Page 47 of In the Dark

“It’s true, Jas.” I tried to be honest with a soft voice.

Her eyes held fire as she glared at me. “That girl’s a baby. He wouldn’t have …”

“Are you saying you don’t know the business your family runs?”

“I know every part of the business.”

I searched her eyes for the lie. She didn’t even blink. She held my gaze with so much honesty, I believed her.

I sighed as the knot in my stomach coiled tighter. “I can provide you with all the evidence that Lex and Paolo had been trafficking—”

Her posture straightened like she needed to stand taller. “We would never. We left that business to the Iri—”

Mia spoke around Jameson and me now. “I wouldn’t lie. I wouldn’t go after another woman had I thought she could be saved.”

“You took her life?” Jas sounded shocked.

“I’m not proud of it, but I’d do it again. She wasn’t meant to live with the way she took advantage of Fran, but if you were friends, I’m sorry I took her from you.”

“We weren’t,” Jasmina answered slowly, like she was measuring how much she could divulge as she chewed her cheek. “And my uncle?”

Mia sighed, and her eyes glistened as she said, “That wasn’t my doing. Jameson, though I love him, may get a little out of hand when it comes to people threatening his family.”

Jameson hummed. “As I should, Darling.”

She tsked. “The repercussions of our actions obviously affected someone, Jameson. We have to acknowledge—”

“I acknowledge that the love of my life and my daughter are safe. That’s it.” He turned to Jasmina. “You understand they’ll always be safe. I’ll make sure of that. Right?”

Jas’s gaze held his. “You protect your family. I protect mine.”

We were all silent, but I think a quiet respect passed between us before my brother nodded at her and murmured to Mia that she should give us space.

“Fine. I do think your cat and our bunny would get along, if you happen to want to go for a walk sometime.”

“A walk? I don’t walk my cat.”

Mia wouldn’t be deterred. “Oh, he’d probably love it. Our bunny does.”

I think Jasmina was so taken aback she just said “okay” slowly and let Mia and Jameson walk back down the stairs.

Then she turned to me and said, “I want all the evidence you have on my uncle trafficking immediately.”

“Have a meal with me, and I’ll drive you to the police station where they’ll give you every piece of evidence you want.”

She grabbed her purse from the vanity before saying, “Let’s make it quick.”

12

Jasmina

I LOOKED DOWN AT my cutoff jean shorts and loose-fitting gray sweater that I’d crocheted myself as I followed my soon-to-be husband out of my room, trying my best to keep my emotions from spiraling out of control.

“I don’t care about eating anything when you’re accusing my family of shady business—”

“Paolo was always shady with everything he did, Jas. Don’t act like you don’t know that.”

I hated the way my gut twisted and dropped. Fucking Paolo had always done what was best for him and for Lex first rather than thinking of anyone else.