Big Ben (See No Evil Trilogy #1) - Nana Malone Page 0,8

my eyes rapidly, dissipating the sting of tears.

This was no adventure. The Viking screamed danger.?And while I wanted some excitement in my life, I didn’t have a death wish. Not to mention, Mom had loved Dexter. The two of them had been thick as thieves. But then Dex was always a charmer.

When I reached my station, I stepped off the train, pulling my shawl closer around me to ward off the wet chill. With my clutch tucked under my arm, I started the four-block trek home. On the street, my shoes made soft suction sounds as they tread on the wet roads. My phone rang, and?I pulled it out from my purse, smiling when I saw who it was.? “Hey, Telly.”

Telly Brinx was a legitimate walking, talking badass and had been since Uni. We’d shared a flat with two other girls and then promptly moved out on our own. “Hello, gorgeous.?How’s the event??How are you feeling??Tense??Anxious??Do you want to have a night of wine and reading at mine?”

Adrenaline surged through me, making me desperate to tell her everything, but maybe talking on the phone about how I’d accidentally stolen state secrets or mining secrets or whatever was on the drive was probably not a good idea.

Telly was a tech genius. She owned Brinx Technologies and was a brilliant developer. She might be able to help me decipher what the hell I was carrying around. “Only you would offer a night of wine and reading.”

“Well, to be fair, by reading I mean gossiping about very fit celebrities.”

I laughed.? “Yeah, we’re overdue. I haven’t seen you in a few weeks.”

“We need to fix that. You think his royal highness will let you out?”

I sighed. “Telly, be fair.” After the accident, Dex had struggled with post-traumatic stress. He’d also injured his hand and had to have some physical therapy.? “Monday after work?” By then I would have figured out what to do. Maybe it would have resolved itself by then. Like this is going to magically go poof.

“I will put it in the books.?So tell me, how was it?”

I swallowed. What should I say exactly? “Fine. I was a bit anxious. But you know, nothing I couldn’t handle.”

She laughed, knowing me all too well. “So, how long before you ran off? And did you have your shoes in hand?”

I groaned. “One time I did that. Once. Why won’t you ever let me live it down?”

“Because it was hilarious. You attempting to climb out the loo window with your Jimmy Choos in your fist.”

“I don’t like you.” I’d begged her to go with me to the London Lords holiday party when I’d started as a temp six months ago. I’d had an anxiety spike and, erm, needed air. That was my story, and I was sticking to it. Besides, I’d at least texted.

“So tell me, did you meet anyone even remotely cool? Or interesting?”

“Uhm, meet is the wrong word I think.” I didn’t get a name for the Viking.

“Dexter was supportive?” I hesitated a moment too long, and she groaned.? “Was he a twat?”

“He wasn’t a twat, exactly. I just couldn’t find him when I wanted to leave.”

She sighed. “You’re not home yet?”

“No. I took the tube.”

“You’re supposed to call me in those instances.?I’ll come and get you.”

“What??All the way from Central London?” Her flat was located right above Vauxhall Station.?Dexter and I lived on the edge of Chiswick.

“For my best friend, I will always turn up.”

“I appreciate that, but I was fine. I mean after I broke the statue.”

“What?” she gasped.? “You were at the Van Linsted estate, right?”

“Yeah.?Sure was. It was kind of humiliating. I didn’t know what to do, so I hid… in the closet.”

She choked out a cough. “Liv. Are you serious?”

“I know. Trust me I know. But then there was this guy, and he hid in the closet too.”

“Oh, this is getting better. Please tell me. This is better than Pornhub.”

“What? No. Boyfriend, remember?”

“Oh, him…” Telly and Dex had never gotten along. She always said he didn’t seem right for me. “Okay, fine. At least tell me he was fit.”

“We hid in a closet. I was hardly focused on his looks.”

“Lies.”

“Okay fine, he was tall.”

“How tall?”

Picturing him in my mind’s eye was remarkably easy. “Maybe six foot three. Maybe a little taller.?Blond hair that looks a little bit messy, like it was too long, a ridiculously chiseled jaw with one of those cleft chins, you know??Ice-blue eyes.?And he’s built like he’s got one of those V-things pointing directly to