Page 73 of Looking Grimm

After a few seconds, Nash’s voice rumbled against my ear. “What happened to you? This isn’t from the fire.”

I didn’t want to think about it; didn’t want to talk about it. So, I kept it brief. “Grimm had Vinton work me over.” I was prepared to leave it at that, but broaching the topic cued memories of writhing in Vinton’s grip while he pinned me face down against the shower drain. I kicked and got kicked in response, then wormed my way onto my back only to find out that position gave the bald bastard easy access to my face and likely broken nose.

I got one good shot in. Kneed Vinton in the groin and dropped him. That gave enough time for me to squirm out from under the running water that might have drowned me.

When he got back up, he roared like a wild animal. He ripped down the plastic curtain and wrapped my legs with it. I thought he would kill me, after all, and Grimm’s parting words fueled my fear.Only alive enough to die. With Vinton’s necromancy at work, I could attend my execution as a shambling zombie, battered and bloody but able to be decapitated.

I gulped air, trying to settle my nerves. “He told him not to hold back. Said…”

Nash pulled back to watch me as I drew a steeling breath to conclude, “It doesn’t matter what he said.”

We sat in quiet until I grumbled, “God, I need a smoke.” I sniffed. “And a stiff drink. And a fucking Kleenex.” My face currently rested in a bloodstain on the dark fabric of his shirt. Judging by the metallic flavor dribbling past my lips, it must have been down to my chin by now.

“It’s getting everywhere,” I grumbled. “And I look like shit.”

Nash tugged up the hem of his shirt and used it to daub my nose and mouth. His smile returned, more genuine this time and so gentle.

“Still the prettiest boy I’ve ever seen,” he said.

A chill tiptoed down my spine, but I shook it off with a groan. “For fuck’s sake, Nash. People are dying.”

He gave one more swipe across my lips, then replied, “But you’re not, and I’m happy about that. Let me have my moment.”

“I thought you were gonna talk to him, not reenact a shitty romcom,” a masculine voice grumbled from across the room.

I turned my head to see past Nash as a pair ofinvestigators stepped into the cell.

Tobin looked more disheveled than I’d ever seen him. His shirt was untucked, his tie knot pulled loose, and the gel in his hair had broken, letting raven black strands fall across his brow. Beside him, Felix wore casual clothes with a short sleeve shirt that showed the patch of gauze taped around his arm. His perpetually cheery expression had a weariness to it, and I remembered that the last reports about his health had been noncommittal at best.

I also remembered Nash’s idea about Felix corroborating my claims of innocence. But before I got too excited about that, I squinted at the investigators.

“Where’d they come from?” I asked.

“Tobin got me out of interrogation right after Grimm and the gang showed up,” Nash replied. “Felix was with him. I gather he’s the reason we haven’t been caught.”

“Are you sure they’re really them?” I didn’t bother to mask my suspicion.

Tobin crossed his arms, and his self-important sneer should have been proof enough. “You wanna ask me something only I would know?”

I bristled and started to straighten, but that made my chest and wounded shoulder ache, so I sagged forward again, letting Nash support me as I glared at the investigator.

“Yeah,” I began, “how far exactly is that stick up your ass? Has it reached your pea brain yet? Stirred it into soup?”

Nash jostled me. “Fitch, seriously?”

“He’s an ass,” I retorted, then nodded at Felix. “But that one I don’t mind. Good to see you upright, buddy.”

Felix’s lips quirked a grin. “Wish I could say the same.”

“Yeah, well…” I scowled. “It’s been a day.” Which reminded me. I looked at Nash. “Did you see Holland in interrogation?”

He frowned. “No. Why?”

That answered the question of time. If Holland never made it to check on Nash, she must have been nabbed on the way. Which meant I barely made it out of the infirmary before the Hex sieged the building.

My nose was still dripping, dotting the front of my damp green scrubs, and the sight seemed to spur Nash to rise at last. “Let me get something for that.”

He moved into the bathroom, leaving me with the investigators.

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