Page 152 of Shades of Grey & Gold
But for Nico…
I don’t stop walking, but my steps falter. Recognition flitters across Nico’s face in the streetlights, and he starts jogging to get to me.
He stops in front of me, one hand coming under my arm to hold me up. He looks at my face for a long moment. At the cut, the dried blood.
I’ve never seen him like this—not even when Dad would come home cut up and beat to shit. He looks pale, and like he’s seen a ghost.
“Cash?”
He pats his jacket.
“What the f-fuck, Cal?”
His eyes are red, but his expression is relieved.
I sigh, the breath catching on the sharp pain in my side.
“The only way to take them down is for them to think I’m dead, Nico.”
“But Max—”
“Is much safer if I’m dead and the Volkovs are dead.”
He shakes his head.
“You’re the boss, I guess.” He sighs and starts to walk me towards the SUV.
“For now, that’ll have to be you.”
“Great, so you get to die and I have to do everything: bury you and take over your job?”
“Sorry, brother, they don’t call it resting in peace for nothing.” I try the joke on for size but the laugh that leaves me is strangled and painful. “I need a doctor.”
“Yeah, no shit, asshole, get in,” he growls it, annoyed, and opens the passenger door.
He gets in and turns the car on but doesn’t shift into drive.
“How the fuck is this going to work, Cal? Where are you going to go?”
“A hotel? I didn’t think that far.”
“I guess you could go to the penthouse because Max made it pretty fucking clear she can’t even look at it.”
Fuck.
Max.
I think something in my heart splinters and Nico catches my reaction.
“Yeah, she’s fucking torn up, Cal. I don’t know if I can do this to her.”
“You can. And you will.”
“Cal—” He shakes his head and presses his palms into the steering wheel.
“If I was Dad telling you to do this right now, would you be giving me so much grief?”
He bristles and straightens.
