Page 23 of Kill Shot

Living a Lie II

Nico

Lucas.

What the fuck was he doing here?

A thousand questions raced through Nico’s mind, but only two answers made sense. There was no way Lucas had known they’d be here. And there was no op from Bolero at this mall.

Either this was the worst kind of coincidence or… Lucas had followed him.

“Is everything alright?” Seb asked, his smile faltering. Whatever he saw in Nico’s expression didn’t reassure him one bit.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. I just remembered there was something urgent I needed to take care of. Can we meet later tonight? Hmm?”

Just for an instant, Nico dared to hope that Lucas hadn’t spotted them. However, when he glanced over his shoulder to confirm, he saw the man staring right at him, and he didn’t look surprised one bit.

Yeah. Lucas had followed him. That complicated things.

Fortunately, Seb didn’t probe any further, not even with the flimsy explanation he gave.

“You’re sure everything’s okay?” Seb asked as they approached his guards.

“Get him out here. Now,” Nico told one of them before meeting Seb’s puzzled gaze.

“Nothing to worry about. But you should leave now, carino. ” Nico glanced back over his shoulder, but Lucas was no longer leaning against the wall near the bathrooms.

Seb smiled, but it was strained and he made little effort to hide his disappointment. “Sure, Nico. See you later, I guess.”

After a quick scan of the area to make sure that Lucas wasn’t around, Nico closed the distance between them and brought their faces so close together that he felt the heat rising from Seb’s skin. From so close, the boy was nothing short of breathtaking, fucking gorgeous down to every little hair.

“I’ll make it up to you later. I promise,” Nico said softly.

When he saw the light return to Seb’s eyes, something in his chest loosened.

He didn’t know what demon possessed him, but he leaned in and sealed the promise with a kiss.

Not a chaste peck goodbye, but a deep, passionate kiss that promised so much more.

It was a kiss to ensure that Seb thought of nothing else but him tonight.

But then it was over after just a few moments, and Nico stepped away. But then it was his turn to be surprised.

Seb caught him by the shirt and pulled him back, his grip surprisingly strong. “Promise me you’ll be safe?”

Nico hesitated.

“Yeah,” he said gruffly. “I’ll be safe.”

With that, Seb let go and took his leave with the protective envelopment of his guards. There was no doubt that this boy was protected, and at the moment, Nico was thankful for that.

Lucas couldn’t hurt the boy even if he wanted to.

With a sigh, Nico turned and started on his way to look for Lucas.

He didn’t have to go all the way back to the food court to find his target.

Lucas was prowling in front of a sporting goods store, making very little effort to blend in.

If anything, he looked like a caged animal, about to snap at any moment.

“Lucas,” Nico growled. “Think you could stand out a little more? Right now, you’ve only got half the shoppers here staring instead of all of them.”

“You’re one to talk,” Lucas snapped right back. “You think you’re doing any better?”

Nico barely managed to reign his temper in. It wouldn’t do to get upset right from the start, especially not if he wanted this to end without making a scene.

“What the hell was that back there?” Lucas asked sharply, but at least he made an effort at whispering. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were out here on a date with Altamirano’s boy, but that can’t be right.”

“None of your business,” Nico snarled under his breath, getting right in Lucas’s face. “But if you really must know, then it’s part of my plan. I’m trying to make this betrayal cut as deep as humanly possible. Nothing for you to bother about.”

But Lucas wasn’t deterred. “Oh, is that what it was? And just when are you planning on shoving the knife in? After you get married, adopt some kids, and grow old together?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Lucas snorted, an ugly, disgusted sound. “The two of you looked awfully comfortable together. Are you sure you haven’t been compromised, Nico?”

It took every ounce of Nico’s willpower not to punch Lucas in the face, but he barely managed it. Under the guise of surveying their surroundings for any eavesdroppers, Nico took a few deep breaths and steadied himself.

When Nico returned his attention to Lucas, he tried to be more objective. Lucas wasn’t just saying these things because he wanted to hurt him; he had a reason. He cared about the mission too.

“I’ve got it under control,” Nico forced through gritted teeth. “Whatever you think you saw meant nothing.”

But Lucas scoffed and shook his head. “You sure about that? Then kiss me.”

Nico bristled. “The fuck’s wrong with you?”

“You can’t do it, can you?”

“I’m not kissing you, Lucas.”

Lucas nodded slowly, cold amusement twisting his lips. “No, of course not. But you can put your mouth on the son of the man who butchered your family.”

Nico didn’t register the moment he moved.

One heartbeat, Lucas was standing there all smug.

The next, Nico’s hand was wrapped tight around his throat, shoving him against the nearest wall.

Gasps erupted. There was a scream somewhere in the background, and the scrape of footsteps as people backed away.

“What did you just say?” Nico breathed in his face.

Lucas’s eyes widened, choking on his own breath as his fingers scrambled against Nico’s iron grip.

“Don’t you fucking talk to me like that again.” Nico let go, stepping back from the man without another word.

Lucas staggered, coughing hard, one hand clutching his throat as he rubbed the bruising away.

When he finally found his voice, it came out rough. “Sort yourself out, Nico. Sort this shit out!”

Then he was strolling away, disappearing into the crowd, and Nico was the one left shaking with rage. However, he had no idea if his fury was directed at himself or Lucas.

And then the most troubling revelation of all struck him.

In this moment, consumed by his anger, the first thing he wanted to do was seek solace in Seb’s arms. He didn’t want to go hit anyone, or even paint away his frustrations.

He just wanted to hold Seb and soak up that sweet, soft warmth like it could cleanse the filth inside him.

Nico made his way out of the mall, quickly typing up an apology to Seb that they couldn’t meet again tonight. There was no way he could indulge his desires, not now. If he did, then that would be the final straw, and he’d have no choice but to accept that Lucas was right.

Today, he’d been forced to choose between his revenge and Seb, and he’d made the wrong choice. That can’t happen again. That much was obvious.

So why did he have to keep telling himself, over and over again?