“It’s true,” she insisted.
That got her a husky laugh. “Again, bullshit.” The woman’s hard expression softened, but her next round of laughter was mocking as hell. “Give it up already, will you? I know you’re from the city.”
Hudson froze. “What?”
“Come on, honey. Do I look like an idiot to you? I knew it from the moment I met you. Citizens are ridiculously easy to spot.” Her next pause lasted long enough to rattle Hudson even more. “Besides… you have his eyes.”
A chill flew up her spine and turned her veins to ice. “W-whose eyes?” she stammered.
Tamara examined the room as if to make sure no one was paying attention to them, then turned back and murmured, “Dominik. You look exactly like him.”
Hudson’s pulse took off in a breakneck gallop.
“No,” she said weakly. “You’re wrong.”
“Your features are softer, yes. Your hair’s a shade lighter. But you two are definitely related.” Tamara shrugged. “Last time you were here, I wondered why nobody else noticed the resemblance, but then I realized that not many people have ever actually seen Dominik. They know of him, and they’re scared of him, but how fucking silly is that? Being scared of a person you’ve never even met. It’s ludicrous.”
Hudson could barely hear what the other woman was saying. Her head was spinning. Her muscles were paralyzed. Tamara knew who she was.
Tamara knew.
“You’ve gotta be his sister, huh?”
She started to feel light-headed. What if Tamara told Connor? What if —
“Relax, Hudson. If I were going to out you, don’t you think I’d have done it by now? I know you’re living with Con and the boys. I could have easily sent a message their way if I’d wanted to.”
She finally found her voice, but it was unsteady, weakened by defeat. “Why haven’t you?”
Tamara looked like she was fighting a smirk. “So you’re not denying it, then?”
“What’s the point? You’ve already decided you’re right. But listen, whatever you think you know —”
“I don’t think I know. I know. Period.” The smirk broke free. “And your reaction confirmed it.” Tamara slammed her whiskey glass into Hudson’s shaky hand. “Drink. You look like you need it.”
She did. She really, really did.
She practically inhaled the alcohol. It burned a path straight to her gut, but no amount of warmth could thaw the block of ice that she’d become.
“So… his sister?” Tamara asked cheerfully.
“Twin,” she whispered.
The woman nodded.
Hudson gulped some more whiskey. “Why haven’t you told anyone?”
“Because I’m a good businesswoman, and I understand that everything holds value. You want to know what holds the most value? Secrets.”
That smug tone was irritating as hell. “What do you want from me?”
“At the moment? Nothing. That’s another reason I’m so good at what I do – I look at the big picture, play the long game. Short-term gains mean nothing, not in this world.”
Hudson was officially sick to her stomach, and not because she’d downed a full glass of whiskey in ten seconds flat. The thought that Tamara might hold this over her head – indefinitely – sent a wave of nausea spiraling up to her throat.
“Don’t worry,” Tamara assured her. “I’ll give you fair notice before I come collecting. And you know what? Just because I feel terrible for upsetting you, I’ll get your meds for free – how about that? No repayment necessary.”
“Oh, gee,” Hudson said sarcastically. “Thank you.”
“Don’t look at me like that. I promise you, I can be a very good ally to you if you let me.” She smiled broadly. “I’ve got your back, Hudson.”
She had her back? Yeah, right. She had a gun to Hudson’s head was more like it, and she could pull the trigger whenever it suited her.
The queasiness got worse, churning and twisting her insides until Hudson was afraid she might actually throw up. She breathed deeply, trying to keep the nausea at bay and steady her frantic heartbeat. Panicking wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Tamara would keep her mouth shut, at least for the time being, so there was no reason to freak out right now.
She had to relax. And breathe. And figure out how to silence her new ally.
For good.
16
There weren’t many official marriages in the free land, not unless one or both parties happened to still believe in religion, which had been the case with Connor’s wife.