Page 56 of Nikolai
He was right.She was scared, too, but she simply couldn’t cower, not when she felt she could help him.If they were overpowered, she’d try to hide because she had no tools at all of self-defense.But she’d be worse off hunkering down somewhere while he defended them than trying to help.That was clear.
But he didn’t want that.He wanted her safe.Which was a nice thought, but it wasn’t a safe situation.Safe wasn’t possible.
He was bent over his satphone, texting.
“The military is twenty minutes out, and Dylan has just landed at Capodichino Airport, he should be here in about half an hour.Maybe less.”
“So, basically, we just have to resist for half an hour.”
He just looked at her, grim-faced.
“I’m not minimizing the situation,” she protested.“But—” she waved an arm around the huge warehouse.“Old or not, we’re surrounded by weaponry.I can’t shoot but I can, I don’t know—hand you weapons?Do something to help you?”
His face suddenly melted.“Honey.Come here.”
She walked into his arms and felt instantly safe.Theyweren’tsafe, not at all.Three SUVs were on the way.Technically that could mean twenty-one men, probably armed.Nick was one man.It was insane to feel safe just by holding him and having him hold her, but there it was.Humans were irrational, she knew that.
She hugged him more tightly, digging her face into his chest.Tears were very close to the surface.Before they could fall, she pulled away and made her voice sound matter of fact.
“Okay, tell me what to do.”
He put a heavy hand on her shoulder.“When I tell you to hide, you hide.You have to promise me that.”
She rolled her eyes.“Oh yeah, I promise.I’m not crazy.Where do I hide?”
“I told you.Against the far wall, past the flak jackets and gas masks.There’s a big loose tarp.Hunker down and pull it over yourself.”
She gave a sharp nod.“Gotcha.Past the flak jackets and gas masks.Tarp.”
Usually her directions to friends were—Two blocks down from Gucci and next door to Armani.Past the gas masks and flak jackets was new.
He wasn’t satisfied, a big scowl on his face.“Promise.”
She crossed her heart.“Scout’s honor.”
“Were you a scout?”
“Not a chance.Were you?”
“Oh yeah.Made Eagle Scout.”
She nodded, though she didn’t have the faintest idea what that meant.
Nick gave a sharp nod then exploded into action.Ten rifles were lined up in a neat row, bullets having been fed into an internal part of the rifle.His movements were so fast she could hardly keep up.Then he lined up ten pistols fully loaded.He’d said they were Berettas, which she knew was an Italian firm.They looked pretty stylish.
“Here.”To her surprise, he held one out to her, butt first.Parker resisted the childish impulse to put her hands behind her back.She’d never touched a gun in her life.
She took it gingerly.
“Careful,” he said.“It’s loaded.”
Parker nearly jumped but contained herself.This was a new world, but she was living in it and had to adapt.Rome fell because it couldn’t adapt.She had no intention of falling.
Nick picked up a gun identical to the one she was holding.“Hold it like this.”
He showed her his hold, though his hand was so big it almost completely covered the important bits.Nonetheless, the gun was designed for human hands, and she had one of those.
She picked it up and it somehow…fit.
