Sweat slid down his temple as his body tried to cool itself from the marathon it had just run. Thank god he was still in shape. If he hadn’t been, tonight’s events would have turned out very differently.
Instead, somehow, they had come to a surprising conclusion.
Niko.
Nikolai.
The last person he ever expected to see. The last person he ever thought he would run into.
How long had it been? Ten years? Twelve years?
His heart nearly exploded from his chest when he first laid eyes on his old best friend, even if it was only for a few seconds.
Knowing that Niko was still alive flooded his heart with so many emotions.
It was hard to fight against that need to reach out to him—to hold him—especially when those assholes were chasing after him.
Leaving Niko in that parking lot and running away was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. But his life depended on it. One didn’t mess around with the people chasing after him.
God, he missed his best friend.
More than he ever thought possible.
Sorrow started to fill his heart. He swallowed hard, then pushed those feelings back down where they belonged—safe and locked away, where only he had access to them.
Forcing himself to push through his feelings, Reid scrolled through his list of contacts, then hit Call when he found the number he wanted.
“Hey, it’s me. Yeah, I managed to grab the laptop. No, I wasn’t able to get it to my guy. His security caught me mid-act. I had to improvise and get the hell out of there. Yes, I’m fine. No, I don’t think they know who I am, but they may have gotten my picture off one of the security cameras as I was leaving the joint. Yes, I know you told me to keep my face covered, but have you ever tried to breathe in one of those masks? It’s a fuckin’ nightmare!”
Reid walked over to the window and looked out once again. He wasn’t sure exactly what the guys might know; all he knew was that it wasn’t safe for him to stay in this apartment much longer.
“Listen up. Change of plans. I left the laptop in a locker at the train station. I left the locker key in my mailbox downstairs. It’s easy enough for you to pick the lock. I need you to grab the laptop tomorrow and bring it to your guy so he can analyze it. I think it’s best if I lie low for a bit. At least, until we’re sure they don’t know who I am.”
He wasn’t sure what this group did or didn’t know, but he wasn’t taking any chances. He’d been in these types of situations before, and he promised himself he would never let that happen to himself again.
For now, he needed to disappear… for just a bit.
“Where are you going?” the voice on the cell phone asked.
“It’s best if you don’t know. I’ll call you in a few days.” Reid hung up, then glanced around the mostly empty apartment.
He’d been renting the place for the past two weeks and found it easier to travel with just the essentials.
Where to go?
Slowly, a smile spread across his face.
Could he?
He unlocked his phone once again and began searching for the logo he had just seen an hour ago.
5
NIKOLAI
Three days later, Nikolai and the guys finally made it back home to Baton, New Mexico. Being back in their peaceful little corner of heaven always brought a sense of relief. There's a calming and comforting feeling in having a place to call home where everyone knows your name.
In some ways, it reminded him of the small village he used to live in back in Russia before he decided to leave his mother and younger sister to move to America, seeking a better life.
