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And this strange new loyalty I feel toward Brie Colombo.

CHAPTER 23

Brie

The Golden Sands never sleeps,but 8 a.m. is never its busiest time—not for our guests, anyway. But itisa good time to catch staff, such as Sophie Johnson. And that’s the time we pick the next morning, leaving Holden out at the Solara house working on the security footage. I’ve never used the tech in the security room much, except to check the cameras now and then, but now I’m glad Terry insisted on it, and had it filled with the kind of tools and software that Holden seems to need.

I’m intensely aware of Nik’s presence behind me as we walk through to the offices. Since last night, something’s shifted between us. It’s more than just the sex—though God knows that was amazing. It’s the way she looks at me now, like she sees right through the carefully crafted mask I spent years perfecting. It’s terrifying. Exhilarating.

I have no idea where things are going between us. It feels like I’m riding a rollercoaster into oblivion.

“You ready for this?” Nik’s voice is low, meant for my ears only.

“Sophie’s smart. She’ll cooperate if she knowsweknow about the missing money.”

“Or she might try to kill us,” Nik points out. “If she’s an assassin.”

I contacted Lyssa before we drove all the way in again, but got no answer. Still, I feel like the Syndicate would have alerted me to it if they’d found inconsistencies in Sophie’s background. We pause outside Sophie’s frosted glass office door. “Pretty sure she’s not an assassin,” I murmur.

“Prettysure,” Nik says with meaning.

I push the door open without knocking, the element of surprise our first weapon. Sophie jumps in her chair, papers scattering across her desk like startled birds. Her eyes are wide, darting between Nik and me. And then she seems to relax.

“Oh, Mrs. Colombo! I…I wasn’t expecting you.” She hastily gathers the fallen documents.

“I’m sorry if we started you,” I say, my voice cool as I gesture for Nik to close the door behind us. “We need to talk, Sophie.”

She nods jerkily, smoothing her blouse with trembling hands. “Of course, of course. Please, have a seat.”

I settle into one of the chairs facing her desk, while Nik remains standing by the door. “How are you holding up?” I ask, my voice deceptively gentle. “These past few days can’t have been easy.”

Sophie’s laugh is surprised. “It’s been…challenging. But we’re managing. I’m sure it must have been much more difficult for you, Mrs. Colombo.”

I lean forward, placing my elbows on her desk. The move is deliberately intimidating, invading her space. “Look, Sophie, I’ll cut to the chase. We need to discuss the casino’s finances.”

She stares at me. “You know already?”

I nod slowly. “Yes.I know.”

But before I can continue, she collapses on her desk with a breathless laugh. “Oh, thankGod, I’m so relieved to hear that. I’ve been wanting to talk to you, but with everything that’s happened, and given the delicacies involved?—”

“You’re relieved?” I echo, caught off guard. This isn’t how I expected things to go. I glance at Nik, who looks equally surprised.

Sophie makes an effort to seem more somber. “Well, of course, I’m shocked. Naturally. But also very relieved, I can’t deny it. As I said, I wanted to talk to you about it, but I couldn’t find the right moment.”

“Talk to me about what, Sophie?” Is this a confession? A plea for leniency?

She takes a shaky breath, and I’m struck by how young she looks in this moment. Sophie’s always carried herself with a maturity beyond her years, but right now, she seems barely out of college.

“About the missing money,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper, as though she’s worried someone will overhear. “I know you must have questions, but I’d like to go through everything with you first—the numbers.”

A memory surfaces, unbidden: Sophie, newly hired, nervously presenting her first financial report to Terry. I happened to be in the room, only because I was curious to see this young, femaleaccountant that Terry had decided to hire. Her hands were shaking then, just like they are now as she shuffles her papers, but her numbers were utterly precise.

Terry had been impressed, said she had potential. “She’s got a good head on her shoulders,” he’d told me later. “And more importantly, she’s loyal. We need more people like her.”

He’d trusted her. Maybe I should, too.

“I’m listening,” I say, leaning back in my chair.