From Nikolai
James Ligatos is a man with an unusual hobby. He turns promising young criminals into world leaders. His latest project is Nicholas Boyd, formerly Nikolai of the Revenant street gang. But the little killer-turned-file-clerk is much more than Ligatos and his staff bargained for. As Kentucky attempts to secede from the Confederated States of America and rejoin the United States, Nick's skills and the group's training are put to the ultimate test, and the price of failure is death.
The evening proceeded as all the others had. Nick cleaned up the kitchen then did what homework he
had left. Ligatos read in his favorite chair, a very large stack of printouts which he supplemented with
occasional taps on his handheld.
Nick finished what math he had, went over his Italian once more, and could not concentrate on the
sonnets he’d been assigned. He caught himself glancing over at Ligatos, watching the large hands work the
touch pad or examining how the kissable mouth twisted as he read something distasteful.
He tried to control himself, but Sir noticed anyway. Finally, when Nick was on the fourth glance in less
than a minute, Ligatos stood up. He turned off the handheld, set it atop the printouts and beckoned Nick to
follow.
Nick marked his place, set his book on the coffee table and went. He knew what was coming next: what
he’d wanted for weeks. As he stepped into the bedroom, he started unbuttoning his shirt immediately.
Large hands stopped his movement and pulled him close. Nick’s arms went around the taller man’s neck
and he bent with the embrace. Very gently, so softly he almost didn’t feel it, Ligatos kissed him.
Nick melted into the long-awaited kiss, wanting it to last. In bare seconds, it was gone and the big hands
were unfastening him, barely ghosting over his skin. He stayed very still, concentrating on the touches, shaking just a little from pent-up desire and fear.
A brush of lips at his ear accompanied the whisper, “Take what you want.”
