The Troubleshooter

33- Hangover

So had a manic week of final submissions, a manager breaking bones over the bank holiday which left me at work for 26 hours... :'( but I digress...

Double post today to apologise

Nico POV

My head is throbbing. 

I swear hangovers hit different now-a-days, they didn't used to be like this. I remember the days Matt and I would get in from the bar at five and we would still be at work before nine. 

I stagger into the bathroom, my eyes full of sleep, I honestly don't even remember how I got home. I hardly remember the strippers at all. It's all just a blur of exposed flesh. 

I step under the stream of water in the shower trying to revive myself. When I hear crashing and shouting from the other room. 

Grabbing a towel I run into the living area to find Matt in a rage. My new plant is on the floor. Plant's just aren't gonna survive in my place. 

 "What's going on? Why the fuck are you being so loud?" I complain. 

 "What the fuck happened last night? Why don't I remember getting back here?" Matt starts shouting at me & Arty who appears to have woken on the couch. 

 "I dunno I was wasted dude, it was your bachelor's so what's the issue?" I grumble ready to turn to the kitchen to make coffee. 

 "The issue is I just woke up with some chick's panties in my bed and a contract that says I signed away my shares of the business!" Matt shouts. 

 "That's bullshit, you wouldn't sign away your shares. Your wife is a fucking lawyer dude get her to check it out" I suggest.

 "Right now I'm a bit more concerned about the panties. I'm getting fucking married! How the fuck am I supposed to explain this?" 

 "They're probably just from the strip club" I shrug. 

 "That doesn't explain the hickies" Matt cries, pulling his shirt aside to show the darker skin decorating his throat. "What if I…"

 "No way. There's no fucking way you fooled around behind Sophie's back" I shake my head refusing to believe it. 

I wrack my brain trying to remember last night. We got to the casino. Fucking Benji was there because Arty didnt know there was an issue and invited him along. We played some poker, had some drinks, but then what? 

Nothing. 

 "Arty, what happened at the strip club?" I ask him. 

 "Honestly I'm not sure, the last thing I remember is Matt arguing with that Eddy guy at the casino" Arty admits. 

 "Fucking great, Soph's ex has probably already told her his version of everything! This is why I've had no calls or messages from her this morning." Matt slumps down into the seat holding his head in his hands. 

 "Stop feeling sorry for yourself, and get dressed. We have shit to work out." I order heading back to my room to find my cell. 

I try not to worry that I don't have any missed calls from Lili as I ring down to the doorman. Ordering him to pull up the CCTV from last night. I need to start retracing our steps to work out what the fuck happened. 

Less than ten minutes later Arty, Matt and I are staggering out the door looking like extras from the walking dead. 

Matt looks the worst of us, he tried calling Sophie and it went straight to voicemail. So he tried his Ma who said Sophie went out early this morning and hasn't come back yet. 

 "She just left Ella and went!" Matt says for the fifth time. 

 "Dude Ella is with your Ma, she's probably gone for something wedding related and didn't want your Ma there" Matt doesn't reply but he's still grumbling as we enter the security office. 

 "Mx Nico," the doorman nods respectfully. "This is the footage starting from when you left yesterday" he shows us how to work the controls before excusing himself. 

Nothing suspicious seems to happen for hours after we leave. 

 "Wait! Go back," Arty suddenly says, "isn't that the girl from the casino? The one with Benji?" Arty asks, squinting at the screen. 

I shout the doorman back in, asking how to zoom in. 

 "Might I suggest using the elevator camera? It's much clearer" he says, bringing up the elevator on the screen. 

It definitely looks like her, I'm even more sure of it when I see her stop on my floor. She's gone for around twenty minutes before leaving again. I fast forward through the footage until I see Matt, Arty and myself stagger into the elevator. 

 "So we definitely came back alone. What was she doing in the apartment though?" 

 "How did she even get in?" Matt demands. 

 "Benji." I know I'm right. But I don't know what he's playing at here. What the fuck was she doing in my apartment? It can't have just been to plant some panties. 

 "Let's go see Sophie about this contract thing and I'll have my apartment swept for anything suspicious while we're gone" I suggest. 

 "You're fucking joking right?" Matt scoffs, "you want me to ask her for help? How do you think I can face Sophie with hickies and no explanation? It'd be hard enough arguing this with a regular woman about that. Sophie literally has a degree in winning arguments. We need to find out what happened first" Matt argues. 

 "But the shares?" I press. 

 "I'm not worried about the fucking shares. His cheap trick won't work, he won't get shit from me" Matt argues, not elaborating anymore as he makes a call. He must have loads of faith in Sophie's abilities.

 "Leo is on his way with the car" Matt explains. 

 "I have cars Matt" I point out. 

 "Yeah, and fuck knows what in your system. I don't need Lili pissed at me as well because I let you do something stupid" 

We step outside wincing in the glaring winter sunlight. Its fucking freezing but I don't have the energy to go back up for a jacket. 

The guys who will be sweeping the apartment arrive first with equipment in hand. They'll sweep for bugs and anything illegal. I'm not stupid enough to keep anything illegal in my apartment so there won't be any confusion. 

Not long after Leo pulls up climbing out of the car to open the door. He catches sight of the hickies around Matt's neck. 

 "So are we cancelling the wedding and pencilling in your funeral?" He jokes. 

 "Not helping. Just drive the fucking car." Matt orders. 

 "Where are we going?" Leo asks starting the engine. 

 "To the docks, I've arranged a boat to save time, we need to sort this shit out. Now."