Undercover Read Online Free PDF Page A

after their senior leaders had shot him?
    Sure, Niko had been in a lot of trouble at school because of fighting, but the other kids kept making fun of the fact that Pop was paralyzed, calling him crippled and no longer a real man. A few of the kids had even found out that his mother was a cousin of Alvarez’s many times removed, so they teased him about having bad family blood.
    “Then explain to me how you were able to buy such an expensive gift.”
    Niko stared at his shoes.
    “Nikolos, an honorable man holds his head high and is not afraid to take responsibility for his actions. Look me in the eye as you answer me, son.”
    Niko took a deep breath, raised his head, squared his shoulders, and finally dared to look into his father’s steady brown eyes. “I stole it,” he admitted in a rush.
    Disappointment filled Pop’s eyes. “Ah. I see. Was this your idea?”
    Niko shrugged. He didn’t want to get his friends in trouble, but he knew better than to lie. “Some of the other boys at school do it all the time. They said it was easy and that the shopkeepers have insurance so it’s no big deal.”
    “Nikolos, taking something that you have not earned and have not paid for is always wrong. Did you think that maybe the shop’s owner would blame the salesclerk for the missing item at the end of the day? That maybe the clerk would get fired and not be able to feed his or her family?”
    Niko shook his head, ashamed at his selfishness. “But it’s not fair!”
    His father nodded. “Yes. I understand that you’re angry about what happened to me. This is life, Nikolos. Being an honorable man means you deal with the hand fate has dealt you and make the best of it. The DEA has given me another job—”
    “But you don’t get to fight bad guys like you used to. You loved being out in the field!”
    “That is true. But managing the other agents from a desk has its own rewards. You are not one to judge whether my situation is acceptable or not. God has decided that I should remain in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, so I will accept this and be the best role model that I can be. I am sorry that I have failed you in this.”
    “No! How could you think that?” Niko threw his arms around Pop’s neck. “You’re the best father in the whole world!”
    “Ah, Nikolos.” His father hugged him tight. “Underneath your anger you are a good boy. I am proud to have you as my son.”
    “I love you,” Niko sobbed against his neck. “I just want you to be happy.”
    “I love you too, Niko.”
    Since his father used the short form of his name, Niko knew he was forgiven.
    Then Pop set Niko away from him. “But your action has brought shame to our family. The Andros name is well honored in Greece for our honesty. I have been proud to continue that tradition in the United States. By stealing, you have insulted our entire ancestry.
    “Yes, we are struggling to make ends meet, but we are lucky. We have clothes, food, heat and a roof over our heads. More importantly, we have each other. ”
    Niko wished a hole would open up and swallow him. “Are you going to tell Grandpop?” His father’s father was a strict old man who didn’t approve of Niko and his wild ways.
    His father smiled. “No. For now we will keep this just among our immediate family. You will, of course, return the CD player to the store. It will be their right to call the police.”
    Niko’s heart froze, then slammed about in his chest until he thought it might burst free. Police? Would they take him to jail? Separate him from his family?
    “But I will talk to the management and offer them an alternative.”
    Niko’s eyes popped open. Christ.
    He swiped a hand down his face. He’d been having the flashback more and more often these past few weeks, an unwelcome reminder that the actions he took to preserve his position with Alvarez would only dishonor his family.
    As if that fact wasn’t a constant weight on his chest.
    Niko stared up at the ceiling.