7
Nikolai
It’s two o’clock in the morning and I’m still wide awake, staring at the dark ceiling above my bed. Partially, it’s because my body is still on Dushanbe time, but mostly, I’m just too wired, my thoughts cycling between my plans for Bransford and the adrenaline-spiking recollections of yesterday. The latter are especially intrusive, filling my chest with all sorts of violent emotions.
Chloe ran from me. I almost lost her. Another few minutes and—
Fuck. Enough is enough.
I jackknife off the bed and stride to the closet to pull on my running shorts. I already ran this evening. As soon as I finished bathing Chloe and tucked her in for the night, I laced up my sneakers and headed out. But I need another run. That or a nice, hard sparring with Pavel or the guards. Or better yet, a
