Tell Them This When I Die

The Story of the Turtleneck

Adam declines three phone calls from his mother on the way to Nyx. She's calling to ask why she saw Adam's picture in the news—she left a voicemail, wondering if that pretty girl with the gray eyes in the picture next to him was his new girlfriend. Then she went on a tangent about Daphne and how Adam needs to get her out of his crazy ex-fiancé's hands. The little things.

Daphne's birthday is tomorrow morning, but Adam can't wait a single second longer. He won't stay at Nyx for too long; he just needs to talk to Eris. Ask her why in god's name she paid Leonardo's bail. Ask her why the hell she's written down as his lawyer. Ask her why she put him in jail just to take him out.

Adam parks on the street and walks in for two reasons. One, no cop is going to wonder what he's doing at Nyx, and two, Eris won't be able to keep his car hostage again. He gets his ID checked, and then tries to get into the pit, but they won't let him in. Invite-only, they say. Do you have an invite? No.

"I know the owner," Adam says, which he's tired of saying.

The two men at the stairwell glance at each other. One squints at him. "Is he the guy in the staff room?" he whispers to the other.

Nikolas comes up from the stairwell, passing by the other men. Adam steps in front of him. "I need down there."

"Sorry, who are you?"

Adam tilts his chin down. "Not this again."

Nikolas hides a smile. "Sorry. Invite-only."

"Then bring her up here," Adam insists.

"Can't bother the boss for some random man," Nikolas says.

"I'm not some—"

Nikolas pushes past Adam, going to check on the shipment out back. Actual shipment, this time.

Adam tries nearly every other employee in the foyer and the restaurant. He sits at the bar for ten minutes, but no gin and tonics magically appear.

Peter sees him sitting at the bar. He knows that Eris is up in the penthouse, and she probably won't come down tonight until midnight or one. There are no deals tonight, and she doesn't like the club unless it's thriving, which it does best at twelve-thirty. Since she's up in the penthouse, no one will have told her that Adam is here as they usually would.

Peter gets behind the bar and asks Adam what he wants to drink.

"Gin and tonic, please."

Peter gets him the drink, and when Adam gives him cash, Peter shakes his head. "On the boss," he says.

Adam searches Peter's face. "Do you happen to know where she is?"

"Penthouse," he answers. "She'll be down in about two hours."

Adam sighs. He doesn't have time to wait two hours, and he won't be able to get up into the penthouse. Not to mention the fact that Eris probably doesn't want to see him. He didn't believe her when she tried to warn him and called her a child.

"We've got a special," Peter says, cleaning a glass. "Greek classic. I'll bring you it right at the bar."

Adam remembers the price of the special the last time he came here.

"On the boss," Peter says.

Adam glances at him. He's starving, and he really needs to find out what Eris is doing with Leonardo.

Peter smiles, then puts the order in without Adam's confirmation. He doesn't know much, but he knows that the only time Peter got to see Eris smile, it was at Adam. And he likes that smile.