Behind them, someone in a silver Toyota honked.
“Really great to see you,” Kari said, handing back the credit card along with their two coffees. “Be safe.”
“She said to be safe,” Damien said five minutes later as Nikki took the curves with a speed that defied physics. “I’m pretty sure you’re walking on the wild side.”
“With you? Always.” But she slowed down, more because of the traffic congestion than because he’d complained. “What were the questions about? Does it matter how she met him? It’s over, right? He confessed. He’s being sentenced soon. It’s done.”
“Just curiosity,” Damien said, because he heard the panic in her voice. And because he really was just curious. But that curiosity was fueled by a need to know everything about the man who snatched their daughter.
He leaned forward and pressed a button on the sound system. Immediately, the car filled with Dominion Gate, a Finnish heavy metal band that Jackson loved and that had performed live at Westerfield’s, a Stark club in West Hollywood, on more than one occasion.
He sat back, enjoying both the music and the power of the car. And appreciating the way his wife handled the curves.
She glanced over at him, then turned down the volume. “You’re far too comfortable. Shall I see if I can shave five minutes off the trip? Or heat up the morning even more?” she added, stroking his thigh.
“Eyes on the road, baby.”
She squeezed his leg as they reached a red light. “You’re not the only one who can multi-task.”
“You are begging—begging—to be punished.”
“Figured that out, did you?”
He laughed. A real, deep, full-on laugh. And damned if it didn’t feel good.
She turned her head just long enough to smile at him. He saw the joy on her face, too, and they both knew what it meant. Healing. Thank God, they really were healing.
“So why do you think Sofia called us both?” she asked as she turned left. “What’s her agenda?”
“Maybe she doesn’t have one,” he said. “Maybe she just wants to ease into our lives now that she’s well and life’s settling back into a normal routine.”
He glanced toward her, expecting a reply. Or at least a dubious snort. Instead, she just said, “This is my stop” as she pulled into a thirty-minute space in front of her building and killed the engine. “Are you coming up?”
“Absolutely. I need to see my wife’s power center.”
“Now you’re just being kinky.”
He glanced around. “On the sidewalk? I can be persuaded…”
Her lips twitched. “Stop it.”
They were still laughing when they exited the elevator and entered the office. Nikki called a greeting to Marge, who currently doubled as both the receptionist and the office manager, but Damien stopped short, because he’d noticed the pixie-faced girl with deep brown eyes and strawberry blond curls.
“Hi,” Sofia said, standing up from the chair.
Beside him, Nikki tightened her grip on his hand. “Sofia,” she said. “You’re here.”
“I’m here. I—I wanted to talk. I didn’t expect you, too,” she said to him. “But I’m glad you’re here.”
“Oh.” Nikki looked up at him, then back to Sofia. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m being rude. I just didn’t expect to see you. Marge, this is Sofia. She and Damien have known each other forever.”
“Well, then it’s a pleasure to meet you,” the older lady said.
“Back at you.”
“Come on,” Nikki said. “We can go back to my office. Everyone else is probably in the conference room for the morning meeting.” She shot Damien a sideways glance. “Unfortunately, I got here a little late.”
She led the way, and Damien fell in step beside Sofia, grateful that Nikki had pulled herself together. They weren’t BFFs by any means, but they’d made progress recently, and Damien had hope that his wife and his lifelong friend would ultimately reach a point where they would at least feel comfortable together.
“This is a really great space,” Sofia said as they stepped into Nikki’s corner office.
“It is,” Nikki said. “And it’s a lot better than it was the last time I saw it. Abby did a great job supervising the cleanup,” she said to Damien. “And I know she had help. So thank you, too.”
Sofia looked between the two of them. “What are you talking about?”
“Someone vandalized Nikki’s office a few days before they were supposed to move in.”
“Oh.” Her nose wrinkled. “That’s awful. What did they do?”
“Spray paint. Bullshit. I don’t even want to think about it,” Nikki said.
“I’m going to find out who did it,” Damien told her. “That much I promise you.”
“I believe you,” Nikki said.
“You should,” Sofia added. “When Damien says he’ll do something, he does it. You can count on it.”
“True enough,” Nikki said, and when she smiled at Sofia, Damien thought he heard another chunk of ice melting away.
“So what’s up, Sof?” Damien asked. “You called us both this morning but left no message.”
Sofia lifted a shoulder, looking more like a little girl than a woman in her thirties. “I got these for the girls,” she said, pulling two gift bags out of the giant tote she was carrying. “Just little stuffed animals, but since I didn’t bring them before…”
She trailed off, and Damien took the bags with a simple “Thank you.”
Sofia cleared her throat. “And, well, I wanted to say to Nikki that I saw the video. The one you did with Jamie. Talking about the kidnapping and how you cut.”
“Oh.” Nikki stiffened, which didn’t surprise Damien. The blade she used that horrible day was one that Sofia had given to her years ago in a perverted attempt to force her to cut. Damien shuddered, imagining Nikki in her office that day, the antique scalpel in her trembling hand. And remembering only too well the way everything spun out of control in the days that followed.
“I just want to say that you should talk to someone. I mean, I did. And it really helped me. Maybe it’ll help you, too.”
Nikki’s lips were pressed tight, and Damien reached over and took her hand. She held on—tight—but she nodded and said, “Thanks. I did talk to someone, and it did help. I really appreciate the concern. Truly.”
“Good. I’m glad. You’ll give the kids the presents?”
/> “Of course.”
Damien squeezed Nikki’s hand before releasing it, then moved to Sofia. “Come on. I’ll walk you to the elevator.”
“Right. Sure.”
“Be right back,” he said to Nikki, who nodded, looking only a little shell-shocked.
“Why are you really here?” he asked once they’d stepped out of the office and were standing in the elevator alcove.
“I—I don’t know what you mean. I wanted to give Nikki the presents. And, um, tell her that talking to a counselor helps. That’s all. Really. Was it bad for me to come?”
He considered the question. “Bad? No. But it wasn’t good either.”
She licked her lips. “I just want—Damien, I just want things to be right between us again. And that means I have to be okay with your wife. And, well, she has to be okay with me.”
“And you thought that showing up unannounced was the way to do that? Coming to her office?” He kept his voice level. Gentle. “Sofia, honey, think about the last time you came to her office.”
Her eyes widened so much she looked like a small animal caught in the headlights. “The last time?” Then she seemed to shake it off, leaving only sadness and understanding. “Oh,” she said. “I wasn’t thinking.” She glanced back at the office doors. “Should I go apologize?”
He shook his head. “No. It’ll be okay. But you need to give her space and time. We all want the same thing, truly. But it’s going to take time and care. And that means no surprise visits. Okay? I need you to be patient. Can you do that?”
She nodded. “I can do whatever you need me to. If that’s what it takes to make it right.”
“Good. Thank you.” He gave her a hug, hoping she truly understood, then put her on the elevator with a promise to call soon. Then he headed back into the office in time to run into Abby and Travis coming out of the conference room. The three of them made the hall crowded, and he watched Abby stiffen as Travis casually put a hand on her back to guide her out of the way.