19. Nik

CHAPTER 19

Nik

"Ready?" I ask, scanning the entrance of the Golden Sands casino for potential threats. Knowing that Brie's life is legitimately in danger is sharpening my senses, but it looks clear.

"As I'll ever be," she replies.

We step out of the car and I throw the keys to the valet. His eyes widen as he recognizes Brie, clothed in yet another gold dress. I place a hand on the small of her back, guiding her through the sea of curious stares. Whispers ripple through the staff like a breeze.

We planned to come in the front door, make a splash. And we certainly have done that.

We head through to the casino floor, where players at the tables pause mid-bet, their eyes following our progress. The cocktail waitress nearby hesitates, tray wobbling slightly as we pass.

Brie leads me swiftly to a private elevator, and as the doors slide shut, I catch a glimpse of our reflection. Brie, resplendent in her deep gold dress, with me a dark shadow at her side.

We do make a striking pair.

The elevator opens directly into a conference room, a different one to the room the Consortium contracts were discussed, and this must be the inner sanctum of the Colombo Family, heavy and old fashioned in mahogany and leather. Frank and Larry are there already.

"Breezy," Frank says, rushing over. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Safe," she is all she says. "Come on, Frank, let's sit down and get on with things. Nik doesn't want me here any longer than necessary."

Frank eyes me. "I'll bet she doesn't. I don't like this Consortium member having your ear all the time, Breezy, it's not?—"

"Frank," Brie says firmly. "Sit."

Brie takes a seat at the head of the table, and I position myself behind her, trying my best to fade into the woodwork.

"What's the situation with Sabatelli?" Brie asks, all business.

Larry slams a fist on the table, making the crystal glasses rattle. "That rat bastard isn't talking. I've tried everything short of actually killing him."

Frank grumbles under his breath, but he takes a seat. "Fuck Sabatelli. At least with him out of the question, we have a default solution to the succession."

I can't help glancing at Larry Caruso when Frank says that. Was this Caruso's plan all along?

I wonder.

Brie, on the other hand, doesn't seem interested in the succession issues for now. "I want to see him."

The room goes dead silent. After a long pause, Larry scoffs. "Absolutely not! It's too dangerous. And not the kind of thing you should be seeing, Breezy. You're not?—"

"I wasn't asking for permission, Larry." This is the Brie Colombo I saw during the poker game. The Brie Colombo who can command the attention of a room. Command attention from men . "Frank, you'll take me to Vince. Right now."

Frank looks torn. "Listen, sweetheart, what Larry says—he's not wrong. It ain't pretty in there."

"I don't imagine it is. But if Vince Sabatelli killed my husband and took a shot at me, too, I don't want it to be pretty. I want it to be very, very painful, in fact." She stands. "Let's go."

Larry shoots to his feet as well, grabbing at Frank with a glower. "You can't seriously be considering this. This is no business for a lady."

"I'm no lady , Larry," Brie says. She turns to him slowly, and I swear to God I see Caruso shrink back. "And I'm not some helpless widow. I was Salvatore Colombo's wife . I sat at his side for years, and I listened, and I learned. I will do whatever it takes to protect this Family."

"This is bullshit," Larry blusters. "She's not even a Colombo!"

"What's my name, Larry?" Brie asks, a dangerously soft note in her voice. "What. Is. My. Fucking. Name?"

Larry gapes, his voice rising high as he croaks, "But you're just a—just a?—"

My hand darts to my holster. "Choose your next words very carefully, Mr. Caruso," I tell him. He may be built like a brick wall, but I've taken down bigger men with less provocation for the Consortium.

And I will certainly do so again for Brie Colombo, unless she calls me off.

Which she hasn't.

It's up to Frank to hold up placating hands. "Let's all take a breath, eh? Brie, are you sure about this?"

"I am. I need to look him in the eye, Frank. I need to know what he knows, what he's hiding. For Terry's sake—and for the Family's."

"Alright," he says finally, his voice heavy. "But one wrong move from Sabatelli, and we shut him down permanently. Understand?"

Brie nods. And then she turns to me, and for a split second, I see a flicker of regret cross her face. "I need to do this alone," she tells me. "This is Family business, Nik. Frank and Larry will escort me. I'll call you when I'm done."

I want to argue, to insist on staying by her side. But I think I understand that look in her eyes. This is a test. Not just for me, but for herself. A chance to prove that she's more than just some gold-digging widow, or whatever insults Caruso was about to sling at her.

"Of course," I agree. "Whatever you say, Mrs. Colombo."

In the meantime, there's a difficult conversation I need to have.

As I walk toward the entrance of the upscale Japanese restaurant where Eva has agreed to meet me for dinner at such short notice, I catch my reflection in the tinted glass doors. The woman staring back at me is a far cry from the scrappy kid my father started training all those years ago. Well-cut suit, steel in my eyes, an air of danger that keeps people at arm's length. This is who I am. Who I've always wanted to be.

Right?

This meeting with Eva could put me well ahead in my career, if I choose to share everything I've learned. And how much difference would it really make, anyway, if Eva Novak did know what I've learned about the Colombos? Nothing can hurt them more than they've already been hit. And Eva's desire for information is not to trade it, or even undermine. All she wants is a good deal, and information is often a way to make that happen.

But then Brie's face flashes in my mind. Her real smile, not the megawatts that she turns on when she's playing a part. The curiosity in her eyes when she looks at me. The way she makes me feel…

And I hear myself telling her that she can trust me to keep her safe.

Inside the restaurant, the hostess leads me through to a private dining room. The air is heavy with the sound and scent of grilling Wagyu. We enter a secluded room in a corner, hidden behind delicate screen doors painted with koi fish.

Eva is cross-legged on the floor at the low table, somehow looking as elegant as ever in bare feet, jeans, and a crisp white shirt. She smiles as I enter, and waves me down to sit. "I'm starving," she says. "Glad you're here. I've ordered for us both already," she adds in Russian, as I awkwardly pull off my boots as indicated by the hostess. "So we can have a nice, long, chat ."

That does not bode well.

I pad over and sit, and then a waiter materializes, pouring us both glasses of sake. I don't touch mine.

"How are you finding your assignment?" Eva asks, swirling the clear liquid in her glass. "The widow Colombo seems to be keeping you on your toes. I haven't had a report from you since you started with her."

I choose my words carefully. "It's been an eventful time. The Family is still in flux after Don Colombo's death, as you can imagine."

"Mm." Eva leans forward, her voice dropping. "And who will be the successor?"

"They haven't chosen one yet." There, at least, I can be truthful.

But Eva won't let it rest. "Who is in the running? Caruso, I assume. Frank Colombo, perhaps, the cousin?"

"No one has mentioned Frank Colombo as a potential." I do take a sip of the sake now, to give myself time to think. Surely dropping Sabatelli's name can't hurt. He was already thought of as a front-runner, and there must have been chatter about what happened last night. "Vince Sabatelli was the only other serious contender, but as you might have heard?—"

"Yes," Eva cuts me off, sounding bored. "He will be dead soon enough. Was he the Don's killer, do you think?"

"I don't know." Once again, I can rely on truth. "Frank Colombo is supposed to be looking into things. My understanding is that only Vince Sabatelli is considered a serious suspect."

"But why attempt a hit on the widow?" Eva muses. The door of the room slides open and the first round of food is brought in.

Once we're alone again, I've had enough time to decide on a strategy. "Brie Colombo is not some defenseless widow, just as you suspected, boss. Perhaps someone thinks she knows too much, or that her influence in the Family is too great. Or…" I glance up at her. "Or perhaps an outside agency believes the same thing? That it would be simpler to deal with Frank than Brie Colombo."

Eva sips at her sake. "It wasn't me, if that's what you're asking. You know the rules—no involvement. No playing politics. Now, of course I'd rather deal with the genuine article, the new Don, but the Colombos will sign one way or another. And don't forget, Dominika—" Finally she looks me in the eye. "—the inflated costs on that contract were your idea."

I give a rueful smile. "Not my best one. But on that subject, boss, I have some news."

"Finally," she says coolly. "I was beginning to think I'd have to torture it out of you."

Uh oh. At least what I'm about to say, I can say with Brie's blessing. "Mrs. Colombo has asked for my help in discovering her husband's killer. She says that if I help her, she will sign the original contract we offered."

Eva's eyes stay as cold as ever. "Why does she trust you so much?"

A pointed question. I never told her about the fact that I was there during the first attempt on Brie's life. "I'm not sure that she does. But she sees me as enough of an outsider to have no motive for her death."

It doesn't satisfy Eva, that much is clear. But she moves on. "What else have you learned?"

"Not much."

"I didn't send you there to give me cheek." Her tone sharpens. "What's really going on inside the Colombo family? Who's vying for power? And most importantly, what are the widow's weaknesses, and how can you exploit her for the Consortium's benefit?"

I take a sip of water, buying time. "Frank Colombo is trying to maintain order. The old Don…he had a lover. A young man."

Eva rolls her eyes. "We all knew about his private secretary. So did the Colombos, they just chose to look away."

Well, shit.

"And the gold-digging widow?" Eva presses me.

"She's…smart, adaptable. The men underestimate her."

Eva's laugh is cold. "Don't tell me you're falling for her charms, Dominika. I thought your father taught you better than that."

"I know my duty."

"Do you?" She leans back, studying me. "Because I wonder if you're forgetting who you really work for."

My jaw clenches. "I haven't forgotten anything."

Eva's voice turns silky. "Then prove it. Tell me something useful. Something I can use."

I hesitate, torn between loyalty to Eva and the growing urge to protect Brie. The woman across from me represents everything I thought I wanted: power, respect, a place in a world where strength is everything. But now, faced with betraying Brie's trust, I'm not so sure.

"There's some discrepancy in the casino's books," I finally offer. "Nothing major, but enough to raise eyebrows. The CFO, Sophie Johnson, might know more."

"Now that's interesting. I wonder what the widow knows about that."

"I don't think she's involved," I say quickly, then curse myself for the defensive tone.

Eva's smile is razor-sharp. "My, my. You seem to have fallen under her golden spell."

"Boss—"

She cuts me off with a wave of her hand. "Let me remind you of something, Dominika. Everything you are, everything you have, everything I can give you—it's because of the Consortium. Don't forget that."

I think of my father, of the legacy he left me. Of the place I wanted in the Consortium. But then Brie's face flashes in my mind again—her vulnerability, her strength, the way she looks at me like I'm more than just a weapon.

"I remember everything the Consortium has done for me, Eva," I say, my voice low. "And I know who I am."

Eva leans back on her hands, shaking back the dark waves of her hair. "So who are you, Dominika? The loyal soldier your father raised you to be? Or some lovesick fool ready to throw it all away for a pretty face?"

"I'm not—" I start indignantly, and then bite my tongue and make a decision. "The Colombos are worried about encroachment from the Triads. That's why Brie was so interested in our offer." The lie sounds plausible. Who knows, it might even be true.

And at least it seems to satisfy Eva, who raises an eyebrow. "Is that so? Well, that is useful information." She studies me for a long moment. "I do hope you're not holding anything back, Nik. You know how I feel about disloyalty."

"I know my place," I repeat.

"See that you remember it. You have my permission to help this widow find her vengeance, as long as she will sign the contract at the original price. And now I think you've had enough to eat. I know I have."

I stand, my legs a little unsteady. As I turn to leave, Eva's voice stops me.

"Oh, and Nik? Give my regards to Mrs. Colombo, won't you? Tell her I look forward to the day she signs that contract."

I give a quick nod, grab my boots, and then exit the little room as fast as I can without running. I head back on foot to the Golden Sands, just a few blocks away.

What the hell am I doing? I just lied to Eva Novak. My boss. One of the most powerful arms dealers in the world, who could squash me like a bug.

And for what? For a woman I barely know?

But the life I thought I wanted—the power, the respect, the sense of belonging to something bigger than myself—suddenly feels hollow compared to…

Compared to the way Brie makes me feel.

Like maybe there's more to life than being a perfect soldier for the Consortium.