The officer nodded.
“I think we have all the information that we need. It was lucky that you… and your friends were riding by when you did.”
“Yes, very lucky,” Marcus noted as he watched the last of Mikhail’s surviving men get carted away in handcuffs.
Stepping aside for some privacy, Reid called Simon to give him a heads-up on what had just gone down and that there were at least fifty victims who currently needed help getting situated.
Simon promised that he would share this information with the LA police, along with the laptop they had stolen. He hoped this would help uncover the connections between New York and LA.
“Are you alright?” Niko asked as he slid up next to Reid. He wrapped his arm around his waist and pulled him into his side.
“Yeah, I’m alright,” Reid said, leaning his head against his best friend’s chest. “Glad he finally got what he deserved.”
“Me too. I wonder when the hell he got out of jail?” Niko asked, rubbing his hand up and down Reid’s arm for comfort.
“Simon said he had been released early two years ago. I guess the man had powerful friends. My gut tells me that he was probably looking to start up his old business.”
Niko nodded. “Looks like it. Did Simon say anything about Kazimir?” Kazimir was the big boss. The man who gave Mikhail his orders.
“Still in jail, apparently.”
They both leaned into each other, seeking warmth and comfort as they always had.
“I’m sorry you had to see me like that,” Niko whispered. His words were barely audible.
Reid raised his head and locked eyes with him.
“What do you mean?”
“Violent. And cruel. I hope you don’t think differently of me.” Niko lowered his head as if ashamed of his role in ending Mikhail’s life.
Reid lifted his chin and stared long and hard into those big, gorgeous eyes of his.
“You are exactly the person I’ve always known you to be. You are fair and just, and have one of the biggest hearts I know. You care deeply about your friends and family, and you protect them with every fiber of your being. You are the man I fell in love with, and I will never stop loving you.”
With that, Reid leaned up and took Niko’s lips with his. He kissed him long and deep, showing Niko just how much he loved him.
35
NIKOLAI
The day of the big wedding had finally arrived.
Marcus—protector and proud big brother—spared no expense to make sure his little brother got the wedding of his dreams.
For such a big, intimidating man, it was always unnerving seeing this gentler, softer… almostromanticside of him.
After many arguments and rolling of the eyes, Ace had finally agreed to allow his big brother to throw him the wedding that he always secretly dreamed of. He had no idea how Marcus knew, but he told Nikolai once, in confidence, that it had always been his dream to get married in Italy, standing along the waters of the Amalfi Coast, surrounded by his friends and family.
And so, Marcus, being Marcus, made sure that his little brother’s fantasy came true.
Blade… well, Blade didn’t have much say in the planning of the wedding. He knew that Marcus wanted to give his one and only brother the wedding of his dreams, and he knew that keeping Ace happy was all he ever wanted.
So Marcus booked a week-long stay at this medieval… mansion? Castle? Nikolai wasn’t sure what the Italians called it, but it sat just steps away from the turquoise waters.
With the sun softly setting over the hills of the Amalfi Coast, Nikolai, Reid, and all the other members of the Shadow Vipers stood in their tuxes and semi-polished shoes, all lining the long aisle, waiting for the music to begin and Ace to make his grand entrance.
Blade waited at the end of the aisle, fidgeting with his collar, looking nervous as hell. Caden turned to him and helped him fix his bow tie.
