Nicky's POV
I'm woken up by a jacket being thrown in my face. I all but startle myself awake. I grab my glasses from my lap quickly and look up at John from my place on the couch.
He's got a cup of coffee in his hand and he's glaring down at me.
Worst wake-up call ever.
"Get up," He says simply.
Nicky's POV John had left my backpack by the front door. My anger with him dissipated, but only a little bit. I hadn't stayed in that house a second longer than I had to when I had finally found a way to get myself out of that hole.And my statement about the house being held together by a nail wasn't entirely accurate. It was being held together by one wooden beam and a nail.I keep my head down as I walk through the small town in front of me. I'd managed to hitchhike a ride with a friendly older coupl
Nicky's POVI pull my room key out of my pocket as I walk down the dimly lit hallway to my room. A couple bags of snacks and groceries hanging from my arms.I juggle keeping them from falling as I insert the key and shove the door open. I mutter curses under my breath as I drop a bag. I reach down and manage to pick it up once again without dropping any other bags. I kick the door shut behind me and lug everything into the small kitchen attached to the room.I drop everything on the counters and then frown as I h
Nicky's POVRyder's gone.Maybe that should totally send me spiraling into panic . . . but it doesn't. At least, not in any way that it should.Maybe I should be freaked out that he left me. That he changed his mind. Maybe I should be concerned that the FBI could come breaking down the door at any minute and arrest me.None of this concerns me though. Why?
Nicky's POVRyder's distracting.In so many more ways than one.If I were to actually admit that to him though, he'd use it against me. More than he already is.We've been driving on a two-lane road with the occasional passing car, but for the most part, we've been completely alone on the road. Not many people appear to drive through here. Actually, hardly any people appea
Nicky's POVI take a turn off the paved road and onto a long dirt and gravel one. Though I've only ever been here once before, I know the road lasts for about five miles and is relatively well taken care of. No potholes, no sudden dips or bumps. So long as someone has a vehicle capable of going off-road, they'll be fine.Ryder stares out the window as we start down the road, the sound of shifting gravel under the tires and trees surrounding us as I drive us further into the forested area."Are you sure you know w
Nicky's POV Quinn takes a seat next to me on the couch and picks up a pair of glasses from the coffee table. She slides them over her eyes as she pulls back my shirt from the wound on my shoulder. She makes a face."So?" I question jokingly. "am I going to live?"She gives me a flat look. "I think you're lucky it hasn't gotten infected so far," She grumbles as she pulls a first aid kit onto her lap. "Whoever tended to your wound only seemed concerned with stopping the bleeding."
Nicky's POVI wake up still on the couch, but I've been moved so I'm laying across it, a pillow has been propped up under my head and a blanket has been thrown over me. Another pillow and blanket lay on the floor next to the couch."Oh good, you're awake," Quinn says she looks up from the dishes she's washing in the connecting kitchen. "I was starting to think you died on me." She shoots me a smile over her shoulder. "Not that I'd object to being left alone with that eye candy you brought with you."I give
Nicky's POV My feet pound against the ground as I take off running down the trail. Running toward Quinn's cabin. I can hear Ryder running behind me, swearing the entire time but I ignore him.It takes longer than I wish to make it back to the cabin, to finally be able to see the flaming mass through the trees but I'm still a good hundred feet away from it."Quinn!" I shout as I run. "Qui-" I'm tackled before I continue to call out to her and a hand is thrown over my mouth.
Nicky's POV2 Months Later . . . Gunshots.I bolt upright in bed as I listen to the deafening bangs of the gunshots that are coming from the front of the house I've been calling home for the past few days.The gang. My mind tells me. But how did they find me? True I cut off the head of the snake, but that didn't mean I never considered the possibility of anyone else from the ga
Nicky's POVI step off the elevator and walk down the hall in the direction of Ryder's room.After he had woken up-and after much argument from him-I had gone and rented a room and the hotel across the street and taken the time to actually shower, eat, and sleep in something other than a hospital chair.Mind you, this was only after Ryder had threatened to get my visiting privileges revoked until I took care of myself.
Nicky's POVLillianna Marshal. Ryder's little sister.I knew her before I ever met him. We'd been very good friends, but I hadn't seen her in years. Why? Because until very recently I had believed her to be dead . . . and that's kind of a long story.I continue to stare at her.She smiles mischievously back at me. "You look like you're seeing a ghost."
Nicky's POVThe seat is horribly uncomfortable, but I don't make any move to get up. Never mind the fact that I haven't had any decent sleep in the past five days or meals for that matter. There were only two things that would get me to the leave this horrible chair; restroom breaks and then when the doctors asked me to leave the room. Otherwise, my stubborn self was sitting in this chair and not leaving.Damien had been in here with me for a while, cursing Ryder out and talking about what a complete idiot he is. He was also making mention to putting in a request for a new partner because Ryder was, and I quote, "going to give hi
Nicky's POVI watch in shock as she steps out of the shadows enough for me to see her. Enough for me to make out the blonde hair and brown eyes.Sarah.I almost feel like shouting in relief as I see her, and then backing away in a corner. Because the girl standing in front of Volkov may be my friend, but she doesn't look it right now.She moves like a tiger waiting to pounce. Like a predator. Like the ki
Nicky's POVRyder falls, his head slamming into the base of a chair as he does.Volkov stands at the top of the stairs behind him.I ignore him. Ignore the gun pointed my way. Ignore the threats he spews at me if I make a move. Ignore him completely as I run straight toward Ryder's collapsed form.I fall to my knees next to him, my hands shaking as they hover over him. I'm unsure what to do. Wher
Nicky's POVI now wish, more than anything, that I had just stayed in the hotel with Ryder.Yes, maybe I would have still ended up running for the rest of my life, but at least it would have been with him. And now, I'll never get the chance to tell him the truth. To tell him exactly what he means to me.I slowly creep out of my hiding place after I watch him pass by. No way I intend to be caught by him again. No. I intend to catch him off guard. I intend to end this.
Nicky's POVI blow out a long sigh as I stare up at the crumbling building in front of me. I tighten my hands on the straps of my backpack and slowly walk up the stone steps.Structurally, the building is sturdy and strong. Underneath the crumbling exterior and broken windows. It had once been a very nice three-story building. Whether it had been for businesses or just a huge mansion at one time, I didn't know. Nor did I particularly care. What mattered was that the building would be perfect for my purposes.I pu
Nicky's POV"Alright," Ryder says as he tosses his jacket onto the couch of the hotel room. "We'll hole up here for a while. I used the hotel phone in the lobby, Damien's supposed to be meeting us here in about . . ." He looks down at his watch. "three hours. So, as soon as he gets here we'll figure what we do next in this . . . mess."He stops and takes a second to look around the room. He looks back at Quinn since she's the one who booked the room.