He didn’t even turn around. “I know.”
“And are you ready for the consequences?”
He turned his head over his shoulder, but he didn’t meet my gaze. “If you’re ready, then so am I. I know what you have to do.”
He disappeared inside, and a few minutes later, I heard the two sedans out front start up and drive away. As I watched the sky turn from bright blue to dark, I tried to think of all the ways I could deal with Nikolai.
Unfortunately, there was only one way . . . I had to kill him.
CHAPTER7
WREN
Parker’s light gray eyes scanned me with concern and he frowned. “Are you sure you should be going out?” he asked, pushing away from the desk and rising to his feet.
I ran my fingers through my dark hair and grabbed my purse off the bed. “I’ll be fine,” I assured him, but he didn’t look convinced. His lips pulled into a tight line as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Kali and I are just going to K&B’s Bistro and then we’ll be back,” I said, feeling a little guilty that I was putting him in a position of worrying about me.
He sighed and sat at the desk again, quickly opening his laptop and typing away. “Okay. Well, I’m not going back to my room just yet. I want to wait right here until you come back. There are some things I can work on while you’re gone.”
I walked over to him and kissed the top of his head. “Since when did you become the protector?” I teased.
He scoffed and continued to type away on the keyboard. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe since we found out there might be a psychotic killer on the hunt for you,” he snapped sarcastically.
I had lived in survival mode all my life. Every day on the streets was a risk, but I was never afraid. There was no way I would let someone like Nikolai Michelson put the fear in me.
A soft knock sounded on the door, and I backed up toward it, still keeping my attention on Parker. “Don’t work too hard.”
His lips pulled up slightly, but his eyes were still filled with worry. “Be vigilant, Wren. Don’t go walking off into any dark alleys.”
I rolled my eyes and hurried to the door. “You know me better than that.”
I opened the door and greeted Kali, who looked as gorgeous as ever in a short red dress and red heels, with her blonde hair pulled high in a messy bun. I glanced over at my shoulder at Parker, whose mouth dropped at the sight of her.
Kali waved and smiled at him. “Hey, Parker.”
He cleared his throat and gave me a warning glare before smiling uneasily at Kali. “Hi, Kali. Have fun tonight, and be careful.”
Kali lifted her brows at me, but I urged her into the hallway.
“Bye,” I called out, letting the door shut behind me.
Kali had the right to know what was going on. If Nikolai was after me, it could also put her in danger. Sadly, she was probably already on his list. Her father was Kyle Andrews, a notorious fighter for the Dark Side back in the day. He played a part in the takedown, which put her on Nikolai’s radar, just like her brother, Hunter, as well as Ripp, Kase, and all the rest of the fighters in our group. Still, she needed to know what could happen being associated with me.
“Why’s Parker in a weird mood?” Kali asked, pressing the elevator button.
Kali knew everything about Nikolai and the part he’d played in Louisiana when Peyton was kidnapped along with Ethan. The elevator doors opened, and we stepped inside; no one else was around.
“I think Nikolai might be after me.”
Her brows furrowed. “Why do you think that? Nikolai hasn’t bothered Emma, Ethan, Peyton, or the others since his failed attempts at their lives. You already survived that craziness with Peyton. I highly doubt he’s going to come after you. He’s only interested in the people involved with the Dark Side.”
The elevator doors opened into the lobby, where there were too many people for me to explain. “We’ll talk more in the car,” I said, following her out of the hotel.
The second we walked outside, it felt like we were being watched. I stopped mid-stride and looked around the parking lot. People were getting in and out of cars, but I saw nothing unusual. However, it didn’t mean that someone wasn’t lurking.
“Wren, what’s wrong?” Kali asked, her voice low and cautious.
I linked my arm with hers and spoke through my smile. “I think someone’s watching us. Just keep walking. Act like nothing’s wrong.”
