Tell Them This When I Die

An Anonymous Source Named Nikolas

The sunlight wakes Adam, not his alarm.

He feels more comfortable that he usually does when he wakes. The blankets are softer; the mattress is more expensive. At first, he thinks it's just because he's back at home, in his house, and not that awful apartment. But then blinks open his eyes, and realizes that he is not in his apartment, and he is not in his house.

The sunlight glistens on Eris' skin, her head curled into Adam's shoulder as she sleeps. She looks younger, looks a little less composed. Her hair is messed enough to scare away that perfect shine, and the thin liner around her eyes is slightly smudged. One of her arms rests over Adam's chest, her hand around his bicep.

Adam glances out the window, where the city is waking up. It's later in the day already, perhaps nine, ten—

Adam feels his heart smatter. Daphne's party. Daphne's party, at the house he lives in, where he is supposed to go home to every night, where he didn't sleep last night. He slips away from Eris, trying to find his shirt, his pants—anything. He doesn't know where his phone is. He doesn't know where his keys are. Eris stays dead asleep in the middle of that massive bed.

Outside Nyx, Nikolas scans his key card, practicing his speech. I'm sorry for getting physical with you, Eris. It's a bad habit that I'm trying to fix. It won't happen again—

Nikolas sighs, opening the door and walking through the foyer. The restaurant is switching over from breakfast to lunch as he walks through. Eris won't buy that, because he's said it a thousand times.

Look, Eris. I just have a bit of a confidence problem. It's just because you're so incredible that sometimes I feel a little bit jealous—

Nikolas rolls his eyes and scan his card again to access the hallway. Eris will think that's stupid.

Adam can't find his phone. He's found his clothes, found his keys inside his jacket, but he still can't find his phone. The sunlight drenches the apartment, and Adam starts to sweat as he looks for his phone. There's a full glass of gin on the table and an empty martini. No phone. Where is his phone?

Nikolas scans his card at the penthouse floor. It doesn't work the first time. Damn Eris and her broken little card system.

Finally, Adam finds his phone in between one of the couch cushions. Nine-forty-eight. Six missed calls from Sarah. Daphne's party was supposed to be at nine. Adam is late. Late because he slept with a criminal he's currently investigating.

Adam runs his hand through his hair. He slept with her. He slept with Eris.

What an awful, awful decision. He tucks his phone in his jacket and wrestles with the door. He's parked nearly a kilometre away. He's going to be late late.

Adam opens the door at the far end of the hallway and runs into Nikolas, who just managed to get his card working again.

Adam stares at Nikolas, and Nikolas stares at Adam.

"Some cop," Nikolas says.

Adam pushes by him, down the stairs. Eris can deal with that. Adam didn't cheat on anybody.

Adam blinks. Did he? What did he and Sarah agree on? Just being for a certain amount of time? Still, he doubts this will be okay with her. He shakes his head as he leaves the building. Stupid Adam.

Adam drives Eris-style to Sarah's house—no, his house. There are cars parked down his street—Daphne's friends. Little balloons are blown up around the windows of the house—balloons that Adam was supposed to help Sarah blow up, because she gets a headache from it.