Page 144 of The Wrong Brother

“And now you’re doing it again.”

My jaw tightens. “I’m not.”

“You are.”

“No.”

“Then who is he?”

There’s something smug in her voice that makes me hesitate.

I should lie.

I know I should.

Instead, I hear myself answer honestly: “His name is Ruslan Smirnov.”

But she already knows that, it dawns on me as I slowly put the bag of flour back on the shelf. Matty is too smart not to have looked into him already. Which means?—

“Get away from him.”

Her voice is cold and flat. Resolute.

“What?”

“I said, get away from him.”

“What are you talking about?” My voice slips out sounding weak, a bad cover for acting like I have no idea what she’s talking about—because I knowexactlywho Ruslan Smirnov is. I signed a contract with the devil. And if Matty knew, she might turn the predator into the prey.

“You need to leave.”

“Why?”

“Emma.”

“No. Tell me why.” Part of me doesn’t want to believe she’s actually figured it out.

“Because he’s Bratva.”

The grocery store disappears around me. The chatter of other shoppers, the music playing softly overhead, even Frank’s leanframe shifting from foot to foot a few yards away. It all narrows when I hear Matty say it out loud.

“How do you know that?Didyou actually hire a PI?”

“I can’t tell you.”

My eyes narrow because there’s a different tone to her voice, an undertone; an edge of anxiety.

“Matty. How do you know?”

“I just do. Why don’tyousound surprised?”

My pulse begins hammering. All this time I’ve been out here thinking I could get away with this somehow—keep my “real” life and this life separate. Keep running, banking on being the least-favorite daughter so they’d never ask questions.

“Emma—”

“You knew who he was before I told you?”

She exhales heavily. “I’ve heard the name.”