Page 45 of Goodnight
She gave a jerky nod, then sat back in her seat. As her gaze skittered over the happy couple opposite her she found herself sliding her hand into Salem’s fur. Even if he wasn’t allowed in the building she was now glad she’d chosen to bring him this far. The feel of his warm body under her hand helped her claw back from the pain to a place of complete focus.
When she’d seen Nick emerge from his flat with the perfect brunette on his arm, Goodie had nearly, nearlylet herself go. After a month of maintaining complete control around him, the absolute desolation she felt seeing him with another woman was almost overpowering. Before she even knew what she was doing she had taken two steps back from them into a less-than-impressed Salem. It had seemed like Nick was going to break away from the brunette at that stage – his body had swayed towards Goodie and his face had softened. But then she managed to get a hold of herself and blank her expression, greeting them both in the most functional way possible and moving to the lift to press the call button. She’d had to swallow twice in the lift to get rid of the constriction in her throat and the feeling that she might vomit.
The view out of the corner of her eye of Lila’s arm through Nick’s, combined with the usual claustrophobia, was enough to very nearly bring Goodie to her knees. But she would not be beaten; she was a professional; she was a warrior; she was not weak. So what if the woman was gorgeous in a stunning floor-length gown and Goodie was in her dark security clothes with minimal make-up? She was there to do a job. She was there to keep Nick safe, and that, she told herself, was all she cared about.
Finally he was acknowledging her place as an employee, which was what she wanted. Wasn’t it? Then why did her chest feel so tight that each breath seemed like an effort? Why did she have the almost unbearable urge to crawl away and hide?
‘Oh dear,’ Lila said, shifting closer to Nick on the back seat. ‘So, no red carpet for us? What a shame.’
Goodie didn’t respond. She didn’t even turn her head. Over the last month, unless Nick or whoever he was with spoke directly to her, she hadn’t acknowledged them at all. Bertie and Ed had made cautious approaches but she’d shut them down. The memory of her loss of control when Nick was shot was too fresh. She would not fail. Not again.
As they neared the back entrance she made eye contact with Nick and then Lila in turn. ‘Keep your head down,’ she told them in a low voice, ‘keep moving. Stick together. Priority is to get into the building. They’re expecting you at the other end. The far guards are in place.’
‘You’re going straight in too aren’t you?’ Nick asked. She looked at him and saw he was frowning.
‘Sam will stay with you. I am going to check the perimeter.’ Nick’s jaw tightened and his eyes flashed.
‘If you don’t go straight into that goddamn building, I’m not moving. I’ll stand right out there in the open.’
‘This is not a joke,’ Goodie hissed, her temper warring with the icy control she was trying desperately to cling onto. ‘Youwilldo as we advise.’
‘I’m not joking,’ he told her as he reached forward to grip her shoulder. ‘I’ll do it, Goodie. I won’t let you hang around outside whilst I scuttle in to keep safe.’
‘Sam will stay with you, that’s the best way we can –’
‘You’llstay with me.’
‘No, Nick, I will no –’
‘You’re coming with me.’
Goodie felt the last strand of her fraying temper give way. ‘Perfect. Yes, good plan. And so when you are hurt,again, I will be there to freeze and do absolutely fuck all,again. I’ll be there to watch you bleed out on the dirty pavement, not even moving you to shelter. Yes, Nick, great plan.Zhopa.’
‘Don’t call me an arsehole.’
Goodie rolled her eyes, regretting teaching him Russian swear words.
‘Goodie, look at me.’ His voice had softened. Reluctantly she moved her gaze back to his and clenched her jaw so hard it hurt when she saw the concern in his expression. ‘It wasn’t your fault and I’m fine. You can’t keep –’
‘We’re here.’ Sam cut Nick off. ‘Goodie, go with them. He means it; he’ll stand out there exposed if you don’t.’
‘Thanks, man,’ Nick muttered. Sam gave him and Lila a disgusted look as they pulled up to a stop, and if Nick wasn’t mistaken he called him the same as Goodie had under his breath, this time in English.
* * *
‘May I say,that’s a frightfully nice blouse you’re wearing this evening, Yuko.’
Despite how she was feeling, Goodie very nearly smiled. ‘Bertie, I’m wearing a security uniform.’
‘Oh golly, so you are.’ Bertie laughed, then gave one of his particularly loud snorts.
Goodie laid her hand gently on his arm. ‘Maybe if you get talking to a lady, look at what they are wearing before you compliment them tonight, yes?’
‘Yes … well,’ Bertie shifted uncomfortably. ‘It’s just I always come out looking like a right boob with the ladies, but they’re always so dashed pretty and clever and … I’m afraid I end up buggering it up.’ He glanced to the side and his face fell even further. ‘Oh balls, that’s just what I need.’
‘Bertie.’ Goodie’s head shot up as she heard Clive’s voice. There was a group of people blocking his view of her, so he must have thought it safe to approach his target. ‘Still weasling around after Nick I see, hanging on his coattails and all that?’
‘I … well … I …’
