16. Nik

CHAPTER 16

Nik

Holden gasps, loud and dramatic, and his hands fly to his mouth. "What the fuck—" he begins, but Brie winces, pressing a hand to her temple, and he rushes to fuss around her.

"First things first," I say, pocketing the flash drive. "Let's get you cleaned up and check for injuries. Then we'll take a look at what's on here."

Holden tuts as he takes in Brie's blood-splattered face. "I'll take out some fresh clothes for you," he says, already moving toward her closet.

I guide Brie to the bathroom, my hand steady on her lower back. She's trembling slightly, the adrenaline crash hitting her hard. As we reach the door, she turns to me, eyes searching mine.

"Nik," she says, her voice barely audible. "Thank you for saving my life…again."

For a moment, I'm at a loss for words. This version of Brie is so different from the sharp-tongued woman who stood up to that asshole Sabatelli just a few hours ago. Which one is the real her?

I shove down an unexpected surge of emotion and just nod my acknowledgment. And then I stand there for a moment after she's disappeared into the bathroom, listening to the sound of running water. What the hell is happening to me? I'm supposed to be focused on the job, on keeping Brie safe. Not…whatever this is.

Holden returns with an armful of sweats, eyeing me suspiciously after he lays them down on the bed. "All good?" he asks.

I nod curtly. "Just thinking."

He doesn't look convinced, but thankfully, he doesn't push it. Instead, he makes a shooing gesture at me. "Off you go. I'll keep watch."

"I'm not going anywhere."

He looks me head to toe with a twist of his mouth, and for the first time, I realize I'm covered in…well, the kind of thing Brie was also covered in. I don't want her seeing me like this when she gets out of the shower.

"I'll be right back," I amend, and head off to shower and change.

I'm fast, but by the time I get back, Brie is out of the shower, though not the bathroom. Hudson makes a few gestures at me, and once I understand what it is I'm supposed to be doing, I knock softly on the bathroom door. "Brie? I've got some clean clothes for you here."

The door opens a crack, and a hand reaches out. I pass the sweats through, trying not to imagine her naked body right there with only two inches of door between us.

Minutes tick by, but finally Brie emerges, looking much younger in a bare face, combed-back wet hair, and sweats that are a little oversized on her. I can see the toll the night has taken on her in the tightness around her eyes.

"So, Brie," Holden says, in a casually-non-casual way. "Am I to take it that you're looking into Terry's death yourself?"

She looks at me and shrugs, then turns back to him. "Yes. I've asked Nik to help me out as well. Please don't try to talk me out of it?—"

" Au contraire ," he says at once. "Frank has been less than useless. I've asked several times to speak to him about that night, and he just won't make the time."

"Have you?" I break in. "What did you want to tell him?"

Holden looks at me a little suspiciously, but Brie gives him an encouraging nod. "Well, the night of the murder, Terry had a meeting with someone—and he wouldn't tell me who it was."

"But how did you know he had a meeting at all?" Brie asks. "Did you see the person come in?"

Holden shakes his head. "I know because he sent me away, told me to entertain myself for the night."

"That was unusual?" I ask.

"It was unheard of," he says bluntly. "Terry liked me with him always , even in the most sensitive of meetings. I took notes for him and I—I gave him advice. I can't even imagine what kind of meeting he wouldn't want me sitting in on."

"And you think this person must be the killer?" Brie asks.

"I think it must have been," Holden says sadly. "I wish he'd told me about it."

It's interesting information, but not exactly useful unless we can figure out who this mysterious person was. But I let a beat pass where Holden and Brie both seem lost in their own thoughts, before holding up the flash drive again.

"Ready to see what's on this?" I ask them, adding to Brie, "Holden brought in a laptop so we can run the video."

She nods, sitting cross-legged in the middle of the bed. "Let's do this."

I sit on the side of the bed and Holden joins us too as I insert the flash drive. The screen flickers to life, revealing a 4-split view of security camera footage. The images switch every few seconds, cycling through different areas of the casino.

We all watch intently, but as the timestamp approaches the time of Terry's murder, we see…nothing. No suspicious activity, no sign of the killer.

"Wait!" Brie's finger shoots out, stabbing at the top corner. "I saw something."

Holden leans in, squinting at the small screen. "It's hard to make out details like this." He grabs the laptop, quickly casting the footage to the large, wall-mounted TV. "Where do you want to stop, Brie?"

"Just run it back and forth a few times," she says, her eyes fixed on the larger display. "Do you see it?"

I scan the footage, but nothing jumps out at me. Holden shakes his head, equally puzzled.

Brie points to the top right quadrant. "The clock. It's showing the same time each time the camera switches to it, even though it's still moving. Someone's looped the footage."

"Well, damn," I breathe. "Good catch."

I move closer to the TV, something nagging at the edge of my vision. "Go back a minute," I instruct Holden. "Now speed it up?"

As the footage goes by faster, it makes it easier to spot—a faint movement across the screen, almost imperceptible at normal speed.

Brie squints at it. "It almost looks like…a ghost."

"That's no ghost," Holden says grimly. "That blur indicates something—or more likely some one —was removed from the video. Terry used to ask security to do an erase-pass of footage now and then, but in such a way that it didn't destroy the original image. That blurring effect was the same on the ones I saw."

"So if it doesn't destroy the original image," Brie repeats. "Does that mean…"

He nods. "With the right equipment, and the right knowledge, it should be possible to restore it."

"Holden," I say slowly. "Can you restore the image?"

He gives a grim smile. "I can try."

"Get on it," Brie tells him. "Right now. And keep it quiet—don't let anyone else in security know what you're doing."

He makes a face. "I'll have to sit in there with them—but I'll make up some story." He grabs the flash drive and gives Brie one last hug. "I'm so glad you're okay," he murmurs, and then he's out the door.

As soon as he's out of earshot, I turn to Brie. "Pack your bags. We're leaving."

Brie's eyes widen in surprise. "But?—"

"No," I say firmly. "This time, you do what I say. You can't trust anyone right now; you said so yourself. My job is to keep you safe, and I can't do that here, surrounded by Colombos and—and other potential threats."

"Where will we go?" she asks, a hint of fear creeping into her voice.

I hesitate for a moment, then ask, "Are you sure no one knows about your house in the Solara community?"

Brie bites her lip, thinking. "No one but you—and Holden now, I guess—and…well, the women I've taken back there occasionally."

I feel a flare of hot jealousy at her words, but choose to ignore it. "Then that's where we'll go," I say after a moment. "We need to move fast. Grab what you need."

"It won't be much. Everything I need is there already. I can help you pack, if you like?"

"All I need is my go-bag." I hurry back to my room to grab that, while I contemplate the wisdom of what I'm about to do. The smart play—as far as my career goes—would be to call Eva, let her know exactly what's happening. Explain why I won't be kowtowing to her tomorrow morning and spilling everything I've learned about the Colombos. But something stops me.

Right now, this is bigger than the Consortium.

This is about keeping Brie alive.

The only trace we leave behind is a hastily scrawled note for Frank: "Brie is safe. Will call when we reach a secure location."

The drive to Solara in one of Brie's own SUVs is tense, both of us scanning for any signs of pursuit. But the roads are empty, the night calm and indifferent to our plight.

Brie's house in the gated community is a masterpiece of modern luxury. As she gives me a quick tour of the place, I admire the way metal and glass are married with terracotta and stone, and the floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a breathtaking view of the cold, starlit desert.

Most of the places I spend my time are utilitarian. Eva lives in luxury, of course. But I'm still trying to prove myself.

Are you?

The thought comes unbidden. But of course I am. Taking off with Brie in contravention of a direct order from Eva notwithstanding. I plan to talk to Eva as soon as I can, but keeping the Colombo widow safe was her original direct order.

That's what I plan to argue, anyway.

"Nice place," I mutter to Brie, trying not to sound too impressed as we arrive back in the foyer.

Brie gives me a small smile, the first I've seen since the attack. "Thanks. It's my sanctuary."

"You'll be safe here. And you should get some sleep," I tell her. "It's been a hell of a night."

She nods, but hesitates at the entrance to her bedroom. "Nik," she says, her voice uncertain. "Would you—would you mind sleeping in here tonight? I'm still a little jumpy. I don't know if I'd be able to sleep without…knowing you were right there."

Every instinct tells me to refuse. To maintain professional distance. To maintain neutrality . To remember why I'm here. But when I look at Brie, vulnerable and shaken, I hear myself saying, "Sure."

We change with our backs to each other, though I'm dying to know what Brie Colombo wears to bed. I find out soon enough: it's a white satin slip that makes her look much younger than usual, more innocent. I've stripped to my boxer briefs and tank, and I'm about to pull my top off—but pause. I sleep naked usually, but I don't want to make Brie uncomfortable.

So I leave my top on and climb into the massive bed, where Brie immediately curls into my arms. I stiffen for a moment, surprised by the intimacy, before slowly relaxing.

"Nik," Brie whispers into the darkness, "I feel like I can't trust anyone. Can I…can I really trust you?"

I'm acutely aware of her warm breath against my chest where she's snuggling into me. "You can trust that I'll keep you safe," I say at last.

She shifts, lifting her head to look at me. In the cold desert moonlight spilling through the window, her face is just inches away.

And then she closes that small distance, pressing her lips to mine.