Page 98 of Papers Don't Lie

Kiaran shuffles the hair on the back of his head, looking like he’s hiding something. I squint my eyes at him. “What do you know?”

He instantly sighs. “It’s not what I know, it’s what I saw.”

My body immediately turns rigid. “Show me," I demand, stepping closer to him.

Kiaran sighs, taking his time to take his phone from his pocket and sliding a few times before turning the device to me. The moment my eyes lay on the intimate photo with Esmeray and Carter at a restaurant, his hand on hers, I see red. Angry, burning red.

“What the fuck is this?” I spit out, even though I know my brothers have nothing to do with this. “Where is this?"

“Relax,” Tristan intervenes as Ryker drops back on the couch.

“Relax? I’m fuming.” I grit my teeth. “She wanted to be with him.” I point at the screen, hitting it with my finger a few times. “I’ve done all this for nothing.”

Tristan takes a step forward, taking the phone from my hands and returning it to Kiaran before he places a palm on my shoulder. “I said relax because you can't see her face. Maybe he forced her. You can’t know.”

The tension in my body eases a bit at the thought, but it’s not enough. I’m so fucking sick of the doubts that crawl themselves into my mind, coming up with scenarios I can’t digest.

I open my mouth to reply to him, but my phone rings in my pocket.

“Find out where she was,” I tell them before walking away and picking up the phone. “Yes, who’s this?” I ask, not recognizing the number. Hope blooms in my chest that Esmeray might call me to tell me she wants to come back home, but the voice talking is nothing but familiar.

“Hi, um, I’m Raven. Esmeray’s sister,” she explains.

“I know who you are. I was actually on my way to you,” I admit, surprised by the timing she chose to call me.

“No, no, please don’t. Can I come there? I’m right down the street.”

“Please do,” I say.

“Be there in five.”

I hang up the phone, threading a hand through my hair. We have to get her back, or I need to at least talk to her. Maybe I can convince her to come back if she was the one who wanted to leave. It’s been two weeks since she left, and I can’t function properly anymore. I’m no one without her.

With slow and calculated steps, I go back to the living room and wait for her to come.

“Who called?” Kiaran asks.

“Raven, if you can believe it,” I explain, pacing around the room. “Did you find out where that photo was taken?” My head snaps to them, but Kiaran is the one to reply.

He shakes his head, sighing. “No, the source didn’t want to mention it to protect their privacy.”

My head bobs in a nod, and I call at the gates to let Raven in, eager for her to get here. I’m sure she knows where Esmeray is, and there’s no other explanation for her visit unless she wants to tell me. Fucking hell, if she tells me where Esmeray is, I’ll do anything she asks me to. Anything, no matter if it’s out of my power or not.

If Raven is the one bringing my wife back, I’ll give her my life. She can ask for anything, and it’s hers.

Finally, the door at the entrance squeaks open, and Raven, who looks so much like her sister but taller, with no bow in her hair, steps inside hesitantly when she notices my brothers.

“They can leave if you want them gone,” I say and walk to her.

She shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. Thank you.”

I nod, and we walk together to the couch. She takes a seat on one of the chairs, glancing at my brothers. They are intimidating, so I can’t blame her for keeping as much distance as possible.

“It’s—” she starts, but I don’t have enough patience.

“Do you know where Esmeray is?" I ask, jumping to the subject.

She puts a brown strand of hair under her ear, nodding. “Yes, but I want something in return.”