Page 10 of Breakdown
“That was something, you know? After everything, I was not sure I would know happiness again, but here it was. And Peter... he worked so hard too, you understand? He stayed sober. He learned a trade. He moved on from where he was when I first met him. He did not let his past define him.
“And finally, after we had been together for a while, he told me about that past. Not everything, but enough that I understood who his ex was, heard the name, saw the pictures. I realized who this man was to me. I finally had the answer I wanted and it sickened me.
“It seemed like some sort of cruel cosmic joke, yes? Four million people in LA, and somehow Stavros Giannopoulos should come back into my life along with the one person who was making me whole again. And I could not understand why at the time.
“Trust me, there are days where I wish it was not so. It would certainly be easier to not have to reckon with the fact that Peter used to be the kind of person that was capable of being with a man like that. So, I understand what you are trying to imply here, Mr. Luskey: that the coincidence is simply too big. That perhaps I have attached my own troubles to Peter's. That I am mistaken.
“But I think maybe, in the end, people were right. Perhaps everything does happen for a reason.”
Nik’s words hung in the air. Not a single member of the jury stirred, or coughed, or fidgeted in their seat, their attention focused solely on Nik. In the gallery, Peter found he was holding his own breath. It was the most he had ever heard Nik say in one sitting. He knew all these things were inside the man—Nik was practically the definition of still waters run deep—but it was something else entirely to hear them laid bare. The whole thing was deeply private and exquisitely painful, and Peter loved Nik more in this moment than he thought was possible.
“Still your witness, Counselor Luskey,” the judge prompted after a moment.
Luskey slumped in on himself, deflated and defeated. He could see the wet eyes in the jury box. He had lost this bout. “Right. A compelling narrative, if convenient.”
The rest of the lawyer’s cross-examination was lack-luster—a few picky discrepancies in the old garage’s books—and he concluded quickly after that.
Mercifully, the judge called for a fifteen-minute recess, and Peter joined the crush of bodies from the viewing gallery in exiting into the hall of the courthouse. He could have been out quicker, but he was trying to avoid ending up too close to Adara Giannopoulos. Stavros’ sister was the only member of the Family to attend the trial, her expression pinched and stormy the whole week. Today, it was near apoplectic. Like Liv, she had been on the receiving end of the worst of Matteo and Volkov’s fury and it was taking a toll on her.
He found Nik at the end of the hall, standing with Booth and talking lowly. As he got closer, Peter could hear Nik apologizing. “I am sorry. I did not do what you told me. I said too much.”
Booth grinned like Christmas had come early. “Nik, you did great. Better than great. The look on Luskey’s face...” He chuckled to himself. “Tough tomatoes, Galen, you’re not winning this one.”
Peter came up beside Nik and slid his arm around his waist, possessive and protective. “You did do great,” he confirmed, giving Nik a reassuring squeeze.
“Thank you.” Nik melted into Peter’s side just a little, his smile at Peter barely there but grateful. “And now we do, what? The redirect?” he asked Stuart.
Peter forgot that Nik had to go back up on the stand. For Nik’s sake, he just wanted this to be over as quickly as possible.
Stuart shook his head. “We don’t need to; there’s nothing I want to polish up from that cross-examination, even with that curveball he threw us. Luskey blew it big time by being so combative with you. It’s better for us if that’s the impression that sticks with the jury. It made him look like a bully. An opportunity to re-cross can only help him.”
“So I am done?” Nik asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.
“You’re done,” Stu confirmed kindly. “Look, I know that it’s not an easy thing that you did, coming forward, testifying today. But this is all almost over, Nik, and I promise you that I’m going to get justice for your wife and her brother, okay?” He gave Nik’s shoulder a quick squeeze. “I’ve got to get back in there. Are you guys going to be alright?”
Nik nodded, but Peter could tell that Stu was really directing the question to him; both of them could see how unsteady Nik was, and he wanted to make sure Peter was handling it. Peter was. Only one of them was allowed to fall apart at a time, and this was definitely Nik’s turn.
“Thanks, Stu,” Peter said, guiding Nik over to an empty, secluded bench.
Nik didn’t so much sit as crumple onto it, his elbows on his knees and the heels of his palms against his eyes. “Gamó tin tréla mou gamó,” he muttered.
Peter still wasn’t great with Greek, but he recognized the equivalent of ‘fuck’ in there twice. He rubbed his hand in circles over Nik’s hunched back. The hallway was starting to clear out, the recess almost over. Nik hadn’t been able to watch the trial so far; they’d put him in a side room with the other witnesses until he was called to the stand, and he’d been frustrated about it. Now it seemed like the last thing he wanted to do was walk back into that courtroom.
“You want to get out of here?” Peter asked.
Nik lifted his head. “You would not mind?”
“Fuck no.” Peter pressed a kiss into his temple. “You look so fucking good in that suit that I’ve been waiting for an excuse to get you out of it all day.”
Nik laughed weakly, relaxing a little. “We should tell Nina. That we are leaving. Not about the nudity.”
“I’lltell Nina. You wait right here and think about all the depraved things you want me to do to you.”
Nina was sitting right where Peter had left her, two rows back, her legs crossed and her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
He leaned over the armrest of the long bench. “I’m going to get Nik outta here. You want to come with?”
Nina shook her head stiffly. “I’d rather see this out, thanks.”
