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"You're right," he finally growled. "It has nothing to do with this." Turning, he released her arm and settled his hand at her lower back instead, very much aware of the eyes watching them from behind a curtain at the front of the house. Gina Foreman had most likely called Gainard and warned him Mikayla and Nik were arriving. And no doubt Gina had told the other man Nik was living with Mikayla. It seemed the whole damned city knew she was living with him. The woman had more eyes on her than anyone else he had ever known.
As they stepped onto the marble-capped porch, the front door opened decisively. Standing on the stoop was a somber blond male, his green gaze touching on Nik before he turned to Mikayla.
"Damn, you get prettier every time I see you," he said with a smile as he reached out, gripped her shoulders, and bent his head to kiss her cheek with lingering affection. No, that wasn't fucking affection, Nik thought as anger tightened every muscle in his body. That was a warning to Nik. A warning that Steve had known Mikayla far longer, and better, and that he would be waiting to strike when Nik was no longer in the 181
picture.
"Steve, it's good to see you." There was the slightest edge of discomfort in her voice. "I'd like you to meet Nik Steele," she introduced them. "He's investigating Eddie's murder."
Nik caught that. There was no "my boyfriend, Nik," "my man, Nik," not even a
"my friend Nik." There was no possession whatsoever in her voice.
"Mr. Steele." Gainard's voice chilled, but his hand reached out in greeting. "Nice to meet you."
The handshake was brief, the two combatants very well aware of the stakes of the game.
"Come in." Gainard's hand settled on Mikayla's shoulder at the invitation.
"There's coffee in the kitchen and Rosa has some of those pastries you like so well, Mikayla."
"I've missed Rosa." Mikayla's voice made Nik's back teeth clench. Familiarity and genuine warmth filled her voice and had him wishing he'd waited to come here. Waited until she wasn't with him.
"She's missed you as well," the other man informed her as he led them through a wide foyer to the back of the house. "We both have." Strike one, Nik thought as he gave the other man an icy look. Nik was keeping tabs as of now; when the time was right, Gainard would figure out the mistake he was making fast.
Entering the kitchen, he waved them to a glass-topped table where the promised pastries and coffee waited.
"Gina said you have questions about Eddie," Gainard sighed as they sat down.
"She called when he was killed. I was sorry I couldn't make it to the funeral."
"You knew Foreman well then?" Nik asked as he waved away Gainard's silent offer of coffee.
Mikayla, on the other hand, accepted the cup Gainard prepared as well as a small plate topped with a flaky fruit-topped croissant.
"I'd known him since high school." Gainard nodded. "We were thick as thieves until after college. Eddie went into construction and I joined an apprenticeship in London. When I returned several years later, he wasn't the same, but we were still friends."
"Did he have many enemies?" Nik wanted this over with and he wanted it over with fast.
Steve Gainard laughed at the question. "Plenty. Eddie was a helluva prick, Mr. Steele, if he had the chance. He collected enemies like a connoisseur. The damned man never could understand the value of more than a few friends."
"Yet you claim him as a friend?" Nik pointed out coldly.
"Let's say, I didn't give him a chance to be a prick," Steve answered as his gaze slid to Mikayla once again.
The darkening of the green eyes had Nik glancing to Mikayla where she was licking sweet, sticky fruit from the tip of her finger, her gaze on the pastry rather than the men.
"Mr. Gainard." Nik pulled his attention back. "Do you know any reason why Maddix Nelson or anyone else would want to kill Eddie?"
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"Everyone." The other man laughed. "Just no one with the guts to do it. Even Maddix. He might hire someone to kill you, but he would never dirty his own hands to do it."
That was pretty much what Nik had believed until the past few days. He caught Gainard glancing at Mikayla again, but thankfully her attention was now on them rather than the pastry.
"What about money problems?" Nik pressed.
