Chapter 19

EMERSON

Emerson gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled intensity as she drove through the rain-soaked streets. The windshield wipers swished back and forth, a feeble attempt to clear her vision. She quickly realized it was the tears streaming down her face that made everything a blur. She could barely see the road, her sobs coming in gasping, heaving bursts. Her heart ached with the weight of Viktor’s accusation, the betrayal slicing through her like a knife.

How could he even think that of her?

How could he believe she had stolen from him? Sure, she’d seen the egg in the case and wondered if it was the Nécessaire egg. She figured in time, he’d tell her, but to think she would steal it? Forgetting for a moment about the level of dishonesty that would take, who the hell did he think she’d sell it to?

The memory of his eyes, cold and accusing, haunted her. She had trusted him, believed in him. She’d believed that even though things were moving fast, they had a solid foundation. Now? Now, everything was crumbling. The Fabergé egg was worth a fortune, and without it, Viktor wouldn’t just cut his ties to her—he’d press charges. Emerson’s chest tightened at the thought of her sisters, their lives disrupted by her supposed crime. Would their business even survive?

The car skidded slightly as she turned into the driveway too quickly, having splashed through puddles and rain-drenched streets. Emerson sat in the car for a moment at the bottom of the steps, trying to gather herself, but the tears wouldn’t stop. She punched the steering wheel in frustration, a cry of anguish ripping from her throat. Taking a deep breath, she wiped her eyes and stepped out of the car, the hot, humid rain mixing with her tears.

Inside the house, the atmosphere was thick and heavy as the temperature outside. Her sisters, Tegan and Kendra, were waiting. The moment Emerson walked through the door, their concerned expressions turned to confusion.

“Emerson?” asked Kendra. “What are you doing back so soon? What happened?”

Emerson shook her head, just wanting to go upstairs and calm herself. She needed to think, and she couldn’t do that in the state she was in.

“Emerson,” Tegan’s voice was quiet, but her eyes were angry. “What happened? We thought you were meeting Viktor.”

Emerson entered their office and collapsed on the couch, her body shaking. “He thinks I stole his Fabergé egg.”

“He has a… wait, that doesn’t matter. That sonofabitch accused you of stealing from him. Did he call the cops?” asked Kendra, her face twisted with rage.

Emerson laughed, knowing her voice sounded a bit hysterical. “I don’t think so. He told me we would be getting married.”

“He what?” Kendra cried angrily.

“Yep. He said that way he couldn’t be forced to testify against me.”

“The bastard. Was it even a Fabergé egg?” asked Tegan.

“I didn’t examine it,” said Emerson, “but from what I did see of it, it looked genuine. In fact, I think it might be the missing Nécessaire egg.”

Kendra whistled. “Too bad you didn’t steal it. We could fence that puppy and tell Toney to take his money and shove it up his ass.”

“Kendra,” Tegan and Emerson exclaimed in unison.

“What? You know I’m right, but we all know Emerson didn’t take it.”

“Which begs the question, who did?” said Emerson.

Tegan knelt beside Emerson, her voice softening with concern. “We’ll figure this out, Em. We know you didn’t do it. We just have to find a way to prove it.”

Kendra paced the room, her fists clenched. “We need to find out who took it. Why did he think it was you?”

“I have no idea,” answered Emerson.

“I can’t believe he’d just accuse you without evidence,” offered Tegan.

“There is no evidence,” said Kendra.

“Kendra, she didn’t mean it that way.”

“Of course I didn’t.” Tegan looked at Emerson, her expression fierce and determined. “But we’re not going to let him or his stupid accusations ruin your life. We’ll figure this out; then you can kick him in the balls.”

Emerson laughed again, this time not sounding hysterical. “Been there; done that. I punched him in the nuts before I left the restaurant.”

Her sisters glanced at each other and then began to laugh with her. Emerson felt a flicker of hope amid the anguish from Viktor’s accusation. Her sisters’ unwavering support was her lifeline in the storm. She nodded, taking a deep, shaky breath. “Okay. Let’s figure this out.”

“Who had a reason to frame you?” asked Tegan, sitting down at her desk, her fingers dancing across her keyboard.

“Well, Oliver Toney was trying to force us to give him Ravenel Reliance.”

“Yeah, but he already has that document to use against us. No, it has to be someone else.”

Kendra nodded, “But who could get in there? Fort Knox doesn’t have the level of security that his office and apartment have.”

Emerson nodded. “And the Fabergé egg was personal.”

Emerson realized Tegan had gone into the zone. She was busy making her computer jump through hoops.

“His firewalls and encryption may be good, but I’m better.”

As the rain continued to pour outside, the three sisters huddled together, forming a united front against whoever it was who threatened Emerson, their family, and their business. Emerson’s heart still ached, but the fierce love and determination in her sisters’ eyes gave her strength.

Emerson paced the office—more prowling than pacing—her mind racing. She couldn’t let it rest. Viktor’s accusation gnawed at her, his belief that she could have done this like a thorn in her side.

Tegan looked up, grinning at her systems. “I’m in.”

“You’re in where?” Emerson asked suspiciously.

“Viktor’s system. Where did you think?”

Emerson groaned and Kendra chuckled.

“Pulling up his security feed…” said Tegan. “Oh shit.”

Kendra and Emerson joined her, standing behind her office chair.

“Holy crap,” gasped Tegan. “I mean, at least I can see why he thought it might be you.”

“But it isn’t,” said Kendra, looking more closely. “T, back it up.”

They waited until Tegan had rewound the recording.

“There,” Emerson said, pointing to the monitor.

They watched in silence as a figure moved through Viktor’s study, carefully removing the Fabergé egg from its display.

“That’s not me,” Emerson said, her voice shaking with relief and anger.

Tegan paused the video, zooming in on the figure. “Let’s take a closer look. There has to be something that Viktor missed.”

They scrutinized the video, frame by frame. The woman in the footage was wearing a hoodie—Emerson’s hoodie—it obscured most of her features, but there was something familiar about her movements. Emerson’s heart pounded as she leaned closer to the screen.

“Wait,” she said, pointing. “Rewind it again, focus on the glass case.”

Tegan rewound the footage, and they all stared at the case. The thief’s face was reflected in the glass. Tegan’s fingers flew across the keyboard as she closed in on and sharpened the features of the face revealed. Emerson recognized her immediately.

“It’s the housekeeper. Viktor’s housekeeper, Agata,” Emerson whispered, a mix of relief and fury flooding her. “I’d recognize that bitch’s face anywhere.”

Kendra’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Emerson replied. “She’s been with Viktor for years. He’d never suspect her, especially if she dressed in my clothes, which, by the way, is creepy.”

Tegan quickly saved a copy of the footage, then shut down her laptop. “You have to show this to Viktor. He needs to know the truth.”

Emerson nodded, her resolve hardening. “He will. And the sonofabitch is going to be the one on his knees, begging me to forgive him for doubting me.”

Emerson changed into jeans and a sweater, tucking the jeans into a pair of cowboy boots.

“Viktor is going to hate that outfit,” said Kendra with a smile.

“I know, now ask me if I care,” Emerson said, taking the thumb drive Tegan handed her.

Emerson drove her truck to the Carriage House, the video evidence on the flash drive, tucked safely into her bra. She punched the code into the keypad for the private elevator. As the door opened, Agata, unaware of the evidence tucked inside Emerson’s bra, looked surprised to see her, but covered quickly with a polite smile.

“Hello, Ms. Ravenel. I don’t believe Viktor is expecting you.”

Emerson forced a smile. “Maybe not, but I believe you’ll find he’ll want to see me.”

“Agata?” he said, coming out from the bedroom. He looked past her to see Emerson. At first his expression softened, then a dark mask fell over his features.

Emerson dropped to her knees, deciding he was already dangerously close to losing control—control that was essential to his well-being. She bowed her head, her ponytail falling over one shoulder as she placed her hands on her thighs, palms up. Viktor stood in front of her. All she could see were his boots and even they were sexy.

“You punched me,” he said softly.

“I will call the police, Mr. Romanov,” said Agata.

“May I speak, Master?” she said, realizing how much she’d missed him even in the few hours she’d been furious with him.

“Now you’re going to obey me? Eyes up here, Emerson.”

She raised her head, staring into his eyes. “I don’t have the egg. I never did.”

“The recording…”

“I know what you saw. I have a copy of the pertinent part. I believe if you will allow me to show you, you’ll find it was Agata dressed in my clothes who took your precious egg.” Emerson shot Agata a look. “By the way, you can keep those. I’ll never wear them again.”

VIKTOR

Emerson was not reacting the way he’d thought she would: wailing and pleading for his forgiveness. Instead of running after her like a lovesick swain, he’d been conducting his own investigation. When he’d slowed the tape down, it had been obvious the thief wasn’t Emerson. She didn’t move with Emerson’s strength and grace. How was he going to make this up to her?

“How dare you?” Agata said, raising her hand as if to strike Emerson.

“Touch a hair on her head, and I will kill you,” said Viktor in a tone of voice that made the Arctic look like it was having a heatwave. “After a more careful and critical look at the recording, I have come to the same conclusion. Why, Agata?”

“Because she isn’t good enough for you. Her and her deviant ways…”

“They are my deviant ways, as well, Agata.”

“That is different. You are a man and a Romanov; you cannot control the beast that lives within you. It is one of the weaknesses of the male line of your family. It and the English disease have always been a part of your lineage.”

“Nice try. Hemophilia travels on the female side. Where is the egg?”

“I will give it back to you, and all will be well,” said Agata.

Viktor could see Emerson’s growing anger and knew she was about to strike. He placed his hand on the top of her head. “Hush, malenkaya. I will handle this. You know, Agata, I would almost believe you if it weren’t for your lock-picking and security system disarming skills. KGB—or whatever they call themselves these days—or perhaps the Bratva?”

“Never,” spat Agata. “You are working with MI-6 and those who wish to hurt Mother Russia.”

“I no longer work for MI-6.”

“No. Now you work for Cerberus. You are a Romanov. You could be a symbol to our people who have waited so long.”

“You are fucking delusional,” said Emerson, batting his hand away and getting to her feet. “You tried to frame me, you bitch.”

Before Emerson could do or say more, Agata produced a knife and waved it back and forth. “If you will not return to your people, your death will be used as a sign for our people to rise up and take back our country from those who ruined it.”

Outside, the storm had increased in intensity. Intermittent flashes of lightning streaked across the sky in brief, stark bursts. Before Viktor could react, Agata lunged at him, the knife aimed for his chest. Viktor instinctively grabbed a heavy book from the small table beside him, blocking the strike, the knife's blade skidding over the cover. He shoved the book at her, forcing her back a step.

"Agata, stop!" Viktor shouted, trying to reach her through the haze of her fury. "Emerson get out of here."

Agata seemed determined and beyond reason. Viktor wondered how and when that had happened. Had she always been that way and he’d just somehow missed it? Then he had no time to ponder anything. His sole focus became keeping Emerson safe.

With a snarl, Agata swung the knife again, and Viktor sidestepped, the blade slicing through the air inches from his face. He used her unbalanced maneuver against her, using her inertia to push her shoulder, shoving her to the side and making her stumble.

Agata recovered quickly, her eyes wild. She lunged again, and this time Viktor managed to catch her wrist, struggling to disarm her. They grappled, the knife dangerously close to Viktor's throat. Agata was not only surprisingly strong but nimble. With a surge of strength, Viktor twisted her arm, and the knife clattered to the floor.

Agata screamed in rage and pain, using her free hand to claw at Viktor's face. He jerked his head back as her nails raked his cheek, but he didn't let go. He shoved her back, and they both fell to the ground, knocking over a large standing urn which went crashing to the floor, breaking into large pieces on impact.

Both scrambled for the knife, Viktor reaching it first. He managed to fling it across the room, out of reach. Agata's eyes flashed with desperation as she dove at him again, fists flying. Viktor managed to shove her hard enough that she slammed into the bookcase and slid to the floor.

"Agata, it's over!" Viktor shouted, his breath becoming labored. "Stop!"

Agata struggled beneath him, her strength waning. Tears streamed down her face, her rage giving way to despair. "You ruined everything," she sobbed. "You were to be our great hope. Your wealth… and the eggs. Gone. It’s all gone."

The dimly lit room felt like a pressure cooker, every second stretching into what seemed like an eternity. Viktor rolled from her so that there was space between them. Even the thought of touching her was repugnant to him. She lay still for a moment until a subtle movement by Emerson caught Agata's sharp gaze. Desperation flickered in her eyes, and she made a frantic lunge for the knife on the table, her breath ragged with urgency.

In one swift motion, Agata seized the knife and sprang toward Emerson. Before Emerson could react, Agata yanked her back, the cold blade pressed against her throat. Emerson's eyes widened in shock, her body stiffening against Agata's iron grip.