Page 63 of His Sinful Need

“Let’s go find Nico,” I suggest diplomatically.

* * *

Nico is in a different area, the kind where everything is silent and you can tell that half of the people here are going to die before dawn. As we enter his room, he lies sunken beneath the sterile white sheets of his hospital bed, a stark contrast to the vibrant young man I know he really is. But despite his condition, he still manages a weak smile when he sees us enter. Jazz and Pony are in the room, too: Jazz curled up in an uncomfortable-looking armchair and Pony blinking sleep away as he sits upright in a chair he’s pulled up against the wall.

“Hey, guys,” Nico whispers, his voice barely audible.

“Hey, Nico,” Bricker responds gently. He comes over and takes his hand. “Man, you look like shit.”

Nico gives a soft sigh of agreement. “I feel it.”

I give a nod to Pony and Jazz, and then Honeybee comes into the room holding a takeout coffee, looking surprised but glad to see both Bricker and me. She comes to me for a hug, after smiling at Bricker, who is still chatting with Nico.

I can’t turn it off, my security side. I notice it straight away: she’s changed clothes since the heist. When we took her in, she was wearing a leotard under a track suit, ready for the climb into the shaft. Now she wears a simple striped dress that clings to her curves.

“Someone brought you in some clean clothes,” I say. “Good. You doing okay?”

“Oh,” she says, and her eyes slide away from mine. “I went home to get changed. They said I couldn’t see Nico anyway until he was stable, and Jazz said she’d wait here with him, so…” She gives an awkward shrug. “I’m doing okay. Better, now that Nico’s awake. Anna-Vittoria came in to see us, and she was so nice, Max.” She tears up again, sniffling, and I lead her over to Nico, who smiles to see me—but smiles more to see Honeybee.

“Bet you’re glad you got left in the van, huh?” he says to me, with an attempt at a laugh that makes him wince. “Ow, fuck. Damn, I wish I’d listened to you, Pony. Should’ve stayed with you outside.”

“Yeah, you should’ve,” Pony tells him gruffly.

Nico makes a choking sound as he tries to hold back a sob. “Rook…Bricker, I can’t stop thinking about him.” Tears run from the corner of his eyes and he turns his face away from Honeybee as though ashamed.

“We’ll find out who’s responsible,” Bricker tells him. “I promise. And they’ll pay.”

“Thank you.” But there’s exhaustion and despair etched across Nico’s face.

“Whatdo you people think you’re doing?” an outraged voice demands from the doorway. “I want all but one of you out of this room, right now.”

This nurse is exactly the kind I like—takes no shit, and protects her patient. “Alright,” I say, holding up pacifying hands to her. “We’re leaving.”

Jazz turns to Honeybee, who’s standing by the door, arms crossed over her chest. “Honeybee, why don’t you go home and get some more rest? You look like hell. I can stay with Nico while you—”

“No way,” Honeybee says, without even looking at Jazz. Jazz glances over at us, and Bricker shrugs.

Jazz leans in to say goodbye to Nico. “You need to rest up, honey. Your mom’s coming to visit again later, so you better look alive when she gets here.”

So Anna-Vittoria’s been visiting her son regularly. I’m glad. Shows there’s a heart under all that steel.

Honeybee sits down next to Nico and lays her head gently on the pillow next to him, speaking in a soft voice until she gets a smile out of him.

“Listen,” Bricker says after a moment, “I want you to know I’m here for all of you. If anyone needs anything, call me. Day or night. Understood?”

They all murmur their agreement and then Jazz puts a gentle hand on Honeybee’s shoulder. “Hey, let’s give Cap a few minutes with Nico, huh? Come on. You too, Pony.”

I walk outside with Jazz, Honeybee and Pony, and we all stand around like we’re not sure what to do with ourselves. Jazz is characteristically silent. Honeybee’s quiet is a different kind. She looks…nervous.

“You doing okay?” I ask her.

She actually jumps. “I’m fine.”

“You can benotfine. It’s okay to have a reaction to what happened.”

Jazz watches me as closely as I watch Honeybee, who shakes her head. “Seriously, Max, I’m fine. I need to keep it together for Nico. Right?”

I want to hug her, but I don’t want to patronize her, so I just smile. “You’re taking good care of him.”

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