Holding this woman in his arms, so content and at peace for the first time in years, Nikolai became aware of one extremely important fact.

He was so fucked.

Stepping into the ensuite, Harper reached inside the shower and turned on the hot water, and adjusted the cold tap when it was warm enough. Once she had the temperature just right, she slid under the spray, leaning against the wall and dropping her face into her hands with a groan.

"I'm an idiot," she mumbled.

She woke up several minutes earlier to a gruff and distant Nikolai telling her that his handler would be there shortly. He then handed her a towel and stormed out of the room, every step more furious than the last. At first, she thought the anger was directed at her, but then she'd seen his eyes. They were filled with confusion, fear, and longing. It broke something inside her.

While she had been asleep, Nikolai had clearly been in further contact with his handler. Whatever happened had set off Nikolai, and Harper had a funny feeling she knew what it was. There was only one way all of this could go. If the FBI decided to protect her, they wouldn't allow her to stay. She doubted Nikolai would either.

Harper let the hot water soak into her bones. Exhaustion, both mental and physical, pulled her down. Finding the effort, Harper quickly scrubbed herself, rinsed off the soap, and wondered what would to happen to her now.

Morbidly grateful she had no family to speak of, she still didn't want to pack up her entire life and move God knows where and settle in a place where she knew absolutely no one. Starting over had been something she'd done as a child more times than she could count. Harper had thought she had finally put that behind her once she graduated from high school and was no longer a ward of the state.

Losing track of time and her surroundings, at the sound of Nik's deep voice beside her, Harper jumped and gave a startled yelp.

"Trying to hide in here?"

"Oh, hell. Do you mind?"

Ridiculously, she crossed her arms to cover her breasts and turned her body slightly, not that it did much good. Although all she succeeded in doing was to give Nik a better view of her ass, which made the man grin.

Nik's eyes roamed her body, a flush trailed in their wake. "After what we just did...shit, after what we've been doing for the last few months, you're hiding your body from me now? Really?"

"Just get out." She tried to compose herself. "It's got nothing do with hiding. I just need some time to myself, okay?"

All of the teasing in his eyes dimmed as he dropped his gaze to the floor and nodded. "I get that, but I'm afraid we're out of time. We've got company."

She stiffened. "The good kind or the bad kind?"

"Neither are great, but I suppose you'd could say it was the better option." Nik looked back up with a small grin. "Now, are you coming out? Or do I have to come in there and get you?"

Harper flushed at the multitude of images that flashed in her mind. God dammit. Self-control, woman. "I'll be out in a second."

Nik quirked a brow. "Uhuh. Sure you will."

She blinked in surprise when Nik relented and left the room.

Knowing she couldn't stay in there forever, Harper bit the bullet and stepped out of the shower, dried off, and dressed quickly in the clothes Nik had brought in from the dryer. Then she followed the sound of voices to the living room.

Coming to a stop in the doorway, she felt apprehensive as she peered at the tall, muscular man with raven hair and blue eyes similar to her own. She didn't exactly feel threatened, but there was an edge to him that left her even more unbalanced, and she hadn't thought that was possible, considering her world had already been turned upside down.

The man's eyes widened when he saw her, and if she wasn't mistaken, Harper thought she saw a little...guilt?

"Harper, this is Agent Wilks. My handler," Nik explained, gesturing for the other man to come inside.

His handler. Right. She knew he was coming for her, though now with Wilks standing there, dread filled her. "I thought Nik said you would be a day or two?"

"I consider this a matter of priority." Wilks shot Nik an indecipherable look, clearly taking in their disheveled appearance. "I'd hate to think of what other trouble the two of you would have gotten into if left to your own devices."

She bristled. "I think we've dealt with all of this pretty well, given the circumstances."

Wilks raised a brow. "You've handled this as well as you could as a civilian, Miss Lockwood. However, Agent Holter has certainly not lived up to expectations."

"You're not here for a review, Wilks," Nik interrupted before Wilks could start on what she assumed was clearly an ass chewing. "What's the plan?"

"The plan is to get Miss Lockwood out of the city and settled somewhere else. You don't need to know the details. Then you are to go back to your job and do it properly. If you think you've been compromised by this little excursion, then you know what to do."

It took a moment for the man's words to sink in, and a few more for her shock to wear off before she finally reacted. "Wait. What do you mean he won't know where I'm going? You can't honestly send him back in there."

"I assure you, Miss Loc"

"Oh for the love of all that's holy, don't call me Miss Lockwood again. It's Harper."

"Wait...how did you know her last name was Lockwood?" Nik asked suspiciously.

Harper frowned, glancing between the two men. "You didn't tell him?"

"No. I didn't," Nik bit out, coming to stand between them. "How?"

Wilks glared at Nik. "That's none of your business. We have more important things to worry about right now. I assure you, Miss L- Harper that "

"The only thing I want you to assure me is that he's coming with us." Harper glanced over at Nik to see him refusing to make eye contact with her. "Nik?"

Nik finally looked at her, resignation clouding his handsome features. "I have a job to do."

Momentarily at a loss for words, all she could do was glare at the two men. "It's suicide. Even your handler thinks you royally screwed up. Do you really think this went unnoticed by those people?"

"We don't know. But I have to find out, and I know what to do if things go bad." Nik folded his arms across his wide chest. "Three years, Harper. That's how long I've put into this. I can't just walk away. No matter what, I have to see this through. I have a responsibility."

She felt a wretchedness of mind she'd never known before. "It's not that you can't, it's that you won't. Even if they'd let you walk away, you wouldn't. Would you?"

Nik's lack of response told her everything.

Harper's face was flushed with humiliation and anger towards herself, for letting hope rise within her. How could she be so damn stupid?

"I see." Turning away from him, she focused all of her attention on Agent Wilks. "We should probably go if you have everything ready."

The older man studied her expression and nodded. "I think that's for the best."

"Harper, wait." Nikolai reached for her, but Harper couldn't stand the thought of him touching her. She couldn't bear to hear whatever excuse he'd make. Her anguish peaked to shatter the last shreds of her control.

"No. You made your choice. I don't know why I thought you would be any different. My own family didn't choose me. How could I expect you to do anything else?" She bit her lip, refusing to let her tears fall. Goddammit. She was stronger than this shit. "Goodbye, Nik."

"Har"

"Yes. Goodbye, Nik," Agent Wilks said, cutting him off.

As the front door closed, it felt like her entire world had been stolen. Which was crazy. She'd only known Nik for a year, only been with him for a few months. How could he have become her world so quickly, when the last twenty-four hours proved how little she knew about him?

She discreetly wiped a tear that had started to fall, and took a deep breath. Harper forced herself to focus on what had to be done. Survival. It was all that mattered. It's all that could matter.

When they reached a nondescript vehicle parked in front of Nik's apartment, Agent Wilks opened the back door.

"You'll forget him." Glancing up at Agent Wilks, she could see he meant his words to be reassuring. "It's for the best."

Something about the words and their tone made her pull back. A hint of memory she couldn't quite grasp. "Excuse me?"

The older man cleared his throat and gestured to the car. "Nothing. Please get in."

Frowning, she did as he directed, flinching when the door slammed shut. Wilks made his way around the back of the car and slid in next to her, refusing to make eye contact.

"Where are we going?" she asked growing apprehensive.

Nik had said the man could be trusted, but something was wrong.

"We have a safe house outside the city. After we get there, we'll finalize your documents and have you transported to another location where even I can't find you." Wilks finally looked at her, and Harper read sincerity and compassion in his gaze, which surprised her. "I promise you'll be safe. You were always meant to be safe, Harpie."

The name sent her reeling back towards the door, her breath ragged. "What did you call me?"

Wilks let out a self-deprecating laugh. "Harpie. It's what I used to call you as"

"A child," she finished for him. "What you used to call me as a child. Oh, Jesus. Uncle Collin?"

The man she now recognized as her father's brother smiled sadly. "Sorry, kiddo. You were never meant to be involved in this. It's why I stayed away. I know you have so many questions, and I'll answer what I can, but right now I need to get you away from here. You have no idea what you're mixed up in. I promise you'll be okay."

Before she could react, the man sitting in the front passenger seat chuckled, and he shook his head as he twisted around. As he turned, she glimpsed a flash of metal that came to a stop and aimed between her eyes. Harper froze. For the second time, she found herself face-to-face with a gun.

"Agent Wilks...or is it Uncle Collin?" The man shrugged. "Either way, you really shouldn't make promises you can't keep."

"Who?" Was all Wilks bit out as he stared the man down.

The gunman grinned easily as though he found the whole thing amusing. "Lorenzo wants to see you."

A sharp sting as her neck was pricked shocked her. Harper realized the driver had fired what looked like a tranq gun. A tranquilizer? Seriously?

The edges of her vision began to dim in the low lighting of the car, her extremities slowly losing their sense of touch as Harper lost control over them. Panic like she had never known before welled in her throat. The last thing she remembered before she passed out was her uncle calling her name.

5.

Wandering around aimlessly, Nikolai shook himself out of his daze and tried to focus on what needed to be done. He told himself he had made the right call. This life was not for someone like Harper. He was not for someone like Harper.

Then why did he feel like he had given away everything that mattered?

All of his loneliness and confusion welded together in one upsurge of devouring yearning. He felt the screams of frustration at the back of his throat but refused to give way to them. He had a job to do. He couldn't afford distractions.

Pushing forward, Nikolai headed for the bedroom with a plan to clean up and head back to his job. As he stepped through the doorway, he caught sight of the robe Harper had worn earlier. His robe.

Bending down to pick it up, he brought the fabric to his nose, breathing in deeply, and sighing when Harper's soft scent hit him. Coconut and pine, mixed with the sweet smell of sex.

It was heaven and hell.

Fuck. What had he done?

He couldn't let her go. As selfish as it was, he wanted her. Needed her.

Without a second thought, Nikolai rushed out of the room and his apartment, hell-bent on catching up with Harper and Wilks before it became impossible for him to track them.

Bursting through the entrance of his building, Nikolai watched in despair as the unmarked car pulled away from the curb. Nikolai tried waving them down to no avail and stood helplessly on the sidewalk in nothing but a pair of old sweats, with a bare chest, and feet. He had his phone in one pocket and keys in the other.

She was gone.

His phone vibrated, and Nik had a moment to hope it was Wilks. Disappointment and concern filled him when he saw Travis' name flash across his screen.

"Bianchi," he answered gruffly.

"Where you at, man?"

"What's up?" he asked, dodging the question.

If Travis thought it strange, he didn't say. "Need you to come in."

"Whose orders?"

"Lorenzo.

"Fuck." Nikolai glanced around making sure no one was looking. "What's going on, Trav?"

"Just get back here, Nik. We've got a problem."