Nikolai

"Nikolai, do you copy?"

Officer Hanson's voice came through the com in my ear. I was currently standing at the corner of 5th and Wick while I waited for Rick to show up. It was after midnight and I've been here for half an hour already.

Officer Hanson and Ryssa were in an undercover van parked quite a few blocks away; but still within eyesight of me. I was surprised that Hanson was able to get this approved from the chief. Apparently, they really wanted to get Juan Garcia and Rick.

"Yeah, I copy," I answered into the receiver.

"We have eyes on Rick. He's approaching from the east. If anything goes wrong, give us the signal and we'll move in."

I was relieved and terrified to have the police at my back with this. In my old life, I never would have confided in the cops. I would have probably ended up dead. When I thought about the reason why I was trusting them now, my answer was always in the form a beautiful little baker.

In the short time that Ryssa and I have been together, I've somehow fallen in love with her. I actually wanted things with her. A relationship. A future. Neither of us have voiced how we felt, hell, I don't even know if she feels the same way. I guess we'll see after we survive this.

Ryssa wanted to be with me when I met Rick, but with the help of Hanson, we were able to convince her to stay in the van. I didn't want her anywhere near Rick or anyone else who could hurt her.

Speaking of the asshole who is currently trying to ruin my life, I saw Rick approaching from the direction Officer Hanson told me. As he approached me, I couldn't hold back my chuckle when I saw the cast wrapped around his hand and the sling wrapped around his neck.

"How's the hand?" I asked wryly.

"Very funny," Rick countered as he held my stare. "You made a real mess of my men."

"They'll live."

Rick snorted before handing over a black duffle bag. "Everything you need is in there. Weapons, ammo, blueprints, everything."

Reluctantly, I took the bag. "I don't want to do this, Rick." This needed to be realistic so he didn't catch on; and I had no problem with that. I didn't want to do this. Any of it. I wanted to keep the life I made for myself.

"I told you, Ghost, do this job and that's it. You're free."

"Don't call me that," I barked. "That's not who I am anymore. Besides, you told me I was free to go last time, too." 

"Keep telling yourself that, Ghost. But nobody ever really changes. They just bet better at pretending to be someone else. And this time is different. We won't bother you anymore."

I scoffed. "Because I'll be dead after, right?" I knew Ryssa was listening, but I couldn't help it. I was livid.

"That's up to you."

Refusing to argue with this asshole, I threw the bag over my shoulder and crossed my arms over my chest. "Enough of this. Are we done here?"

I started to turn and leave when Rick stopped me. "Wait, there's one more thing." I turned towards him. "Get some rest. This happens tomorrow."

Without saying another word, I turned and left. Tomorrow? That was way too soon for this. This had to be some kind of retaliation against me more than one Garcia. They have to be setting me up. Rick was probably pissed off that I left Detroit in the first place. I wouldn't be surprised if Juan Garcia's men hadn't stolen anything from Rick in the first place.

I had to be smarter than them tomorrow when this all went down. I had to get back in that mindset to protect my own ass. Officer Hansen explained he wanted me to look for a ledger that Juan Garcia kept inside his warehouse.

Juan Garcia never kept anything sensitive on a computer since they were too easy to hack. So there was no paper trail because everything was literally on paper and in that ledger. I get that ledger, I get my freedom. Of course, that's if I survive tomorrow night.

I continued walking to the nearest subway station, away from Ryssa and Officer Hansen. I convinced the cop that if I made any attempt to get inside of their van, one of Rick's guys could see me. I know he must have had one or two of them lurking around the meet.

I didn't feel like anyone was following me right now, but it wasn't going to take any chances. Ryssa was staying in the same hotel I was and I wasn't going to put her at risk. So I made sure to cover my tracks before finally taking the subway to the hotel where Ryssa was waiting for me.

I walked into the hotel and saw Officer Hansen in the lobby. He made eye contact with me, nodded, then headed to an elevator. He held the elevator open for me and we took it to the fifth floor. We got to room 506 and he inserted the key card before swinging the door open.

I got inside the room and set the bag down on the bed, unzipping it. Hansen was standing next to me and saw multiple weapons, ammo, surveillance equipment, lock pick sets, equipment to break into a safe, and more.

I held up my finger to stop him before he said something. I needed to check the bag for any listening devices that Rick may have snuck in. Rick was a paranoid fucker.

When it was all clear, I nodded to the officer. "We're good."

He pulled out his phone and sent a text. "I'll have one of our guys come up here and snap pictures and inventory this stuff. It'll take a little while so feel free to relax until then. Then we can go from there." He paused before raising a brow at me. "I still think you should have worn a vest."

I met his stare. "Rick would have noticed. I couldn't chance it. He would have known you guys were involved. Tonight was risky enough without adding to it." I noticed someone in particular wasn't in this room. "Where's Ryssa?"

He pointed to the adjoining door. "Her room is next door. She's inside now. We'll have guys up here keeping an eye out. They'll be undercover as staff so no one will notice. Just in case."

"Thanks," I said before heading to the adjoining door and knocking lightly. Ryssa answered the door with a curious expression before she saw it was me. Without saying anything, she turned and walked into the room; leaving the door open in silent invitation.

I entered her room and shut the door behind me. She must have recently ordered food because the take out menus littered her table. She went to her mini fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine.

"Hey," I said awkwardly. I knew she was pissed. I assumed it was at me, but I wasn't sure why exactly.

"Hi," she said, pouring herself a glass of Moscato. The brand name name on the bottle was clever: Good for the Soul.

"So, they're going to inventory the stuff Rick gave me then right now."

She swirled her wine before she took a sip. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." I wanted to fix whatever was wrong. I didn't like seeing her upset. My mind flashed back to the perky baker who sang when she make cookies.

"If everything goes well tomorrow, what happens to you?"

I knew what she was asking; but I was scared to answer. "Officer Hansen said I can go free. So did Rick."

She took a step toward me. "Right. But that's if you survive, right?"

I didn't answer. I knew what she was thinking and I didn't want to lie to her.

She stepped closer. "You really think you won't make it out of this, don't you?"

"Ryssa..." I begged her not to continue.

"Don't 'Ryssa' me! Tell me the truth, Nikolai."

In that moment, I wanted to run. I wanted to get the hell out of this city, taking my problems with me. She didn't deserve to be in the middle of this and she shouldn't be worrying about me.

"If I'm able to get the information the cops need, and I make it out of there, there's no guarantee that there won't be a price on my head after."

She closed her eyes tight, processing what I told her. "So, what you told me in your office, that when this is all over you were going to be with me and make love to me over and over again? That was a lie?"

I could hear the hurt in her voice and it nearly crippled me. I didn't lie...at the time. I wanted those things with her; I still did. But I was scared. For the first time in my life, I was scared.

"I didn't lie to you. I do want that. I'm just trying to be realistic."

She scoffed and turned away. "Realistic that you are probably a dead man tomorrow, you mean."

"Maybe not. The officer said they can put me in WITSEC. But if they do..."

"Then you have to leave," she finished for me.

By the sound of her voice I could tell she was on the verge of crying. "Ryssa, I know what you're getting at, and I can't ask that of you."

She turned towards me and I saw the tears in her eyes. Dammit. "Why?" She asked. "Because you think I'll say no?"

I knew what she would say, that's why I didn't ask. "Because it's your life. It's too much to ask."

Her next actions surprised me. She sat her wine down, grabbed me by the face, and kissed the fuck out of me. "Your right," she said when she pulled away. "It's my life. I get to decide. Not you. So, if you ask me to come with you, my answer is yes."

I felt like I couldn't breath as she held my stare. She really was amazing; and I didn't deserve her. I captured her mouth in a passionate kiss, wanting her naked and beneath me for the entire night.

A knock at the door had us pulling apart for each other as we caught our breath.

"Nikolai?" Officer Hanson called through the door. "We're ready for you."

I gave Ryssa a hot once over before I walked to the door. Before I opened it, I looked at her and promised, "I'll come back to your room after I'm done."

Not a question. A promise. Because, if I was going to die tomorrow night, then I was going to spend the rest of this one getting lost in the woman I loved.