I cocked my head to one side. “We’re going into a brothel, Nicky. What could possibly happen?”
“Let’s just say not everyone there will be happy to see me.” He turned back to his arsenal and selected a pistol from one of the foam inserts and quickly jammed a magazine into it, then slipped his arms inside my unbuttoned coat and around my waist to tuck the gun into the back of my jeans. His hands lingered for just a moment against the small of my back. “Stay close to me, doll.”
I nodded, my hands drifting up to rest against his chest. “I think I can manage that.”
The slow smile that curved his lips ended on a wink, but then he abruptly released me and slammed the door. “All right then, let’s do this.” He grabbed my hand as we climbed the steps to Happy Endings’ red door, giving the valet a sharp nod. The kid ducked his head and turned away, obviously knowing better than to question Nicky. We stood on the top step for a moment while Nicky blew out a breath and rolled his neck. Then he pressed the doorbell and loosened his shoulders while we waited.
I frowned a little watching him. Good Lord. Was he seriously limbering up? What exactly did he expect to happen? Luckily, I didn’t have much of a chance to think about it before the door swung open to reveal one of the seven dwarves who helped run the place.
“Hey there, Pete,” Nicky said with forced politeness. “Ted have the night off?”
The little man with a long blond braided beard and bushy unibrow gave Nicky and me the once-over before grumping, “What the hell are you doing here, Nicky? You’ve got one helluva lot of nerve showing your face around this place.”
“I wanna see Snow,” Nicky told him.
Pete grunted. “She’s not here.” He tried to slam the door shut in our faces, but Nicky caught the edge of it and shoved, sending the man stumbling back several feet.
“Bullshit. I know she’s here.” Nicky pulled me inside with him and strode down a short hall to the waiting room. He glanced around quickly, then headed for a door of reinforced steel across the room. “Buzz us in.”
Pete rushed forward and blocked the door. “Why the hell should I let in you and your little lemon tart here to see Snow after what you did?”
Nicky cast an uncomfortable glance my way. “That’s ancient history,” he mumbled. “Now, you gonna take me to her, or am I gonna have to go exploring on my own?”
Pete grunted again, apparently starting every answer this way. “Fine,” he spat. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you if she cuts your nuts off and rams ’em down your throat.”
I sent a wide-eyed glance Nicky’s way, wondering what the hell he’d done to piss off Snow White so much that she’d want to relieve him of his dangly bits. A buzzer sounded as Pete pressed a button under the counter that released the inner security door, rescuing me from further speculation. Nicky pulled open the steel door and motioned for me to go first.
“Just him,” Pete barked, throwing out an arm to block my entrance. He gave me the once-over again, more thoroughly this time, lingering on my chest longer than I liked. “You can stay here and keep me company.”
“Uh, thanks,” I demurred, “but—”
He sidled a little closer, wedging himself in between Nicky and me. “Ah, come on, baby. You don’t know what you’re missin’.” He wagged that massive caterpillar on his forehead at me. “You ever had a dwarf go down on you? I promise it’ll be like nothin’ you’ve ever experienced before.”
“Back off, Pete,” Nicky growled. “She’s with me.”
Pete shrugged. “Not usually what I’m into, but I’m game. Hell, you’re a good enough lookin’ guy even if you are a dickhead.”
Nicky pegged Pete with a murderous glare and ushered me inside. “Don’t make me kill you, Pete.” He slammed the door behind us but not before I caught a glimpse of Pete wagging his tongue at me in what had to be the most disgustingly obscene gesture I’d ever witnessed.
Trying not to dwell on the skeezy dwarf, I turned my attention to the dim halls of Happy Endings. If the road to hell was paved with good intentions, the road to depravity was apparently paved with red shag carpet and black wall sconces blazing the way like runway lights. And if there’d been any doubt about what kind of establishment we’d entered, the moans and cries of passion seeping out from under closed doors would’ve clued me in.
“Wow,” I muttered, trying to swallow the little bit of vomit that had risen in my throat. “Why do I feel like I just stepped into an upscale porno?”
Nicky snorted with quiet laughter. “Seen a few of those, have you?”
I felt the heat rising to my cheeks and was glad for the dim light in the hallways. Okay, so maybe I’d switched the TV to Cinemax a few times in recent years when the loneliness had gotten to me and the ache in the center of my chest—and other areas—had been too much to bear. Honestly, though, I hadn’t really needed the stuff on cable to provide inspiration. All I had to do was close my eyes and remember my latest dream about Nicky.
Luckily, Nicky was more intent on finding Snow White and her lover than finding out about my history of sexual solitaire. I had to jog a little beside him to keep up with his long strides as he navigated the halls. Obviously, he knew his way around the place.
“So,” I said, drawing out the word, “I guess you’ve been back here before?”
Nicky glanced down at me, his cheeks going a little crimson. “I hung out with Snow for a while, but it was a long time ago.”
I felt my chest constrict. I’d known about him and Red and had made my peace with that, but the unexpected news that Snow White had found pleasure in Nicky’s arms while I was lying cold and alone in my bed most nights, with nothing more than my fantasies to keep me company, was like Truth had shoved her hand into my chest and given my heart a good squeeze just to remind me that I was her bitch.
When my steps faltered, Nicky moved closer to my side and dipped his head. “Ah, shit,” he muttered. “Trish, it’s not what you think—”
“It’s fine,” I said in a rush, cutting him off and picking up my pace. “You don’t need to explain.”
I heard his quick steps as he followed. He grabbed my arm and gently pulled me to a halt. “You don’t understand—”
“Really, Nicky!” I interrupted, glancing up and down the hall, wishing someone would come out of one of those doors and keep him from saying anything more. “I don’t want to hear this.”
He lifted my chin with the edge of his hand and I was surprised to see the pain in his eyes. He looked tortured, torn. “What I was going to say is that nothing ever happened between Snow and me—and she’s pissed as hell about it. I hung out here now and then back in the day ’cause Snow was a friend. But that’s all she’s ever been.”
I tried to look away, but he gently guided my face back to him. The way he was looking at me now made my heart trip over itself. Something shifted in the air between us, and the tug in the center of my chest pulled me closer to him, but this time I didn’t resist. I began to tremble a little as his head dipped toward mine.
“Well, if it isn’t Nicky Blue . . .”
Nicky cursed under his breath and let his hand drop away from me before forcing a rakish grin. He turned and spread his arms wide. “Hello, Snow,” he drawled, going to her and enveloping her in a brief hug as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You’re looking as beautiful as ever.”
Olivia “Snow” White gave him a sultry smile and a wink that would’ve melted a lesser man. “Flatterer.”
God, no wonder her business was thriving. . . .
She leaned out around Nicky’s shoulder and gave me a sweet little smile that didn’t fool me for a minute. “And who’s this?” She gasped theatrically and rushed to me, taking hold of my upper arms. “Is this Trish Muffet? I recognized you from your sweet little ringlets! Oh, my darling—if things don’t work out at the FMA, you really must come work for me! I have men who love the whole little schoolgirl look!”