EMMA

When everything around you is so still that you can almost hear a needle dropping, that's when you know that something big is about to happen. Something that will completely shake up your life.

Just like the calm before the storm.

And I had this gut feeling that the storm was right around the corner, and once it hit, nothing was going to be the same again...

What started as "know thine enemy" turned into something I couldn't even begin to comprehend. And on top of that, Jake was one step ahead of me, and I had no clue what he was up to.

Maybe Eric was right, after all. Maybe I had bitten off more than I could chew.

Speaking about Eric. What he did felt like being stabbed in the back by a fellow soldier when I had my full concentration on the enemy lines.

I haven't yet told him that I found out he sold the painting to Vitale. A part of me was hoping he was going to come clean to me and tell me himself and the other part was just too hurt and betrayed to even talk about it, and actually, a little scared as well. I couldn't help but wonder what else he was keeping from me.

But my patience was running out, and since this was already a catch-22 situation, and I knew I might get hurt either way, then what was I waiting for?

Besides, I have never been the type to passively await the storm, surrendering to fate and ready to be swept away into oblivion.

With a surge of determination, I quickly got up from my spot on the bed and walked toward the door of my room, swinging it open. As I looked around the room, my gaze immediately landed on Eric, comfortably seated in the living room. He had his legs casually propped up on the table, with his laptop resting on his lap.

Closing the gap between me and him, I coughed to gain his attention.

He shot me a sidelong glance while still deeply engrossed in typing on his laptop.

But I could tell that his curiosity was piqued. It had been a while since I had initiated any conversation with him, and he knew I was giving him the silent treatment.

"Let me guess..." he said, the corners of his lips tugging upwards, yet he still wasn't looking at me. "Boyfriend drama?"

I could feel my anger rising, so I let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Oh, it's not my actions we're going to be discussing today."

He glanced up and locked eyes with me. It took a moment for him to grasp the seriousness of my expression. He then closed the laptop and put it away.

"Alright, Emma," he said, rubbing his palm over his face. "What is it that you're after?"

"Who did you sell the painting to, Eric?" Please, tell me the truth. I'm giving you a last chance.

I watched as he rolled his eyes. "Why are you so insistent on knowing the buyer's damn identity? He's nothing but an insanely rich dude who's probably having it hung on his insanely lavish mansion to show it off to his insanely rich pals."

His blue eyes were getting darker with every word he spat, and it made me sick.

I saw a wave of regret wash over his face. He then took a deep breath to calm down before saying, "I'm sorry, Emma. I didn't mean to yell at you, but... the whole thing is over. Why can't you just let it go?"

"Let it go?" I snapped. "You're making it sound as if we're out of the woods. Like they've given up on us and stopped digging. But, Eric, I hate to break it to you. They're still after us, just waiting to haul us off to jail. In fact, I think Jake is closer than ever."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Maybe he's closer because you keep pushing his buttons."

I felt anger stirring up in my chest. I was about to yell at him, telling him that was putting my freedom on the line to save both of our asses, but a notification sound coming out of a cell phone interrupted me. It was one of Eric's burner phones.

I couldn't help but notice that Eric flinched slightly when he heard the notification sound. He kept stealing quick glances at the phone on the table, yet, he didn't make any attempt to grab it. His behavior struck me as odd. It almost seemed as if he didn't want to check whatever message he had received in front of me.

Casting a suspicious glance at him, I asked, "Why aren't you checking the phone, Eric?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "It can wait. We still have a conversation to finish."

Rolling my eyes, I sat down on the couch and crossed my legs. "Oh, come on. I'm not in a rush."

Eric's hesitation was evident. With a sigh, he reluctantly reached for the phone and checked it. The moment he did, I noticed his face drain of color.

"What's wrong?"

His gaze remained glued to the phone, but eventually, it met mine. It was as if my question had snapped him out of his daze. He shook his head. "It's nothing."

Nothing, huh?

I quickly jumped up, snatched the phone from his hand, and moved away from his reach, all in a split second, before he had a chance to react.

Luckily, the phone was still on, giving me the chance to read the open message. But the moment I did, I felt like a cold bucket of water had been dumped on me.

I found my voice and asked, "What else does Vitale want from you?"

Eric's eyes widened. "There's no mention of Vitale in that message. How do you know it's him?"

"Come on, Eric, you know me. I wasn't going to rest until I got my answer."

"Then why did you want to hear it from me?"

I smiled bitterly. "Because we don't keep secrets from each other. I was hoping you'd remember that."

Swallowing hard, Eric averted his gaze and said nothing.

I was on the verge of unleashing my fury upon him, ready to shout and make it clear that this was not the time for us to turn against each other. We were already drowning in a sea of troubles, struggling to keep our heads above water. But then, something struck me like a thunderbolt, leaving me momentarily speechless.

I had to read the message again, just to be sure. The sender was telling Eric that "the boss" had another job for him, which is why the sender wanted to meet with Eric. Another job...

The realization hit me like a freight train. Eric never held onto burner phones after completing a job. He always disposed of them immediately after receiving our payment. So why was this time any different?

My mind provided me with an answer instantly, but a part of me refused to believe it.

This job was different from the very beginning. Eric had meticulously planned every detail, leaving no room for doubt. He had an answer to every question I posed, and he was so adamant about me joining him on this job. At first, I thought he might have already secured a buyer, but now I knew the truth. Vitale had specifically hired him for this job.

A storm of emotions raged inside of me, and tears welled up in my eyes. "Vitale hired you, right?" I didn't even give him a chance to respond. I had enough of his lies. "You conned me."

His eyes widened, and he attempted to speak, but his mouth opened and closed repeatedly, failing to utter a single word. Finally, he managed to say, "Emma..."

Shaking my head, I pushed the tears away and said, "Stop. We don't have time for this. What are we going to do?"

"No." Eric shook his head. "There's no 'we' in this. I'll deal with it."

I was about to argue, but he raised his hand, stopping me.

"You know why I didn't tell you, Emma?" he continued. "Because I know I screwed up, and I have to face the consequences on my own."

"What?" I didn't like where he was going. "You can't be seriously thinking about going. You can't put yourself under Vitale's thumb again."

Closing the gap between us, Eric gave me a reassuring look. "I've never met Vitale personally; the entire deal went down through one of his minions, Owen Declan, and he's the guy I'll be meeting. If he comes at me with a new job, my answer's a firm no."

I sighed, not convinced. "He still works for Vitale, and Vitale doesn't take no for an answer."

Eric was well aware of the situation, and I could tell that he was just as concerned as I was, if not more. A bitter smile crossed his face as he spoke, "Not showing up would definitely not sit well with him, either. We can't afford to have any more enemies, especially with the FBI already on our tail."

He leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Don't worry, Em. I'll deal with Declan and find a way to fix this," he reassured me, giving my shoulder a comforting squeeze before grabbing his key off the table and heading toward the door.

When I heard the thudding of the door, I felt as if the mask I had on smashed into little tiny pieces. Tears rolled down my face, and I collapsed onto the couch, a heavy feeling weighing down on my chest.

There was an unexplained tension settling in the pit of my stomach, a sense of foreboding that echoed through my mind like a distant storm rumbling on the horizon. It was as if unseen forces were whispering in my ear, warning me that something big, something ominous, was about to happen.

Without thinking, I found myself reaching for my phone. I unlocked it and scrolled through my contacts list until I found Jake's name. Those same unseen forces were also telling me I had to call him.

I hesitated for a moment, my finger hovering over his name on my phone screen. We were used to calling each other and having random chats, but this time was different. I knew he was at work, and I couldn't help but worry that calling him now might come across as strange.

However, I knew I had to call him. Jake held the power to unleash the storm that would wreak havoc on my life.

Taking a deep breath, I finally pressed the call button. The phone seemed to ring for longer than usual, but maybe it was just my own heart pounding with anticipation that made it feel that way.

The ringing finally stopped, and a bustling background of chatter and activity filled the air before Jake's deep voice came through. "Hey, Emma."

My thoughts stuttered for a moment. I just figured that I had to come up with a reason why I was calling him while he was at work. "Hey Jake, I, uh... was wondering if you might have some free time today. There's this new restaurant I've got an invitation to, and I thought it would be fun if you could join me."

Smooth, Emma. Well, except for the fact that I just asked him out...

"Man, I would've loved to," Jake replied, sounding a bit apologetic. "But, sorry, Emma, I can't make it today. I can't give you all the details right now, but something major's going down at work. If things go as planned, I might just crack that massive case I told you about, and I'll take you out so we can celebrate together."

It felt as though my life had been abruptly halted as if someone had pressed the pause button on the very essence of my existence. The world around me faded into silence, drowning out even the sound of my own heartbeat. How did I manage to end that call with Jake? Did I wish him luck, perhaps? Luck in capturing my own brother, maybe...

My instinct had never steered me wrong before, and this time was no exception. I couldn't shake the feeling that this could never be a coincidence. The timing was too perfect. Just as Declan unexpectedly requested to meet Eric, Jake was on the verge of a major breakthrough in the case. Coincidences weren't part of my belief system, and I certainly wasn't about to start believing in them now.

Without wasting a moment, I quickly dialed Eric's number, my fingers trembling with urgency. He picked up on the first ring, his voice filled with curiosity and concern.

"What's the matter, Emma?"

I unleashed my panic upon him. "You have to come back immediately, Eric. You're walking right into an FBI trap!"

"Wait, what?"

"Just trust me and come back, please," I pleaded, and I didn't realize I was crying until I heard my voice breaking.

"Alright, alright, I'm on my way back. Just try to calm down."

With that, we hung up. I knew we just dodged a bullet, but the weight of the close call overwhelmed me, and I allowed myself to break down.

I was scared that the storm was getting closer, but the harsh truth hit me—it had already arrived in full force. Our only option was to give it our all and refuse to be merely swept away, becoming victims of its wrath...