Page 102 of Nikolai (Kansas City Reapers)

“If you had just what?” I asked, quick to grab hold of anything that would keep me from focusing on Maddy in the backseat, and my desire to abandon all plans and take her back home immediately like some fucking caveman.

“I was supposed to be at the safe house earlier than I was. I got there just a few minutes before you. Barely five minutes. Five fucking minutes. If I had gotten there earlier, I would have done another sweep. The place was perfect earlier today when I came by before heading to your place. I have no idea what the fuck even happened.”

“You were late?” I asked, forcing myself not to look back in the mirror at Maddy again, instead staying focused on the conversation here in the front seat.

“Yeah.” He chuckled, low and full of self-loathing. “I had to stop for fucking gas. Fucking. Gas.”

“Yeah, but that could have meant the difference between life and death for you, Quinn. If I hadn’t beenquick behind you, who knows what would have happened? Hell, if you had taken—” My words cut off abruptly as realization dawned on me that if we had carried out the plan as originally agreed upon…

No. I couldn’t think like that. Not now. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

“Niko, I need you to take Maddy back to your place. Keep her there and keep her safe. As of right now, they don’t know you, and they don’t know where you live. Keep her safe for me while I figure out what the fuck just happened.” Quinn reached behind him, pulling up my backpack and giving me a questioning look before I nodded. The bag was mine. I carried it with me all the time, just in case.

“Not a problem, Quinn. I’ll drop you by the station and then take Maddy back with me—”

“No! No, don’t do that,” Quinn bit out, his breathing still labored, just like my own. He took a deep breath, pulling a bandana from my bag and wiping his face off. We were both covered in dirt and grime and sweat, looking much worse for wear.

My eyes lifted to the rearview mirror, checking for anyone following us, but also checking on Maddy. She sat in the backseat, looking as small as a mouse. Her mouth was clenched tightly shut, her eyes fixated on some unknown thing in front of her, obviously lost in thought. All I wanted to do was pull the SUV over, yank her from the car, and wrap her in my arms. But that would have to wait.

“You don’t want me to take you to the station?” I reiterated, refocusing on the issue at hand yet again. Rightnow was not the time to let my emotions fly. I needed to be disciplined. Fuck, I should have been disciplined this whole fucking time, and maybe none of this would have happened.

Pushing my guilt aside for the time being, I turned towards Quinn, who was on his phone texting furiously, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

“No. I can’t have youorMaddy anywhere near the station. Drop me off at my apartment. I usually take the squad car home, and my own car is still parked at the house. I’ll take it into the station after I get this blood off of me.”

“You sure?” I asked, still checking my mirrors every five seconds, worried that we’d be attacked again. My entire body was tense, on high alert, and deeply aware of the precious cargo I was carrying. And as much as I loved Quinn, I wasn’t talking about him.

“I don’t even know… Fuck!” Quinn cursed loudly, his hand striking the dashboard. Maddy screamed in the backseat. My eyes flew to her, immediately pulling over onto the side of the road.

“Maddy?” I said quietly, trying to calm her.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, man,” Quinn whispered so only I could hear him.

“I’m fine,” she muttered.

“You’re safe. It’s okay—”

“It is NOT okay, Niko. Drive the damn car.” Her tone was acerbic, filled with… with an emotion I could not name, but somehow knew by heart.

Releasing my grip on my door handle, I put the car back in drive. Checking my surroundings for the millionthtime, I pulled back out onto the road, heading into the city towards Quinn’s place.

She didn’t want to be talked to. She didn’t want to be comforted. And for now, I could allow her that. For now.

“Niko, this isn’t safe. This whole… fucking hell. This whole operation, this whole damn case, is fucked. It has to go deeper than I originally thought. Though, based on what just happened back there, some of my earlier suspicions have now been confirmed.”

“Suspicions?” I asked, the stillness of the country making way for the bright lights of the city as we drove through Independence and toward Kansas City, where Quinn lived.

“I’ve had a gut feeling for quite a while now — ever since I got assigned this case, truth be told. To have four safe houses compromised in the span of eight months is not normal. And now, this new safe house was compromised on its first day? That’s not a coincidence.”

“So, you’re confident there’s a mole in the department,” I hissed through my teeth, keeping my tone quiet. Anything to keep Maddy out of this.

“Exactly. I suspected it before, and now I don’t see how there’s any way around it.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Well, that’s for me to figure out. I need to handle the crime scene and take some time to think. Fuck, why can’t I get ahold of Theresa,” he swore under his breath, more to himself than to me as he dialed her number yet again.

Winding my way through the outskirts of the city, I pulled up to Quinn’s house, killing the lights but keepingthe car running. I couldn’t shake the need to be on high alert.

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