But…
Nuri glanced at the doors, catching sight of the security camera.
“Go inside and order them to stop recording!” he commanded the guard standing closest to the entrance. When the man didn’t move, he firmed his voice and tried again. “They’ve got footage of the Emperor shooting his only living relative outside of a sex club in broad daylight. Retrieve that footage immediately!”
That seemed to knock some sense into the burly man, and he turned and set a questioning look on Silver.
The Emperor remained still for another moment and then nodded once.
Nuri sighed when two of the guards entered the building, relieved that at least one situation was being dealt with.
The relief was short lived however. He felt a prickle on the back of his neck, and when he lifted his head again, it was to find Silver had finally stopped glaring daggers at Brix.
Only now the full force of his attention was on Nuri.
“Arrest him,” Silver ordered the remaining guards, keeping Nuri locked with the intensity of his gaze while they rushed forward and began dragging Brix away. It wasn’t until the sound of car doors slamming shut came that the Emperor moved, bringing the end up the gun beneath Nuri’s chin. The metal was still warm, and he tipped Nuri’s face up with it. “What am I going to do with you, Narek?”
“Sir, I called you as soon as I found out about the stocks. I didn’t know,” Nuri insisted.
“You think I’m mad because of a few stocks?” He grunted humorlessly. The arm holding the blaster dropped to his side, but his other hand replaced where the barrel had been, capturing Nuri’s chin in a pinching hold. “Which one?”
Nuri shook his head, trying to convey he wasn’t following.
“Which hand did that piece of shit have on your dick, Narek?”
“Silver.” There was no way he was this angry because of that…right?
He growled and leaned in, close enough Nuri could feel his hot breath fan across his cheeks. “I’m going to cut out his tongue and feed it to those fish in the east pond. If you refuse to answer my question, both of his hands will end up there as well.”
“I…” Holy shit. “I don’t remember!”
Silver’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m telling the truth!” Nuri said. “Honestly! I really don’t remember! I was wasted that night and I never think about it.”
The Emperor still didn’t seem to believe him, but he pulled back slightly. “What do you remember?”
“He and I kissed,” he admitted. “That’s it. The next morning it was awkward and he was sent off planet shortly after.”
“But you’ve kept in contact?”
“No.” He shook his head and tried to calm his racing heart. “Up until last week when I happened to run into him, I’d only spoken to him when you and I were together at official events.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you two met?”
“Because you don’t like him and it didn’t seem like a big deal.”
“You didn’t think making plans with a man you’ve made out with, to visit a sex club no less, was a big deal?”
Well, when he put it like that it certainly sounded bad.
“Calm down and let me explain,” Nuri said, but it was apparently the wrong approach.
Silver released him and chuckled viciously. “If my chaos is scaring you, pet, you only have yourself to blame. And full disclosure? I haven’t even begun.”
He pulled something from his pocket and shot forward before Nuri could register what he intended, driving a sharp needle into the side of his neck.
The pain was minimal, a mere prick that was over and done in a split second, but Nuri still froze in fear and shock.
