After we loaded the last car, he hopped outof the semi with a definite happiness that wasn’t there when I’dfirst met with him. We headed into the subway and, once on theplatform, he picked me up and swung me around while he holleredout. He set me down and said, “That was awesome. We are quite theteam.” His hands gripped my upper arms, but he let go in a rush ashis eyes fell on something behind us. I readied myself to take ahold of the knife in my shoe as I turned around. Jericho steppedback and chewed on his bottom lip.
Viktor stood not ten feet from us, his facestony, cold.
He took a few steps forward, his head cockedto the side. “I agree, Jericho. You two did make a greatteam.” He enunciated Jericho in a way that negated whateverwords followed it. Did they not like each other? If not, why didJericho invite him to his party? My question was answered whenViktor stepped forward and took my hand in his. “Do you agree,Amber? Were you two quite the team?” The malice in his voice sent abold shiver to my chest.
I wanted to remove my hand from his, butsomething close to a deep fear, along with the plan I knew I had tofollow, kept me from it. I couldn’t risk alienating Viktor. Notnow. Truth be told, I didn’t want to be near either one. “I didshave forty seconds off my time with him today. He’s a decentteacher.”
Jericho clenched his jaw for a split second.I was sure he was hoping I’d give him a glowing review, and theword decent made him want to hit someone. He gave a curtnod. The train roared in, and I had the feeling I was at ashoot-out between the two of them.
The train’s doors opened with a whoosh.Viktor broke the staring match. “Isn’t that your train,Jericho?”
“It is.”
“And it’s mine, too.”
Viktor pulled me close to him. “I’ll takeyou home. There’s no telling what kind of creeps you might run intoon the subway this time of night. But you,” he looked at Jericho.“You better hurry.”
Jericho glanced at me and then rushed to thetrain, barely slipping inside as the doors shut.
Viktor pulled me around to face him. “Was hebothering you tonight?”
There was obviously some kind of powerstruggle between the two of them. Not sure if he wanted a yes or ano, I decided on the truth. “Actually, no. He was super helpful,like I said. I’ll be a pro in no time if I continue to learn fromhim.” I made sure not to say work with him, in hopes Viktorwouldn’t think about the time I would have to spend with him. Itdidn’t really matter though. In less than a month, they’d both justbe a memory. In the meantime, it was Viktor I had to keep close. Hehad the most direct link to Alexander. I gazed up into his eyes,smiling slightly.
His features softened.
“Thanks for saving me from another nastyride on the subway.” I gave him a bigger smile, and he pulled meinto a deep hug.
He spoke to the top of my head. “You wereamazing tonight. Nine T-cars in under three hours. My uncle isreally impressed.”
“T-cars?”
“Top cars. You know, ones that cost bigbucks.”
“Oh. I get it.” I pulled back slightly andthen wished I hadn’t because he didn’t loosen his grip much. Itmade it so that my face was only inches from his. Even though Iwanted to turn to the side, I feared it would make him see that herepulsed me. I forced myself to hold my position. His eyes dilatedand then fell on my lips. Before he could make his move, I said,“Surely, you don’t want our first kiss to happen in the subway.” Iraised a single eyebrow.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breathinto his nose, holding it for an extra second before releasing it.He pulled me in for another hug and then released me. “No, Idon’t.” He growled and then ran his hands down my arms to my hands,shaking them lightly before letting one of his hands remain inmine. He pulled me, almost running, up the steps and into the latenight air.
He didn’t slow once we made it out. Instead,he jogged, dragging me along behind, to a nearby parkway. He pulledme under a tree and then stopped, his eyes glistening in thelamplight and his breaths coming out hard and ragged. With one handstill in mine, he ran the back of his fingers over my fingers,along my jaw, and rested them under my chin, raising my lips tohis. They fluttered across mine, and I took a sharp breath in. Hislips became hungry against mine.
I managed to stop myself from pulling awayand slapping him just in time. The instinct to run wasstrong—Viktor was the last person on earth I’d want exploring mymouth with his, but I couldn’t risk putting him off. He needed tobelieve I was just as into him as he was into me. He needed astrong incentive to bring me closer into his confidences.
Unbidden, thoughts of Jeremy sprang into mymind. Somehow, thinking of him made it easier to quell therevulsion I felt with each press of Viktor’s lips. I told myself Iwasn’t imagining they were Jeremy’s—that would be impossible. Itwas just that remembering Jeremy let me remember that I was gettingus all one step closer to our goal. That was it.
Finally, when the kiss had gone on just longenough to encourage him, but not so long that he would take it aspermission to go further, I pulled away and sighed.
Viktor groaned and leaned his foreheadagainst mine, but I just smiled and settled my head into hischest.
I pocket texted Ace to come out of theapartment to save me. I wanted to give Ace an opportunity to get atracker on Viktor’s phone. While it wouldn’t be
