“Two for the restaurant—” Brix began, only for Nuri to cut him off.
“Actually, we’re here under official business.” He brought up his business card on his multi-slate, the new flashy gold one he’d been gifted, and showed her his ID.
“Royal Secretary, it’s an honor,” she said. “What can we do for the emperor? I assure you, any assistance we can provide we will do so without hesitation.”
“I need to do a room inspection,” Nuri replied. “I’ll also need all of the security footage filmed outside the room from on these specific dates.” He pulled a piece of paper from his briefcase and placed it down on the counter between them.
He’d written down the night Silver and Ackor Hue had spent together, as well as the day before and after. Someone had to have planted and retrieved the recording device, since the rooms were deep cleaned between use.
The woman hesitated. “Royal Secretary, while I’m able to show you to the room, I’m unable to give you access to our footage. Our guests value privacy above all else, and allowing you to potentially spot and identify some of them would be a massive breach of trust.”
“I’m Imperial Romeo Brixton,” Brix spoke up at his side, huffing with the type of haughty indignation only a true Imperial could pull off. “I order you to—”
Nuri rested a hand on his forearm, stopping him, and then turned his attentions back to the worker, checking her name tag pointedly before speaking. “Scarlet, I understand your position, I do, and if you really insist that I go to the police with this first and have them issue me a search warrant, I can. But you and I are both busy people. And we both understand what it’s like working for people like this one.” He pointed at Brix and rolled his eyes.
“The person I’m looking for made a serious threat against the emperor,” he continued. “A threat that, unfortunately for us all, started here, at your establishment. Imagine the type of power one must have to even think they stand a chance against a man like Silver Rein. If I’m forced to go to the police, it’s going to get out that Club Spade was ordered to cooperate, and I doubtyour clients are going to trust you much after they hear not even the emperor was safe within these walls. But if you help me out under the table? I promise no one will ever know.”
“That sounds incredibly close to a threat, Royal Secretary.” She sighed. “But what you’re saying isn’t untrue. We don’t film in the hallways, but there are cameras in the elevators and stairwells. Take this first. I’ll need some time to pull the files you want.”
Nuri took the keycard when she handed it over. “Thank you. If I’m not back before it’s ready, please deliver it to the room.”
“Understood, sir.” She bowed as he and Brix stepped away.
“Correct me if I’m mistaken,” Brix asked as they entered the elevator and Nuri hit the button for the thirteenth floor, “but did I just used?”
“Sorry.” Nuri gave him an apologetic smile, not bothering to deny it.
“Ouch. And here I thought you really wanted to see me for old time’s sake.”
“If it helps, it’s not bad seeing you.”
“Wow, I forgot how cold you could be. No wonder my cousin is infatuated with you.”
Nuri frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Brix chuckled. “Come on, don’t pretend. For years now he’s only allowed one person to get close to him, and that’s you. Why do you think that is?”
“I’m familiar?” The elevator reached their floor and Nuri was the first to step out. He found the room and pressed the keycard to the door, trying to convince himself that he was rushing to beat Silver’s meeting, and not because he didn’t want to take part in this conversation. “Can you help search for any recording devices?”
“Bugs? In a place like this?” Brix didn’t seem to believe it. “The security on this place is strict, Nuri. There’s no way.”
He couldn’t argue otherwise without making it obvious that Silver had been recorded doing something worthy of being worried about, so Nuri simply shrugged and started looking himself. Starting at the bed and making his way in the direction he felt the camera had been aimed.
“Since when did he have you doing things like this? It’s beneath your abilities.” Brix glowered. “How could he order you to do a security sweep for a sex club? Is he really so reliant on you, that he even makes you aware of when he plans to bed strangers?”
Nuri didn’t say anything, in part because that wasn’t true, and in part because it still sort of was. While he’d never been in charge of security for Silver, he’d been the one meeting with jilted lovers with NDAs and calculated threats about keeping silent. In the past, it’d only bothered him to an extent, but now that he’d shared the Emperor’s bed and knew firsthand what it was like…
No. Those were dangerous thoughts.
He couldn’t be jealous of ghosts, past or future.
The camera angle led to small closet built into the wall. The door was made of slates, and Nuri pulled it open and peered through them, confirming the spaces between each were wide enough for a small camera lens positioned just right to capture a clear shot of the room.
“Nuri, be honest with me.” Brix watched him from the center of the room, his growing concern apparent. “This isn’t about my cousin at all, is it?”
“What?” Okay, he’d found the location of the camera, but as he’d thought, the device itself was long gone. The shelves were empty, and there were no crevices or holes left behind where one could possibly still be hidden, so—
“Did someone do something to you here?” Brix’s softly spoken words cut through Nuri’s mind, giving him immediate pause.
