by Kate Serine
I propped my chin on my hand, watching him open and close cabinet doors and rummage through the pantry until he found everything he was looking for. Twenty minutes later, he set a steaming mug of hot chocolate in front of me along with a plate of herbed cheeses, crackers, and an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.
“Sorry it’s not more,” he said with a shrug of apology. “I’m not exactly a gourmet.”
I offered him a grateful smile. “This is perfect. Thank you.”
I took a sip of the hot chocolate, loving the path of warmth it left as it traveled down my throat and into my stomach. But that heat was nothing to what lanced through me when Nicky scooted the other bar stool close to mine and took a seat next me, silently sipping at his own mug, his elbow touching mine, his fingertips occasionally brushing against my own when we happened to reach for the same strawberry or slice of cheese. And when the food was gone and our mugs were empty, we remained there in companionable silence, elbow to elbow, shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee. At some point, I leaned my head against his shoulder, and I heard him sigh before he dipped his head to press a lingering kiss to my curls.
It was a perfect moment. One of the few in my life up to that point. I wish I could’ve frozen that moment in time, kept it from ever moving on, but eventually I heaved a sigh of my own and lifted my head.
“Nicky,” I whispered, not sure what I planned to say next. I think I honestly just wanted to hear his name on my lips. But when I caught a glimpse of his dark frown, I knew our moment was over.
“I need to go out for a while,” he announced suddenly, gathering up the dishes and carrying them to the sink. “Will you be okay here by yourself?”
“Where are you going?” I replied, ignoring his question.
He shrugged evasively. “Just out. I have some things to take care of.”
The edge of his voice told me what he had in mind. “You’re going hunting,” I guessed. “You’re going out looking for Dracula.”
He glanced my way and I could tell he was about to lie to me, deny what he was planning, but he must’ve thought better of it. “Yeah. But the first thing I want to do is pay a visit to Happy Endings and find out how the hell Aloysius knew to take off from Halloran’s before the Agency showed up.”
“Maybe it was just a coincidence,” I suggested.
“Maybe,” Nicky agreed. “But I plan to ask him anyway. And I don’t plan on asking nicely.”
I hopped down from the bar. “Then I’m going with you.”
“No way,” he shot back. “You’re staying here where it’s safe.”
“You have no idea if it’s safer here than anywhere else,” I countered. “I was attacked in my apartment—up until then, I’d thought it was pretty safe, too.”
“This is different,” he mumbled, rinsing out our mugs. “You have no idea what I’ve seen when hunting.”
“Don’t I?” I said, coming over to stand at his elbow. “You don’t think I’ve seen some pretty freaky shit over the years?”
“It’s not open for discussion,” he insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument. Too bad I wasn’t listening.
“This is my job, Nicky,” I reminded him. “I’m supposed to help bring down the bad guys. You don’t think the crime scenes I visit have the potential for danger? It’s what I’m trained to deal with. If anyone should be staying at home, it’s you! You need to stay out of it and leave things to the professionals.”
At this his eyes went wide. “The professionals? Because you guys are doing such a bang-up job bringing Drac down?”
I pressed my lips together, trying to bite back my angry retort.
I counted to five as he went around me to grab his jacket, then
said between clenched teeth, “You are going to get yourself killed.”
“I’m not the one I’m worried about getting killed!” he retorted, his voice so loud it echoed in the enormous kitchen. “I’m not letting you come with me. It’s too dangerous!”
I slapped my hands on my hips. “You can’t be serious!”
“Serious as a heart attack.” He shrugged into his jacket. “You’re staying here and that’s final.”
“Goddamn it!” I yelled, slamming my palm down on the counter. “Stop treating me like a child!”
He jerked back a little at my accusation. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not treating you like a child.”
“The hell you aren’t!” I stomped toward him, hands back on my hips. “What with the whole crush thing in the car. Crush, Nicky? I’m not a little schoolgirl who has crushes, okay? And you’re always ‘doll’ this and ‘honey’ that! Then there’s the tugging on my ringlets. I know they look ridiculous, okay?” My hands were flailing around now in frustration. “I know I look like a naive little girl because of the freaking ringlets, but I’m a grown woman, Nicky. In case you hadn’t noticed, I have boobs and everything. Oh, and by the way—they’re really nice ones!”
My chest was heaving from my angry—and somewhat incoherent—outburst as I stared at him, waiting for him to respond. But he just returned my gaze, his expression blank. Then his lips twitched at the corners and his eyes twinkled. “I’ve noticed,” he said finally.
I frowned. “What have you noticed?”
He sauntered toward me, his lips curving into a full-blown grin now. When his body was just inches from mine, he slipped his arm around me and pulled me closer. “I’ve noticed you’re a grown woman,” he said, his voice low. His gaze flicked down to my chest, which was heaving now for another reason. “That you’re all woman.”
“Yeah?” I managed to choke out. “In spite of my ringlets?”
“I like your ringlets.”
“You do?”
He nodded and dipped his head until his lips were near my ear. “But you’re still not going with me.” He chuckled and abruptly released me, no doubt planning to leave me all gaspy and breathless, but two could play this game.
Before he could walk away, my hand shot out and I grabbed the front of his shirt, jerking him back to me. His eyes went wide as I leaned into him, pressing my body into his. “Nicky,” I whispered, my mouth close to his. God, it was torture not to lean all the way in and steal the searing kiss that was smoldering in the air between us. But that wasn’t part of the game. “You need me.”
His powerful body shuddered a little as he swallowed hard and ground out, “Yeah?”
“Mmm-hmm,” I replied as I slid my hand into the pocket of his jeans, eliciting a hissed curse from him. “You just don’t realize how badly.”
His voice was shot to hell when he said, “Oh, I think I know, doll.”
“Good.” My fingers closed around his car keys and jerked them out of his pocket at the same moment I pushed him away and snatched my coat off the back of the bar stool. “It’s settled then. I’m going with you.”
I slung my coat over my shoulder and sashayed from the kitchen, swinging my hips in triumph. And when I cast a glance over my shoulder, I watched Nicky’s dumbfounded look change into one of bemusement and then amusement as that smile I adored broke over his face.
“Holy hell,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “I guess you are.”
Chapter Ten
As we stood in the shadowy parking lot of the deserted office building across from Happy Endings, I turned up the collar of my jacket, unable to shake the feeling we were being watched. Nicky must’ve felt it, too, because I saw him scan the darkness with his sharp gaze, searching for any indication of who might be lurking in the shadows. But apparently satisfied that we weren’t in any immediate danger, he opened the back of the Escalade and lifted away the spare tire cover in the floor to reveal a veritable arsenal.
“What do you want?” he asked, stowing a pair of wicked-looking knives in a holster he’d slipped on over his T-shirt. He loaded a fresh magazine into his Glock, then tucked it in the back of his pants. He pegged me with an expectant look as he slipped back into his leather jacket. “See anything you like?”
Aside from those sexy biceps and rockin’ pecs?
I forced myself to focus. “You want me to carry a gun?”
He shrugged. “Gun, knife . . . makes no difference to me. But if you’re going, you’re going armed.”
I cocked my head to one side. “We’re going into a brothel, Nicky. What could possibly happen?”
“Let’s just say not everyone there will be happy to see me.” He turned back to his arsenal and selected a pistol from one of the foam inserts and quickly jammed a magazine into it, then slipped his arms inside my unbuttoned coat and around my waist to tuck the gun into the back of my jeans. His hands lingered for just a moment against the small of my back. “Stay close to me, doll.”
I nodded, my hands drifting up to rest against his chest. “I think I can manage that.”
The slow smile that curved his lips ended on a wink, but then he abruptly released me and slammed the door. “All right then, let’s do this.” He grabbed my hand as we climbed the steps to Happy Endings’ red door, giving the valet a sharp nod. The kid ducked his head and turned away, obviously knowing better than to question Nicky. We stood on the top step for a moment while Nicky blew out a breath and rolled his neck. Then he pressed the doorbell and loosened his shoulders while we waited.
I frowned a little watching him. Good Lord. Was he seriously limbering up? What exactly did he expect to happen? Luckily, I didn’t have much of a chance to think about it before the door swung open to reveal one of the seven dwarves who helped run the place.
“Hey there, Pete,” Nicky said with forced politeness. “Ted have the night off?”
The little man with a long blond braided beard and bushy unibrow gave Nicky and me the once-over before grumping, “What the hell are you doing here, Nicky? You’ve got one helluva lot of nerve showing your face around this place.”
“I wanna see Snow,” Nicky told him.
Pete grunted. “She’s not here.” He tried to slam the door shut in our faces, but Nicky caught the edge of it and shoved, sending the man stumbling back several feet.
“Bullshit. I know she’s here.” Nicky pulled me inside with him and strode down a short hall to the waiting room. He glanced around quickly, then headed for a door of reinforced steel across the room. “Buzz us in.”
Pete rushed forward and blocked the door. “Why the hell should I let in you and your little lemon tart here to see Snow after what you did?”
Nicky cast an uncomfortable glance my way. “That’s ancient history,” he mumbled. “Now, you gonna take me to her, or am I gonna have to go exploring on my own?”
Pete grunted again, apparently starting every answer this way. “Fine,” he spat. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you if she cuts your nuts off and rams ’em down your throat.”
I sent a wide-eyed glance Nicky’s way, wondering what the hell he’d done to piss off Snow White so much that she’d want to relieve him of his dangly bits. A buzzer sounded as Pete pressed a button under the counter that released the inner security door, rescuing me from further speculation. Nicky pulled open the steel door and motioned for me to go first.
“Just him,” Pete barked, throwing out an arm to block my entrance. He gave me the once-over again, more thoroughly this time, lingering on my chest longer than I liked. “You can stay here and keep me company.”
“Uh, thanks,” I demurred, “but—”
He sidled a little closer, wedging himself in between Nicky and me. “Ah, come on, baby. You don’t know what you’re missin’.” He wagged that massive caterpillar on his forehead at me. “You ever had a dwarf go down on you? I promise it’ll be like nothin’ you’ve ever experienced before.”
“Back off, Pete,” Nicky growled. “She’s with me.”
Pete shrugged. “Not usually what I’m into, but I’m game. Hell, you’re a good enough lookin’ guy even if you are a dickhead.”
Nicky pegged Pete with a murderous glare and ushered me inside. “Don’t make me kill you, Pete.” He slammed the door behind us but not before I caught a glimpse of Pete wagging his tongue at me in what had to be the most disgustingly obscene gesture I’d ever witnessed.
Trying not to dwell on the skeezy dwarf, I turned my attention to the dim halls of Happy Endings. If the road to hell was paved with good intentions, the road to depravity was apparently paved with red shag carpet and black wall sconces blazing the way like runway lights. And if there’d been any doubt about what kind of establishment we’d entered, the moans and cries of passion seeping out from under closed doors would’ve clued me in.
“Wow,” I muttered, trying to swallow the little bit of vomit that had risen in my throat. “Why do I feel like I just stepped into an upscale porno?”
Nicky snorted with quiet laughter. “Seen a few of those, have you?”
I felt the heat rising to my cheeks and was glad for the dim light in the hallways. Okay, so maybe I’d switched the TV to Cinemax a few times in recent years when the loneliness had gotten to me and the ache in the center of my chest—and other areas—had been too much to bear. Honestly, though, I hadn’t really needed the stuff on cable to provide inspiration. All I had to do was close my eyes and remember my latest dream about Nicky.
Luckily, Nicky was more intent on finding Snow White and her lover than finding out about my history of sexual solitaire. I had to jog a little beside him to keep up with his long strides as he navigated the halls. Obviously, he knew his way around the place.
“So,” I said, drawing out the word, “I guess you’ve been back here before?”
Nicky glanced down at me, his cheeks going a little crimson. “I hung out with Snow for a while, but it was a long time ago.”
I felt my chest constrict. I’d known about him and Red and had made my peace with that, but the unexpected news that Snow White had found pleasure in Nicky’s arms while I was lying cold and alone in my bed most nights, with nothing more than my fantasies to keep me company, was like Truth had shoved her hand into my chest and given my heart a good squeeze just to remind me that I was her bitch.
When my steps faltered, Nicky moved closer to my side and dipped his head. “Ah, shit,” he muttered. “Trish, it’s not what you think—”
“It’s fine,” I said in a rush, cutting him off and picking up my pace. “You don’t need to explain.”
I heard his quick steps as he followed. He grabbed my arm and gently pulled me to a halt. “You don’t understand—”
“Really, Nicky!” I interrupted, glancing up and down the hall, wishing someone would come out of one of those doors and keep him from saying anything more. “I don’t want to hear this.”
He lifted my chin with the edge of his hand and I was surprised to see the pain in his eyes. He looked tortured, torn. “What I was going to say is that nothing ever happened between Snow and me—and she’s pissed as hell about it. I hung out here now and then back in the day ’cause Snow was a friend. But that’s all she’s ever been.”
I tried to look away, but he gently guided my face back to him. The way he was looking at me now made my heart trip over itself. Something shifted in the air between us, and the tug in the center of my chest pulled me closer to him, but this time I didn’t resist. I began to tremble a little as his head dipped toward mine.
“Well, if it isn’t Nicky Blue . . .”
Nicky cursed under his breath and let his hand drop away from me before forcing a rakish grin. He turned and spread his arms wide. “Hello, Snow,” he drawled, going to her and enveloping her in a brief hug as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You’re looking as beautiful as ever.”
Olivia “Snow” White gave him a sultry smile and a wink that would’ve melted a lesser man. “Flatterer.”
God, no wonder her business was thriving. . . .
She leaned out around Nicky’s shoulder and gave me a sweet little smile that didn’t fool me for a minute. “And who’s this?” She gasped theatrically and rushed to me, taking hold of my upper arms. “Is this Trish Muffet? I
recognized you from your sweet little ringlets! Oh, my darling—if things don’t work out at the FMA, you really must come work for me! I have men who love the whole little schoolgirl look!”
I managed a smile in return, but was so not in the mood to be patronized. “Oh? Do they get tired of a used up, has-been princess who’d spread her legs for anyone?”
She laughed, but there was no amusement in it. “Not as tired as they get of a cock-tease whose legs have to be pried open with a crowbar.”
I batted my lashes and smiled sweetly. “I’d rather hand out crowbars to pry open my legs than ‘now serving’ tickets to the turnstile in my vagina.”
I caught a brief glimpse of Snow’s enraged expression just before Nicky stepped in front of me, his chastising look negated by his unsuccessful attempt to smother a grin. “Try to play nicely,” he whispered. “We need information, remember?”
I rolled my eyes and heaved a sigh. It might’ve been a lot easier to let Snow’s insults roll off my back if I hadn’t known that she’d wanted to be flat on hers with the man I was not-so-secretly in love with. And to see her standing there in her black negligee, looking absolutely stunning and sexy, while I stood there pouting in my boring-as-hell jeans, sweater, and standard issue pea coat didn’t help boost my confidence in spite of all Nicky’s assurances he wasn’t—and never had been—interested in the sultry madam. At least I’d traded my snow boots for the lug-soled biker boots Lavender and Seth had sent me for Christmas. That was something, I guess.
Beatrice . . .
My head snapped around toward the sound of the voice that seemed to be just over my right shoulder.
“Trish?”
