"Nikki brings a wave of destruction wherever she goes," Charles muttered almost bitterly, taking a long sip of his wine. "If she doesn't kill you she'll leave you wishing you were dead. Nothing like Sophie, Nikki is so dreadfully untrustworthy. There's always a motive. She'll help us but it will be at a cost, I'm not quite sure what that will be yet."
"Sounds like a hell of a woman," Bobby shrugged, hoping he sounded detached from the topic rather than desperate to hear more. He looked towards the staircase wondering where Sophie had disappeared.
"Robert, you should've never married a beautiful woman," Fred smirked. "Most of the time is spent wondering where she is. I married an average girl, best choice I've ever made. Don't have to worry about where she might be. She's happy at home with the kids."
"The dream of every woman," Sophie snarked, approaching the table. Her fingers slipped into Bobby's hair, giving him an affectionate pet before slipping down to his shoulder. "Robert, would you like to knock me up and lock me in the kitchen?"
"I hate to break it to you, Soph, but you aren't that great of a cook," he teased, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her wrist.
"Drat, between going to college and getting a job I must've skipped Home Ec."
Bobby, John, and Charles chuckled while Fred and Gregory appeared less than amused to hear their points of view attacked so blatantly. The evening continued on, business discussed lightly as Bobby wasn't fully inducted into the group yet. Once the plates were cleared and the wine gone it was time to leave. Sophie made a point to lean heavily on Bobby, trying to make it appear that she was a bit more intoxicated than she was.
"I'll see you Monday, Charles," Sophie said, taking Bobby's hand once they were outside the restaurant.
"Night, gentlemen," Bobby nodded with a cocky grin on his face. The four watched the couple make their way down the sidewalk. Sophie slipped her arm around Bobby's middle as his rested around her shoulders.
"You boys have a nice chat?" Sophie asked when they reached their car.
"Illuminating. I think Charles has a thing for you."
"He does, striking out hasn't deterred him. Your showing up has certainly put him off." Bobby opened the passenger door for her, not quite sure how much was an act and where she actually was on the tipsy scale. He sighed, taking a look around before climbing behind the wheel. "Is it always so dead around here on a Saturday night?"
"More so since the girls started disappearing. I'm sure that a lot of people are out at the mall and what not."
"So anything to do here aside from conspiring with criminals and freezing your ass off?"
"Hmm—I think that criminals and freezing pretty much covers the local activities," Sophie laughed pulling on a pair of thick gloves. "And drinking, that tends to be fairly popular."
The drive back to the house was short, once again Bobby helped her out of the car and up to the slippery front steps.
"You know, aside from the kidnapping and prostitution ring, this is a nice place. Very quiet."
"Big change from the city," Sophie agreed as she leaned against the porch railing watching Bobby unlock the front door, "it is nice though."
"Did you grow up in New York?"
"Pennsylvania. Moved to New York when I was in high school. You?"
"Brooklyn."
"Ah, city boy through and through." Bobby smiled at her.
"How did you end up in New York?"
"Uh—my parents were in an accident and passed, I was sent to live my aunt."
"Sorry."
"That's all right, you didn't know," Sophie shivered and burrowed further into her coat.
"Cold?"
"A little."
"Let's go in," Bobby opened the door, letting Sophie enter first. She paused in the doorway, causing Bobby to collide. "Sorry—" once he looked up he realized what had caused the run in. The place was trashed. Books had been pulled off the shelves, cushions thrown around the room. The rest of the house looked very much the same; there wasn't a spot left untouched.
"Fuck!" Sophie exclaimed suddenly before running upstairs. Bobby followed closely, not knowing what to expect. He found her in the bedroom, opening one of the drawers of the nightstand. The bedroom didn't look quite as disrupted as the rest of the house did. "Charles sent Eddie to do this."
"You're sure?"
"My underwear drawer," Sophie pointed towards the only drawer in the room that was disturbed. He watched as she pulled open the nightstand as far as it would go before reaching her hand behind it. From there she pulled out a small key and hurried to the den. Bobby followed again, after having become momentarily hypnotized by a pair of red lace panties on the floor.
"He's not the brightest of men," Sophie informed him as she unlocked a built in cabinet. Inside was a stationary vault, locked by both a key and number pad. With a sigh of relief she closed and locked the cabinet again. "Missed this the first time too."
"He just sends Eddie in to have a look around?"
"Supposed to scare me, remind us that he can get in if he wants."
"How did you find out it was him the first time?"
"I came home and he was still upstairs. I pulled my gun on him and that cleared a few things up. Amazing the effect a well-placed Glock can have," Sophie explained, leaning against the desk and taking a moment to look around the room. With a sigh she began to pick up books and put them back on the shelves. Bobby followed suit and started to help clean up.
"Fun evening, eh?" Sophie smiled at him as they finished the kitchen.
"Probably more exciting than what I would be doing at home."
"What's that?"
"Reading or staying late at work. Left over Chinese food and bed." Bobby sat down at the kitchen table.
"You've just described most of my nights as well," Sophie finished putting away the contents of another cabinet. "We do have one option that could save this night."
"Yeah?"
"I've got scotch and I've got vodka," she offered, placing two glasses on the table.
"Vodka, please."
"As rewarding as this job can be it does suck from time to time."
"That it does," he agreed, waiting for her to pour a shot for herself before taking his. "Coming home to an empty apartment night after night starts to wear after a while."
"Can't build a family let alone a relationship."
"Kids aren't even an option."
"That's what I need, a child that's been swimming in my tainted gene pool," Sophie shook her head as she poured them each another shot. Bobby fell silent as his thoughts turned to his mother and the disease that had plagued their lives. The reason that he would never risk having children. With a sigh Bobby emptied the glass again, enjoying the burning sensation the liquid left as it flowed down his throat.
"Same?" She asked quietly.
"Yeah."
"Well—this is moderately depressing," Sophie smiled weakly while taking a sip from her glass. "Better than drinking alone though."
She made him smile again, which was becoming a nasty habit. Tough city detective, smiling all of the time. This wasn't Bobby Goren. But it was while wearing this smile that he sank the rest of his drink.
"I've had enough for tonight," he said, standing up and putting his empty glass in the sink. "You?"
"Yeah," Sophie gulped what as left of hers before handing him the glass. Bobby moved to the door, making sure it was locked. Without knowing why exactly, Sophie waited as he checked the doors. It gave her a sense of security that she hadn't felt for years, not since she was a little girl. She had to restrain herself from throwing her arms around Bobby's sturdy frame and hugging him tightly. It was probably the alcohol. She could feel it in her body, her legs had a wobbly feel to them and her arms felt heavy.
The thoughts going through Bobby's mind were slightly less wholesome. He allowed himself another couple of moments thinking about those red panties he had caught sight of earlier. Now following Sophie up stairs his greatest hope was that she would cozy up to him again. Putting aside thoughts of tomorrow and the work they had to do, he focused on getting into bed. It was going to be another long night, followed by a long day at John's club. Climbing into bed with Sophie had suddenly become something to look forward to.
"I don't even feel like changing," Sophie groaned softly, tumbling onto the bed. Bobby shed his suit jacket, undid a few more buttons on his shirt, and removed his belt. He laughed glancing at Sophie who seemed to have dozed off already. Carefully he took each foot in hand and removed her boots so that she would be a little more comfortable during the night. Climbing into bed next to her it seemed that barely a moment passed before sure was curling up next to him.
"Night," she whispered, her lips warm against the skin of his neck.
"Night, Soph."