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“Oh, God. No. Not at all. I swear, it’s not like that at all. It’s complicated, I guess. I feel like I know him, but I don’t. Not really. I just used to know somebody who did.”
In the softest of tones, I ask, “Do you mean Maxim?”
Erin McGuire’s eyes widen as she gasps. For some reason, I get the feeling that no one has dared to utter his name to her in a long, long time.
“Yeah, I mean him. He used to talk about Nikolai so much that I feel like I know him myself. But you see, we’ve only spoken a handful of times. I barely know the man. Obviously, you have nothing to worry about if the way he was acting around you earlier today is any indication. Maxim would’ve loved to see it.”
Erin’s smile turns sad as she turns away from me, staring off into the distance again.
“You miss him. Maxim, I mean.”
After a moment of hesitation, she nods, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. Her voice cracks as she says, “Yeah, I do. I really do.”
My heart breaks a little—this poor, poor girl. “Oh Erin, I’m so sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine what you must be going through.”
Erin nods, her tears running down her face. I search my clutch purse for my pack of tissues and offer it to her.
“Thank you,” she mumbles before clearing her throat.
“Don’t mention it.”
“You’re the first person to say that to me. That you’re sorry for my loss, I mean.” She discreetly sobs, trying to conceal her tears from the other guests.
“What do you mean?” I ask her in disbelief. “What about your friends? Your family?”
“No one would dare say it. They won’t even acknowledge that he’s gone, let alone that I might be grieving his loss. It’s taboo. Because of my dad and everything that happened back then.”
I shake my head, horrified. “I can’t believe this. You poor thing. You lost the man you loved, and no one has even offered you a shoulder to cry on.”
“It’s worse than that. We’re barely allowed to say his name. It’s almost like he never existed. Almost like his death isn’t real.”
I shake my head in sympathy. “Oh, Erin, I’m so sorry.”
She nods, drying her tears. She does her best to compose herself before patting my hand on the railing. “Thank you for your kindness.”
“Of course. You don’t need to thank me for acting like a decent human being.”
“No, I do. I really do. I’d also appreciate it if you didn’t mention my outburst to anyone else. My dad can’t hear about it.”
“It’ll stay between the two of us. But Erin, there’s something you should know.” I glance around us for anyone who might be eavesdropping before lowering my voice to a whisper. “Your dad might pretend Maxim never even existed, but his death is very real to Nik. I assure you, he hasn’t forgotten about it. If there’s anything you are aware of that he should know, don’t be afraid to share it.”
Erin’s eyes widen, and Nik’s warnings about the risks of approaching her spring to the forefront of my mind. After all, the girl is clearly under her father’s thumb. Still, I can’t believe this brokenhearted woman would betray the memory of her lover by harboring any secrets that might benefit his killer. Whatever sins Erin McGuire might be guilty of, she’s still deeply in love with Maxim.
She opens her mouth to speak. Then, seeming to hesitate, she chews on her bottom lip. She glances around us before leaning closer to me. “I don’t mean to offend you,” she says so quietly that I can barely hear her. “You’ve been so incredibly kind to me tonight. But I don’t really know you enough to know that I can trust you.”
“I get that. But you know Nik. Or at least, you knew him through Maxim. I never knew Maxim, but if what I see in Nik is any indication, then the two of them shared an unbreakable bond—an undying one. If I know this after such a short period with Nik, then you must know it, too. So trust Nik. And know that I speak for him when I ask you to help us do right by Maxim.”
Erin stares at me for a long moment before nodding. “I wouldn’t dare tell you everything I know right now. Not here, where the walls have ears. But you should know—and Nik must know—that my dad was behaving strangely the day Maxim passed away. He even had his right-hand, Connor, brought to him out of nowhere. He sent Connor two states away a couple of nights before to handle some issue with a shipment. But he changed his mind that day and had Connor hurry back to attend the gala with him. I overheard them arguing on the phone.”
“What else did you hear that day?”
“Not much.” She shrugs. “Dad had me locked away here. He put a full regiment of guards in place and everything. There’s one other thing, but I’m not sure we should discuss it here.”
I want to moan with impatience and frustration, but I manage to ask, “When can you meet me? And where? Just tell me the time and the place.”
Erin glances around again before saying, “Meet me by the front door at midnight. We’ll go for a walk, and I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“I’ll be there. Now smile, here comes your dad.”
