“Yes. I think it threw him badly. He wasn’t…you didn’t see him at his best.”
Ben was having a hard time ignoring the clear contradiction between this and Nikolas’s previous claim about the emotional depth of his relationship with Gregory. Rather than challenge Nikolas, which Ben knew was a complete waste of time, he replied testily, “I don’t want to see him at all. I want the fucker dead.”
Nikolas didn’t reply to this. He put down his half-eaten apple and went to lean against the window, apparently watching the dark sky with total concentration.
CHAPTER THREE
The next day, they visited the mews house. Kate had created their fictional absence in France. They reported their return to the police and expressed their surprise at the apparent house invasion. When their story checked out, they were free to proceed in to assess the damage. Neither of them wanted to stay there. The smell hit them as soon as they entered, and the damage needed extensive repairs. They packed a few extra clothes, Nikolas took his laptop, and they headed back to the taxi.
“Where now? Another hotel?”
Nikolas shook his head. “We move maybe into another place I have.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “It was an investment.”
The investment turned out to be back at the restaurant they’d eaten in the night before, but instead of getting the driver to stop at the hotel, Nikolas directed him to a block of glass apartments next door. Ben stared up at the towering mass of reflected light. “Ugly. But I guess they’ve got good views.” Nikolas gave him a strange look but nodded.
It took some time for them to get through the extensive security. Mainly because as soon as they entered the lobby and Nikolas went over to speak to reception, Ben recognised one of the suited men loitering by the lift doors. He grinned and went up to him, slapping him on the back. “Hello, soldier.” The man grinned too and began to pump Ben’s hand.
“My God, Diesel. You working here, too?”
Ben frowned. “You’re working here?”
“Private security. Best gig in town. We’re all ex-Regiment. What’re you doing here, then?”
Ben had one of his rare flashes of insight that it might be better not to tell his old mate he was about to move into one of the apartments with his…He shook himself slightly. “Yeah. Bodyguard. Guy over there. How long you been out, Squeezy?”
“Year. Stuck it longer than you. You been good since you left?” Ben nodded, not sure how good would exactly be defined. All that was good in his life was currently across the other side of the lobby, and Nikolas had been strangely remote since their meeting with the Russian. “Cool dog. He yours?”
Ben glanced down at Radulf. Would the hired help have a dog? “The boss’s.” He glanced about. “So, what’s it like here? Good pay?”
The man laughed. “One of the fucking places sold for a hundred and forty million last week—supermodel we’re not allowed to speak to, ’parently. Course, we chat her up every time we fucking see her. She loves it really. So, yeah, pay’s good, perks’re good. Life’s good. What does your guy do?”
Ben was still processing, very slowly, what his friend had just boasted. He was remembering a conversation with Nikolas…You have four point two million pounds?I have a little more than that…He swallowed, wondering, yet again, if he’d committed his life to a complete stranger. He looked at his friend and for the first time in a long time, Ben wished he too could be a simple, private security guard with an uncomplicated life. “He’s into mergers.”
“Huh. Anyway, I’d better get back to looking fuckingly cool and hard.”
Ben smiled. “Yeah. I’m…on duty, too. See ya.”
“You up for a drink with the boys one night?”
Ben perked up and nodded with a sly look. “Rat-arsed?”
“Rat-arsed.” They briefly touched knuckles, and then Nikolas was there. He appeared to pick up on some vibe from Ben. Knowing Nikolas, he’d probably been aware of the whole exchange, so he didn’t look at Ben as they waited for the elevator and then only nodded to his bag for Ben to pick up and carry. They entered the lift.
Ben glanced over. Nikolas was acting cool and unconcerned. “There’s a swimming pool here. You’ll be able to improve your technique.”
“Great.”
“And food is delivered from that odd place we ate last night.”
“Good.”
“You’re, as you’d say, pissed at me.”
“Not exactly. So…four point two? Do you enjoy making me look stupid?”
“Ah, well.” Nikolas turned to Ben. “I laid you down on the bare floor of our real house and fucked you for free, Ben. That was the real me, remember? This is all illusion. Pleasant, but merely smoke and mirrors.”
Ben turned to him, dropped Radulf’s lead, pushed him up against the wall of the elevator and pressed the emergency stop. It was very quiet. Very deliberately, Ben undid the button on Nikolas’s suit trousers. He lowered the zip. Hard and fast, he turned Nikolas to face the wall, and then, scrabbling, urgent, he entered him. Nikolas’s head came back and collided with Ben’s face. Ben kept his nose pressed into the delicious-smelling hair and flexed his muscles, pumping himself into the welcoming hole. With one hand, he thrust into the front of Nikolas’s clothes and released him, working him.
