except something about the image nagged at her mind. Like a memory that she just couldn’t place.
Eric’s phone vibrated, and he stepped away, taking the call.
“Yes,” he said, answering it.
“Who?” he asked, moving his gaze to Adria.
“One sec.” He pressed the phone against his broad chest. “An Elena Kings is here to see you.”
CHAPTER 6
NORTH CAROLINA
Elena was shorter than she was; Adria estimated she was just shy of five feet. Her fiery red hair was in a stylized ponytail off to the side.
She looked different from the last time Adria had seen her.
Adria greeted her with a smile and welcomed her inside. All the while trying to discern what was different about the girl.
“Where are they?” Elena said, stepping into the foyer, removing her sunglasses.
Adria was speechless. It wasn’t until Eric said, “Perhaps the two of you would like to have some tea in the garden room?” that she found her voice.
“Where are who?”
The woman marched into her space, her perky breasts bouncing with each stomp of her little feet. When she was inches from Adria, she poked Adria in the shoulder.
Eric put an arm out, but Adria waved him away.Shecould handle the redhead.
“My brother and his two fuckboy boyfriends. I want to know where they are right now. I don’t care who you are, lady. Justknow if you keep standing in my way, there is gonna be trouble,” Elena said, leaning menacingly into Adria’s face.
Two things occurred to Adria simultaneously.
One was Elena had tattoos. Her color was threatening.
That’s what was different.
Elena was a made woman. She was Sota’s Vice Regent.
It was obvious now that the girl had hidden her colors at the auction.
There was another mark. A snowflake on her neck—the image rattled around in Adria’s head.
