The Mistaken Read Online Free PDF Page B

an
expensive, well-cut European suit. The older man turned back toward
Nick’s open door with a two-finger salute and a genial dasvidaniya . A chill ran through me as his unmistakable
Russian accent registered in my fatigued brain. I picked up my pace
and called out to him.
    “Hey you, stop! Who are you? What do you want? Stop
right there! Stop! ”
    Both men turned their heads in my direction, but
proceeded briskly toward the open elevator door at the end of the
hall. They turned back to me as they boarded the lift. The old man
caught my eye and smiled while the giant jabbed repeatedly at the
elevator’s buttons.
    “Wait!” I called out again, but the doors hissed
closed, and they were gone.
    With concern fluttering in my stomach, I rushed back
to Nick’s room, bumping into another technician as he wheeled a
loaded cart past the open door. Nick stood near the window, staring
down onto the busy street below. He didn’t turn as I entered though
I knew he must have heard me shouting out in the hall.
    “Who was that?” I asked. “What did they want?” But
he continued to gaze out the window without responding. I walked up
from behind and rested my hand along his forearm. “Nick, did you
hear me? Who were those men?”
    His expression was wistful but resigned. “Just some
mates. New friends of mine. No one you know.”
    “Since when do you have Russian friends? What
the hell did they want?”
    Nick sighed, his brow furrowing for a split second
before he turned and looked me in the eye. “Not much. Alexi and I…
Well…we’ve finally worked out a deal, that’s all. Everything’s been
taken care of.”
    “Who the hell is Alexi? And what does that mean,
you’ve worked out a deal?”
    He stalled for a moment and rocked his head from
side to side. “Well, he’s kind of like a manager, I guess. Said his
boss was willing to give me the…opportunity to pay him back, that’s
all. No worries.” He jabbed me with his elbow. “You can relax now,
Ty.”
    But relaxing was the furthest thing from my mind.
That flutter and my lunch roiled together in the pit of my
stomach.
    “And how’s that work, Nick? Huh? How are you
supposed to pay them back? You don’t have any money. You don’t even
have a job.”
    He looked me in the eye for a long moment then broke
away to stare out the window. “Yeah, well… It looks as though I
have one now, brother.” He turned and shuffled slowly back to his
bed, grimacing in discomfort as he pulled himself up under the
covers.
    I stared after him with my mouth slack. “What have
you done, Nick?”
    He lay there silently, his eyes closed against
me.
    I grabbed his shoulder. “Godammit, you tell me what
you’ve done!”
    He jerked free, his face twisted in an angry scowl.
“What I had to, Ty!”
    I shook my head. “You’re insane. Who do you think
will have to pay to get you out of this mess when you fuck it all
up, huh? Who, Nick? I’ll tell you who. Me. That’s who. It’s always
me, Nick. Always.”
    He snorted and rolled his eyes. “Is that what you’re
worried about? The money?”
    “No, it’s not, but let me remind you that I just
paid off the last of your medical bills from your accident. That’s
thousands of dollars, Nick. And now I’m going to have to pay for
this one, as well. You never think about things like that. You
never think about anything but your own selfish needs!”
    “You’re wrong this time. I’ve thought everything
through. Everything. And this is the only way it will work.”
    I barked a short laugh and threw my arms up. “Oh,
that’s bloody rich! Tell me, who exactly is this supposed to work
out for? You? Me? What about—”
    “This is my life! My choice!” he
yelled, startling me into silence. He shook his head with a look of
tired resignation, but to what, I didn’t know. “I need to do
this, Tyler. And you need to back off and let me.”
    “Please tell me you’re not serious. For God’s sake,
Nick, you can not run with