Page 17 of The Sins That Bleed

Exorcisms confronting your trauma head-on and never giving up hope is your superpower.

I know we’ve hit a bit of a wall in this case, but we will move past it, and so what if we need Lady V’s help?

I’d do anything to take all these fuckers out if it meant finding your sister.

Why not have fun with her in the process?

You’ve got nothing to lose, and I will be here every step of the way.

You’re my partner but also my brother, if we go down, we go down together. Deal?”

His hazel eyes bore into my blue ones and don’t move away until I say, “Deal.”

He cups my neck and pulls my head to his, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “Good. If this shit starts to feel like it’s getting to be too much, just say the word. I’ll carry this one for you, you’re not alone in this.”

I nod, not trusting my voice and he lets me go, starting the car to drive us home.

He starts chatting away about plans and getting the next drop of information from Valeska and Sunny.

I’m half listening as I watch him chat away.

The other half of me is thinking about what he said and how much of an incredible friend, partner, and brother he is to me.

He doesn’t have any family left but he treats me like blood all the same. I’m overcome with gratitude that he walked into my life all those years ago at the police academy, that whilst we both have people missing from our family, we created our own.

“What’s that look for, princess?” He grins at me, and I realise I wear a smile of my own.

“You’re so good to me, Nico. You’re my brother, my family. I love you.”

He puts his gaze firmly on the road to hide the tears gathering in his eyes at my words. We’ve never been this open before about how we feel about each other.

“I love you too, princess.”

After having a few beers and a pizza at Nico’s apartment above mine, I’m finally back in my own.

I lock the door behind me, take off my shoes, and scan my apartment, everything is in its place, neat and orderly, how I like it. Not that there is much here, I spend so little time away from work, I’ve never really seen the point in furnishing it properly.

I head to the kitchen that’s attached to the lounge, all open plan and decorated in plain cream colours. Not something I’d choose, but I don’t have time to redecorate even if I wanted to. I grab a glass of water and down it, thirsty from the pizza and beer, before refilling it and heading to bed.

I place it on the coaster atop my nightstand and undo the buttons on my shirt, peeling the fabric off and folding it neatly on the bed.

My pants are next, and I place my socks on top.

I wouldn’t normally wear this to work but sometimes you’ve got to play dress up and hope it helps get some answers. For all the good that did for me today.

I sigh heavily, tiredness creeping in after what has felt like the longest day ever. I decide to have a quick shower and get straight into bed. I carry the worn clothes with me as I head into the bathroom, placing them in the hamper and turning on the shower to warm up.

It’s not long before the steam fills the room and I discard my boxers before stepping in, instantly groaning as the hot water massages my muscles. I let it run over me for a while before lathering up my body wash and scrubbing myself clean.

I shut the shower off, using a squeegee to clean the water from the tile before it leaves a mark. I step out, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around my waist. This room is pretty small, like the whole of my apartment, so I only have to take a few steps before I’m in front of the mirror.

I’m about to use the squeegee to clear off the condensation but freeze. A heart has been drawn through it with a V in the middle. Valeska. I’m about to storm through my apartment and prove to her that my threat wasn’t a bluff, but I realise it hadn’t been drawn today.

The way the condensation isn’t clean-cut tells me she must have drawn it another time, and I’ve only now seen it since I’ve been showering at work most of the time after hitting the gym we have there.

I run my hands through my wet hair and smooth my moustache. She’s not here. I’m annoyed by the disappointment that follows the realisation. I clean the condensation off the rest of the mirror but can’t bring myself to remove the evidence she left behind.

I leave it, enjoying the personality it adds to my bland bathroom and my bland life, and discard the towel for the laundry basket. I finish getting ready for bed and shut off the light as I go, heading back into my bedroom to crawl under the sheets and sleep.

I climb under the cover and flick the bedside lamp off. I contemplate looking at my phone again for the millionth time to see the picture of Valeska, but I stop myself. I roll onto my front and shove my hands under my pillow to stop the urge.

I lay there for a while, forcing myself to relax and try not to think about everything else that’s going on in my life. I eventually drift off with thoughts of Valeska, contemplating having fun with her, as Nico said I should.