you got the keys

"Okay," she repeated. Lili didn't take long to find someone on staff who could drive Nick for the evening. His ID card checked out so his background check had already been run. She'd seen him before - hadn't she? - and everyone in here was a professional. Lili trusted that Nick was safe to follow him out and into the car, following after Gabriela. She could see for herself on the app that Nick was headed in the right direction. The night was still in full swing, her attention dragged from her phone and back into the present. Her sister still in eye shot - always - while she carried on working the room. But something was wrong, wasn't it? A feeling in the pit of her stomach, a chill up her spine. Something about the man who had walked out with Nick to that car. A feeling of unease she couldn't shake no matter what she tried.

Lili made short work of adding Nick onto the app that was tracking Gabriela's car. She watched as it made a steady path away from here and felt her stomach churn all over again. Even if she had to keep moving, it didn't mean she didn't feel awful about how they'd left things. If Nick had any hope of getting her back, she should let him try. If any of them stood a chance, it should be Nick. Gabriela had told her not to make excuses for him, but Lili and Atticus had led him down this path. He was a means to an end, there was no denying the facts. Lili handed his phone back, giving his hand a brief squeeze.

Nick's eyes were trained on his phone, watching this red dot move further and further away from him. Gabriela. What they'd done to her was wrong, he knew that. He wished he'd never agreed to be a part of all this even if the threat was very much real. He wished he'd just told Gabriela what was going on, more than anything. There was no turning back the clock, though. Nick did what he did, he was who he was. All he could do now was try and get her back.

What was Nick going to do, run after Gabriela? She would have to get someone to drive him. That or she could tie him up and toss him in the supply closet until the night was over... It was a tempting thought, truth be told. She understood his frustration and was sure he blamed her as much as Gabriela did. This was such a bad idea. Lili shook her head, stifling a sigh at his words. You owe me. Maybe if Gabriela hadn't torn down her defenses so thoroughly earlier, she would have fought him on this more.

Nick was about to argue when she asked for his phone. Of course, there was an app for it. He did so obediently, looking down at his feet and chewing back words he wanted to throw at her. The worst part was Nick knew this was hopeless. He could run after Gabriela all he wanted, he'd destroyed what they had with extreme precision. Nick was reckless and destructive, but not with her. He never meant to be with her.

Lili should have known this night would go from bad to worse. Exhibit B came in the shape of a decidedly disheveled Nicholas Vanderbilt, lurking at the entrance to his brother's gallery. "Damn it," she mumbled to herself, clicking her earpiece to give her door guy the all clear. She headed towards him, stopping close enough to give him a once over. "Did you drive here?" She was already shaking her head, sure that he had been drinking and no good could come of him chasing after Gabriela now. But it was so hard to deny that lost, pleading, entirely un-Nick like look on his face.

"No, I was at the office," he answered, waving a dismissive hand at her worry. This wasn't about him and honestly, he couldn't stand the sympathy in her eyes for him now. Lili and Atticus were more similar than he'd ever realised before. Always so together, always so in charge. Playing with people's lives and pulling their strings without them being any the wiser. Lurking in the shadows, making moves in the name of safety and security. He knew he was drunk and bitter, and heart broken. He didn't want to take it out on her.

Dawson could tell that Nick meant that. He had a feeling he was a little out of depth with this man. "Well, isn't that some good luck. Too new to the city to have blackmail on anyone besides my sister." He grinned at the idea of sketching Nick, naked or not. He would make a good subject. "Sounds like I am winning on both ends of this."

"You're at the beginning of your big city dreams, then? I may throw a few things you way, if you like. It's never a bad time to start building your blackmail archives," he grinned back. Nick chuckled at Dawson's entirely correct conclusion. "That you are. One thing about me, Dawson, I'm a giver. And I look impeccable on a canvas like a modern day Adonis."

"i like you a lot of ways, humble isn't one of them" gabriela wasn't someone who would say she had an addictive personality or addictions in general, but with nick she couldn't quit. "you should know by now that i don't like to share. i may play well with others if they can keep up but that seems doubtful, doesn't it?"

"is that right? you might have to give me a refresher on ways 1 through 10, my memory isn't what it used to be," he teased. nick's eyes never left her, following her every little movement. how captivating she was. "you know what you like. with you? yes, i'd say the list is very exclusive if at all in existence."

"Maybe, but I might also get a death glare from my 'boss'." Zeke smiled, taking the flask. The bar wouldn't serve him under direct orders from Mr. Hunter, he was sure. "Thanks, I need it if I am going to be stuck here. Unfortunately for Mrs. Fitzherbert, my hand is already spoken for. As well as several other body parts." Zeke winked as he took a swig from the flask before handing it back over. "Having a much better time than I am right now, pretending I don't exist, I am sure."

"Ah, the obligatory stint working for your dad's college bestie... We've all been there. Remember, it won't last forever. Unless you suddenly find a passion for the bottom line. If I'd known the situation were so dire, I'd have loaded it up with something even stronger." Nick let out a delighted laugh at his wink. "I could see Mrs Fitzherbert throwing her hat in the ring nonetheless. She might even get a couple of hits in before Caitlyn destroyed her. Now that doesn't sound so good. Trouble in paradise?"

"you keep me out of those" he warned. lord only knows what antics went on in nick vanderbilt's head while he was unconscious, and he wanted no part of it. then again, when i came to nick, what you wanted and what you got were likely two different things. "unfortunately, that i do believe of you." atticus shot him an unimpressed look "do you do this shit to piss me off?"

"keep you out of my dreams? you have such high standards, atticus. you might as well let my subconscious' interpretation of you have a little fun. i fear my dreams and nightmares starring you wouldn't differ much." nick grinned in response before letting out a laugh. "maybe a little."

Freddie's lips curled into a grin as he sat the chalk back on the table, "Good." He held his eye contact for a moment longer than was necessary, briefly dropping his gaze to his lips before moving away from him again. Sometimes, this was just too damn easy, he just hoped that Nick wouldn't take his impending defeat to hard. Turning his attention back to the table, Freddie's form changed entirely as he leaned forward and performed a near perfect break with two balls being pocketed.

The only small mercy given in Freddie Redlynn's succinct takedown was that it was over in mere moments. The realisation dawned on Nick just as quickly and he couldn't help but laugh. Well, well, well... it was so rare that he was the one who was taken for a ride, he couldn't help feeling impressed. Kinda turned on, even, but that was beside the point. With every pocketed ball, Nick saw his own hubris on full display. When Freddie returned wearing a smirk to rival his own, Nick shook his head.

"I hope you know when you stay stuff like that, you sound like grandfather and just like him are annoyingly right. I will do it all despite anyone who thinks I can't. I already have the arguing skills, just need the knowledge to apply, and I think I got it." Juliette smiled a bit, honestly, one of the better reactions she had gotten about him. "I mean, I guess I could still be staring longingly at Sam, but that's gotten boring. Nothing wrong with that, gotta keep things interesting." She had always felt close to Nick. Of her cousins, he was definitely the most like her.

"I can never tell if sounding like grandfather is inevitable or the single worst consequence to our last name. He and I are often annoyingly right, though. Thatta girl," Nick grinned, incidentally sounding like their grandfather again. He'd always known that Juliette would thrive wherever she landed. Law school was a given but she was already creating something for herself too. "Ah, yes, you do have a point there. Better to let Sam stare longingly at you while you have a wildly exciting time moving on. That we do. Honestly, Jules, no one gives us enough credit for holding this family up so high."

turning her head, she gave him a painted on smile and a small wave "my parents dragged me along. believe me, i'd rather be anywhere else" not that she would be able to escape.

"ah, i see. then you have my condolences," he teased. nick had noticed the lack of ceren celik-montgomery out and about as of late. whatever had happened to take her away from the spotlight had missed him. there seemed to be some tension, though. "well, i am happy to help. you can use me as your friend, confidant, arm candy, human shield against unwanted small-talkers... whatever you like. i did notice logan was here too, that was a surprise. i didn't think any of the hunters were looking to take up the 'angel capital' mantle."

he knew that nickname would come back to bite him on the ass at some point, maybe not now, but soon. he knew nick well enough to know that. he knew nick well enough that if there was a place they both happened to be at the same time, that they would eventually be talking. atticus found that didn't hate that thought as much as he normally would.

nick wasn't shocked that atticus' knees hadn't gone weak but he was a little offended. the important thing was that after all these months of forced proximity, nick felt he was finally growing on him. he let out a laugh, an arguably fond smile on his face as he rolled his eyes. "yes, i have noticed." nick finished his drink too, shooting a wink over to the bartender when atticus nodded at them.

"Probably the most PG thing involving your mouth tonight, I am sure." Dawson liked this flirting they had going on. It had always been easy, and he appreciated finding someone he could just naturally flirt with. Not that anything had happened, but it definitely could. "They definitely are, I consider myself lucky to be here tonight. I have not yet; I love her. I might superfan if I see her, and that's embarrassing." Dawson smiled, clicking their glasses together before downing the drink. "Hell yeah."

"We must have met before, you already know me far too well," Nick winked. He had always enjoyed Valentine's Day and in a room like this, it was impossible not to indulge in a little debauchery. Nick was sure that Dawson had an interesting story behind him. "Ah, don't you make your own luck? I'm sure it's only going to get wilder and wilder from here on out for you, Dawson." Nick chuckled at his reaction to Angie Hunter (perfectly valid, of course). "Just let her do the talking, you'll be in safe hands. I saw her in 'Chicago' last month, she was a spectacular Roxie Hart." Their glasses clinked and Nick's devious grin grew. "Give me your phone."

"i can give credit where it's due" she mused as they dancing moved to a slower pace. for as much as they had been reckless in the past, they were both smart enough to know where the line in the sand was, especially at a public event like this.

his face said it all and she was sure hers was no different. nick in a close vicinity really just caused the logical part of her brain to shut down. a skill only he managed to possess. "they say in your wildest dreams, but yours might just come true...i'll have to cuff you if you keep misbehaving"

"now you're just tempting fate," he grinned. nick would normally play along a while longer but there was something about the way she was looking at him... his patience had run dry. "you best read me my rights," he smirked before closing the almost non-existent gap between them with his lips.