Page 98 of Darkest Deeds

“Yeah, well, a little warning might have been nice.”

“I said, go left. It’s not my fault your reaction time is shit.”

“I know, I know, when everyone looks right—”

“You go left,” I finish for him, patting his chest. “Your words, big man. Own them.”

“So are you ever going to explain to me how in the hell you managed to convince Arthur Calthorpe to get involved in all this, and then talked the FBI out of prosecuting all three of us?”

“Depends. How long is the flight?”

“It wouldn’t have anything to do with a tall, high-society asshole? One who has a thing for knives too?”

I wink. “I don’t know anyone named Dagger.”

“Right.” A smile breaks out across Niko’s face. An honest to God smile. Something I haven’t seen since I was sixteen years old. “So, what do you say we get out of here?”

I nod and climb off his lap. Buckling his seatbelt for him, I quickly climb into the chair beside him and buckle my own as the pilot enters the cabin from the cockpit.

“We’re ready to go when you are, Mr. Gaheris. We just need to know a final destination in order to get clearance.”

Niko nods then turns, flashing me a wicked grin. “Where to, Miss Chernova?”

I tilt my chin, considering his question. I think about the borders of Florida. I think about winter coats and coastlines. I think about tourists and Rose with her cornfed Iowa innocence. But when it comes down to it, the only place I think to go is the one that saved me.

Biting my lip, I glance up at him and grin. “Kansas City. I hear they have one hell of a shuffle.”