Page 48 of Nikolai (Kansas City Reapers)

He reached across me, almost shoving me out of theway as he reached for his cell phone, which had been half lost amongst the covers.

“Niko, listen…”

“No!” He snapped harshly, but quietly, so as not to be heard. He stood up straight, the phone clenched in his hand as he held a finger up to me. He was about to lecture me, no doubt about that. Surprisingly, his lips closed tightly, forming a thin line as he swiveled on his heel, turning and beginning to pace back and forth across the room.

I gulped loudly, waiting for the chastisement I knew was headed my way. My fingers fidgeted on the covers, keeping the edge of the comforter tucked beneath my arms. Getting my ass chewed was one thing, but getting chewed out while stark naked? That was something entirely different. It took vulnerability to a whole new level.

“You knew…” he began, his head still focused more on the floor than me as he paced.

“I know, I—”

“No. Not your turn to speak.” His barked order, the angry tone, set my lips to silence faster than anything else could have. He was really, truly pissed. And I was in deep shit.

“Youknowhow dangerous the situation you’re in is. We have told you, repeatedly, just how important it is for you to be off of all social media; to be a ghost, for all intents and purposes.”

“I know I fucked up, Niko,” I murmured quietly, my eyes lowered in regret and shame.

“It’s not just that you fucked up, Maddy. We also hadan agreement.” Finally, he stopped his pacing, although the finger pointed at my face, and the way his eyes were lit up with anger as they stared down at me, made me long for his pacing once more.

“You’re right. And I apologize.”

“Oh, no no, princess. An apology isn’t going to cut it this time. You knew better. You were told better. And to make matters worse, you agreed to a dynamic with me, with rules specifically telling you that you were not allowed to do this very fucking thing. You knew it. You disobeyed it. And you did it on purpose.” He was seething, nearly vibrating with outrage.

Guilt flooded my entire body. It had indeed been a mistake—a stupid one, to be sure — but a mistake, nonetheless.

“I need a minute,” he hissed, turning his back to me as he walked over to his desk, sat down in the chair, and put his head in his hands.

I watched as his breaths came short and fast, his anger a visible, visceral thing.

“Niko, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken your phone, and I wasn’t even going to do anything with it, I just—”

“Oh, don’t even try to pull that kind of bullshit with me, Maddy. This is serious. You knew better. Hell, you even unlocked my phone! How the fuck did you do that?” He cut me off angrily. He sighed heavily, rubbing his fingers over his forehead in frustrated agitation.

“It’s not—”

“Is that what this has all been about? A ruse so you can get your hands on my phone or computer? Some wayto speak to your friends or whatever?” He yelled angrily. I could hear how tightly his jaw was clenched.

“No! Niko, come on. You can’t seriously believe that!” I scoffed, flinging the covers back from the bed and standing up to face him. He stood up from his chair, pushing it back so roughly that the chair toppled over behind him.

“Icanbelieve it, and I’m pretty sure Idobelieve it!” He shouted right back.

“Jesus, Niko! I’m not that much of a bitch!” Hands on my hips, I stared him down. His eyes glared right back at mine — before slipping lower, down the length of my body.

Oh yeah. I was completely naked still.

“Don’t get yourself distracted by my naked body, Niko. This is serious. I’m not that much of a bitch, and Idid notuse you like that!” I fought right back, uncaring of his heated gaze as it flittered back up the length of my body and met my own fiery stare once more.

He laughed, short and completely sarcastically, running a hand through his hair.

“You’re right, Maddy. This is serious. Do you have any idea what could have happened? What likelywouldhave happened if you had gotten a message out to someone? From MY number, no less? Jesus Christ, you cannot be this stupid!”

“I’m not stupid, and don’t call me that again.” I stamped my foot down hard, my hands fisting at my sides. “I get that you’re upset, but that doesn’t mean you get to sit there and call me names.”

“And I get that you’re isolated and bored here, butthatdoesn’t mean that you get to sit there and ruin your safety based on your own selfish desires,” he spat right back.

Whatever retort I was about to throw back died on the tip of my tongue at his words. He was right. I had been stupid.

“Niko… err…” I faltered, my nudity finally getting the better of me. I yanked at the bedsheet, pulling the top sheet clear from the bed and wrapping it around my body like a toga.

---