Ebony stared at me with her eyes wide and her mouth open in shock, like I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had.

“But,” she stammered, unsure what to say herself. “That can’t be true, Elsie. It’s impossible.”

Lowering my gaze, I focussed on the glass of whisky in my trembling hand. “Oh, come on, my mother left me, she didn’t die. Whatever Frank said. It’s definitely not impossible. Implausible maybe, but not impossible. If I’d witnessed her death, then yes, but she’s alive, Ebony, I know it deep down in me. My mother had the very same mole on her eyelid, in the exact same spot as mine. A birthmark, not actually a mole. Sally’s is identical. She’s my sister, Ebony, my blood sister. I know it in my soul… If I still have one.”

Shaking her head in disbelief, she blew out a breath and slumped back in her seat, her scepticism conquered by the blinding truth. “But don’t you find it a coincidence that she’s also now at Three Blades?”

“It’s not a coincidence,” I answered, sharing her thoughts. “It’s no fucking accident. I believe that Frank knows exactly who she is, one of the reasons why he put her under my mentorship.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense. You’ve always been Frank’s favourite, and not just because you’re his best girl.”

The doubts that had been plaguing me for a while now raised their ugly heads again, and I signalled to Benny for another round of drinks. I would need alcohol to subdue the disquiet in my head if I was to get any sleep.

“Fuck!” I hissed when my eyes landed on the last person I would ever have expected to see in Benny’s. “What the hell?”

Ebony, catching my astonishment, turned to look at what had gathered my attention. “Shit, is that Euan Sinclair?”

“Yep.”

“Can today get any freakier? Motherfucking fate is whipping our asses.” She turned back to me quickly when Sinclair glanced our way. “You taking this, or me?”

“We haven’t even initiated a plan yet, and to be honest, I have Sally to think of now. I won’t be able to do my job properly until I’ve sorted out what I’m to do with her.”

“You wanna leave it tonight then? Although it is a great opportunity.”

“I need to get Sally out of there as quickly as possible. If Frank has the faintest suspicion I’ve found out…”

Tugging at my lip with my teeth, Ebony reached over and placed her hand over mine, seeing the uncertainty in my eyes. “You’re the best Blade, Elsie, everyone knows it, but I won’t let you make some silly mistake if your mind isn’t one hundred and fifty percent in focus.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

I was angry with myself though. It would have been an excellent opportunity to slide effortlessly into Sinclair’s life. A few chat-up lines, a small, timid smile his way and…

“Girls,” Benny interrupted my thoughts as he placed two more tumblers of whisky on the table. When Ebony reached for her purse to pay, Benny shook his head. “Courtesy of the gentleman at the bar. He asks if he can join you, Elsie… And,” he paused, a small frown creasing his forehead, “he used your full name. He knows who you are.”

As if the day couldn’t get any worse, my eyes slowly slid closed in surrender, and I sighed. “Why the hell not, Ben.”

He nodded, his expression still full of uncertainty. “If you’re unsure…”

“No, send him over.”

Benny scuttled away, his eyes full of jealousy and concern.

“Mr Sinclair,” I greeted, looking up at the man who approached the table.

He smiled widely, his greeting genuine, but it was the sharpness in his steely grey eyes that gained my attention. Pulling out a chair, he lowered himself into it so gracefully I couldn’t help but lift an eyebrow. He had an air about him, one that demanded attention from everyone around him, yet, I knew, instinctively, that if needed, Euan Sinclair would be able to vanish into the background in a split second. The way his tongue peeked out and he ran it slowly over his bottom lip had the twitch in my veins snapping to attention. His gaze was upon me, but his attention was on every inch of the room, and the way he sat in the chair told me he had a piece in his front left jacket pocket, his position one that would easily enable him to grab it in a heartbeat.

Ebony narrowed her eyes at him, alert to all the same perceptions as me.

“Seems we have some business, Mr Sinclair.”

His thin, pale lips twisted into a smirk, but it was accompanied with a questioning gaze. “We, Miss Grey? You have some business to conclude with me also?”

This time it was my turn to smirk. “Ah, not as informed as I would have taken you for. Although, I must say that disappoints me.”

He nodded, the small smile still portrayed on his lips. “My instincts about you seem to be correct.”

“As are mine, Mr Sinclair. Are you here to kill me, or just maim me?”

His eyes widened in surprise, but not shock. My words didn’t alarm him, and that meant he wasn’t an outsider. “Well, neither actually.”

I pursed my lips, bewildered. “That’s a shame because I’ve been given orders to execute you.”

Genuine perplexity narrowed his eyes. He regarded me, watching me carefully as he tapped his forefinger against his lips. “Really? Well, now it gets interesting.”

“It does. So, how would you like to do this, blades or bullets? Or maybe you’re a melee sort of man?”

He laughed, the sound quite light for such a dark and domineering man. “You mistake me, Elsie. I’m not here to hurt you; I’m here to find you.”

Ebony’s confused gaze shot to mine and she leaned forwards, folding her arms on the table. “What the fuck?”

He smiled at her, respectfully paying her attention, then turned back to me. “I’ve been looking for you for eight months, Miss Grey, and for your sister.”

My heartbeat stuttered, and the breath that left my lungs was cumbersome. “Looking for me? And Sally? Why?”

“Because your grandfather wants to meet you.”

Ebony’s eyes shot to mine, puzzlement and horror glistening in the shimmer of her tears. “But, that can’t be right,” she muttered incredulously on an unsteady breath as her head shook back and forth.

Euan frowned, and shook his head, not comprehending why it seemed so impossible. But it wasn’t impossible; Sally had proved that. “Why can’t that be right? It’s a simple request by Elsie’s grandfather.”

“But… Why?” She licked her dry lips, ignoring his question as the tears in her eyes tumbled over onto her rounded cheekbones. “Fuck, Els. I should have listened to you. I’m so fucking sorry. Shit!”

“Ladies,” Euan cut in. “I’m not sure what the problem is here?”

“It's not an issue you need concern yourself with, Mr Sinclair,” I cut him off sharply.

I needed to get out; I needed air. My throat felt tight, and my ribs were slowly crushing my heart. I gasped, pulling in a sharp breath as I righted my emotions and took control of my body. My heartbeat regulated and my lungs refilled, allowing my mind to clear.

However, it wasn’t calmness that ran through my veins now; it was rage. The wrath that fuelled every single breath I took vibrated in a fury, spilling hatred and vehemence into the air around me.

“Els,” Ebony warned.

My eyes snapped to hers. She saw the malevolence that twisted like a typhoon around me; she felt the wildness and the brutality that spilt from me. But most of all, she saw the hurt and the pain that all the last twenty years had built within me. She watched as it rolled over me until wave after wave of heartbreak ripped the last piece of humanity from me.

“We’ll get her out, Els, I promise. We’ll get her out!”

“Twenty years, Eb. Twenty long fucking years. I’m going to end this shit. Now.”

She nodded, her eyes weary but full of determination. “Together, Sister. But we need to plan this shit. Frank’s smart, he knows.”

“He knows what?”

She scoffed and glanced at Euan before turning back to me. “You think Sinclair’s contract was from an outside source, Elsie? You don’t find it a coincidence that you finally get close to the truth and we get an order to kill the man who has the key to every single one of your lock boxes?”

“That’s why he brought Sally in, to stop Euan finding her! Damn it! He’s gonna pay for this.”

“I’ll go round up the girls.” Ebony shot up out of her seat, rage driving her. I knew what went through her mind, and yes, my Sister loved me to the very core. She would do anything for me, even give her life, but the primary notion powering her now was the hope that she too might have family – a family that was alive and not dead like we’d all been told.

“Listen,” Euan spoke, snapping me from all the theories spinning around my head. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I promised I’d take you to your grandfather.”

Shaking my head, I bent down and snatched up my bag from the floor. “I can’t, not yet. I have something to do first.”

He leaned forwards and placed an arm around my shoulder, shielding us from the room, and I stilled when I felt the press of a blade in my side.

“I don’t think you quite understand, Miss Grey,” he whispered coldly in my ear, his breath on my cheek much warmer than his tone. “Your grandfather does not wait. Not even for you. I have a contract to fulfil, and I for one am not willing to take him on, not unnecessarily anyway, and especially not for you.”

So stupid. I’d let down my guard, agitated over what finally made sense to the many questions I’d had over the last few months, maybe even years. I hadn’t paid enough attention to the man that had brought light to my suspicions, and I’d seen him as an ally.

The angle at which he held the knife gave me no room for movement. He was skilled, that much was evident, he knew I would be unable to get to my own weapon before he would have plunged the knife straight into my lungs.

“I don’t think you understand, Euan.” I lowered my tone, for the first time, my voice holding a plea. “I need to get my sister out of there. Please.”

The room paid no attention to us, to them we were just two people buried in a deep conversation, a couple whispering lovingly to each other.

“Not tonight. Tonight, you’re going to meet your grandfather. Now, we can do this the easy way, or the tough and painful way.”

I had no choice. I needed to be on full form to get Sally out, and if Euan pierced my lungs or any other part of me for that matter, it would make things very difficult.

“Fine!” I relented. “But after, I’m going to make sure I hurt you, Sinclair. A lot!”

He laughed, the amusement lighting up his cold eyes and widening his smile into a grin. “I look forward to it.” He swung his arm to the side, gesturing towards the door. “After you.”

Scowling at him, I stormed towards it, still aware of his blade now sat precisely between my two lower vertebrae. He was good, one simple plunge and a twist and I wouldn’t be walking for a very long time.

Contemplating my next move, I stepped out into the night air. My only hope was to trust myself and rely on my swiftness.

Yet, again, I was outmanoeuvred. I winced when a dull thud hit the back of my skull, and the world went black.