Page 115 of Jetmir

“I don’t even want to ask what kind of ideas.” But then her smile turned sincere. “You deserve her and I’m so fucking happy for you.”

“Thank you.” I cleared my throat, slightly uncomfortable with my display of emotions. Elira and I went through a lot of things together, but we rarely showed our emotions anymore. When we were children, yes. Adulthood taught us to hide them. “I want you to find that too. I want you to be happy.”

A shadow crossed her face, but she schooled it too fast for me to zero on it.

“Maybe one day,” she said vaguely.

I let out a slow breath.

“You deserve to find love, Elira. I’m going to struggle to accept any man in your life and probably criticize him and glare at him at every turn.” Shit, that would make me like my father-in-law. I guess we were more alike than I cared to admit. Ignoring that newfound revelation, I continued, “Loving Anya has taught me that we are worthy of just as much happiness as anyone else. It doesn’t matter who our ancestors are or what they’ve done. Their sins aren’t ours.”

“I’m so happy Anya finally saw you for the good man you are. She loves you very much, after all she chose you over her own family.”

It had been a month since Raphael held the gun to my head on that island and every day I wake up in disbelief. Anya really chose me.

Elira’s smile grew and she scoffed. “I knew it.”

My brows furrowed. “You knew what?”

“That you’d become pathetic.” Then she grinned. “I’m sorry, I had to ruin the moment. It was getting too emotional.”

I shook my head.

“Nothing anyone says or does will ruin any of my moments with Anya.”

She grew somber again. “Then hold onto her.”

“I intend to.”

For a moment, we simply looked at each other. We’d spent our whole lives depending on each other, and it meant a lot that she was happy for me.

Before I could tell her all that, a sudden noise came from somewhere behind her.

My smile disappeared and her expression sharpened. “What was that?”

“Nothing.” She glanced toward whatever had made the sound. “Jet, I have to go.”

My stomach dropped.

“No.”

“I’ll call you.”

“Wait—”

“I love you.”

“Sis—”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Then the screen went black.

My instincts screamed that something was wrong, but maybe Elira promised she would ask for help if she needed it. Right?

I stared at my reflection on the blank screen and was reaching for my phone to call her when I heard footsteps approaching.