Chapter 25 Reid
REID
Something changed in Nikolai’s mood. He had been happy and cheerful for most of the day, but that all changed around the time of the campfire.
They had all been sitting there, laughing and joking, until something seemed to dampen Nikolai’s spirits.
He became quiet and distant, as if he were lost in his own little world.
Reid wasn’t sure what it was, but he hated seeing his friend in this state.
Most of the guys had called it a night by the time Niko and Reid decided to head to bed.
When Reid entered the tent, he saw Nikolai moving around their sleeping bags and pillows.
Was Niko… mad?
“What are you doing?” Reid asked, wondering what he could have done to piss Niko off.
A thick head of blond hair glanced up as he adjusted one of the pillows.
“I’m just moving these around so I am closest to the opening,” Nikolai said, fluffing up the pillow he had just moved.
“Opening?”
Niko pointed to where he was standing.
“The opening of the tent?”
Niko nodded.
“Why?”
“This way, if anything tries to come in, I can kill it before it gets in. Come. You sleep here.” He pointed down at the sleeping bag that Reid had borrowed from Niko for their camping trip.
“I don’t think that Lucas will try and break in during the night and kill me,” Reid replied, rolling his eyes at the idiotic thought the man was having. He knew the guys were joking earlier—or at least, he hoped they were.
Pulling off his shirt, Niko began removing his jeans as he stood hunched over, next to his sleeping bag.
“No, not Lucas. I’m talking about bears or snakes. Judging by those puny arms of yours, you wouldn’t even be able to offer a black bear a sandwich.”
Reid chuckled. It was sweet that Niko was worried about his safety. He had always been like that, ever since they first met. Protecting him from Mikhail whenever he got mad, protecting him from other hustlers and gangbangers who thought they ruled the streets of New York.
Niko had always been his protector.
Except for when he was sold.
But what could Niko have done? Mikhail came for him when he knew Niko wasn’t around, not there to protect him or stop him.
Reid lifted his arm and flexed. He had always been in shape with nicely defined muscles. Okay, he wasn’t the beast that Niko was, but he still had the body of a kickboxer. He could handle his own if he needed to.
“Have you seen these pipes?” Reid asked, pulling his friend’s attention.
“Oh… yes… big muscles for American. Puny muscles for Russian.” Nikolai let out a half chuckle, then resumed fixing their bags.
The guy was an idiot, but he still loved him.
Reid slid over to his sleeping bag and began removing his clothing as well. It was a little chilly, now that the sun had gone down, but if Niko was sleeping in nothing but his underwear, then so was he.
Once they were both in their sleeping bags, they turned to face one another.
In the dark, Nikolai’s soft blue eyes looked like two dark orbs piercing into his soul. The man was handsome. He was one of those people who seemed to grow more good-looking as they aged.
He really missed having Niko in his life—his smile, his laughter, even his dry sense of humor. All of it.
Perhaps he didn’t have to leave when all was said and done. Maybe he could stay… here… in Baton?
Eyes locked on Niko’s, he yearned to be wrapped in his friend’s big, muscular arms. Held close and never let go.
But Niko wasn’t gay. He wouldn’t exactly appreciate cuddling or holding someone in his arms while he tried to sleep. So instead, Reid tried to distract himself.
“So, is everything alright?" Reid asked, watching Niko’s face to see if there were any signs that might give him away.
Nikolai’s brows furrowed.
“What do you mean?”
“You seemed a bit quiet toward the end of the night. Did I do something wrong?”
Niko lay there for a few minutes, just staring into his eyes.
Just as Reid was about to give up and turn over, Nikolai spoke.
“I’m sorry.”
Reid’s breath caught in his chest. “Sorry for what?”
“For not being there when you needed me. I wasn’t there to rescue you or protect you from Mikhail and that piece of shit he sold you to. I failed you.” Niko’s eyes lowered as guilt appeared to wash over him.
Reid raised his hand and gently caressed the side of Niko’s face. “Hey. Buddy. There was nothing you could have done. Mikhail was a smart man. He waited until you weren’t around, then fed you a lie that anybody would have believed.”
Slowly, Niko slid his arm up over Reid’s shoulder and gently caressed his skin.
“But, still. We were supposed to protect each other. And I wasn’t there when you needed me the most.”
“You were there for me so many times when we were younger. You kept me from falling over the edge and turning back to a life of drugs and risky behavior. Plus, you’re here now. Protecting me against Lucas and all the monsters of this enchanted forest.”
Niko smiled at Reid. He leaned up on one arm and caressed Reid’s cheek. “I fucking love you, man.”
Reid smiled back. “I love you too.”
Eyes still locked on Reid’s, Niko leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against his.
Reid’s breath caught in his chest. His heart was pounding, and his mind was exploding a thousand times.
Niko’s lips were soft and gentle, and carried with them all the history of their lives together.
Slowly, Niko’s lips parted as they sought out and devoured Reid’s waiting mouth.
Holy. Shit.
Reid melted into Nikolai’s kiss as the man breathed new life into his lungs.
This wasn’t just a “friendship” kiss; this was something much deeper, much more significant.
Reid could feel his body begin to tremble. He was in deep trouble. He was madly in love with Niko, and if he didn’t feel the same, Reid’s heart was going to be smashed into about a million pieces.
“Come here,” Nikolai whispered, lifting his sleeping bag and waiting for Reid to slip inside.
Reid’s lips pulled back as his gut did a million somersaults before slipping into his best friend’s sleeping bag.
Letting out a satisfied purr, Niko maneuvered his body until he was lying on top of Reid.
God, what was happening? Reid thought to himself, secretly loving every minute of it.
Hands resting on Niko’s broad shoulders, Reid watched as the hungry Russian slid out of his underwear, then reached down and pulled Reid’s off as well.
“There. That’s much better.” Nikolai moaned, lowering his body so that his hard cock was pressed up against Reid’s.
Fuck, the man was stunning.
There was something real and vulnerable about the way Nikolai was staring down at him. It was as if he were looking at Reid for the very first time.
If there were ever a moment that he felt his most vulnerable around Nikolai, it was this one. This right here.
“I don’t want you to leave,” Nikolai began.
Reid’s lips parted as if he was about to ask for further clarification—but none was needed.
“I want you to stay here, with me, forever,” Niko whispered, licking the palm of his hand before sliding it under the cover and grabbing both of their cocks together.
“We belong together. You and I.” Niko slicked up their cocks before returning his hand to the side of Reid’s body.
“Say you’ll be mine.” Nikolai slowly started to rub his cock against Reid’s painfully hard length.
“Say that you want me.” Niko’s body began to move a bit faster. “Tell me I’m yours.”
Reid tightened his arms around Niko’s back and pulled him closer against his body.
“I’m yours. Always,” Reid breathed out, as his body gave in to the pleasure above him.
“You want me?” Niko whispered, diving down onto Reid’s neck and kissing him with such hunger and passion.
“Fuck, I want you. I’m yours. Always.”
The sleeping bag around them rustled as their bodies moved quickly against one another. Reid had never felt so fucking turned on before.
“Harder, faster,” Reid whispered into Nikolai’s ear as the hungry beast above him rutted his cock hard against his.
Who would have known that rubbing up against a man would be so incredibly hot?
“Say that I’m yours,” Niko whispered as his strokes quickened.
“You’re mine. Forever,” Reid whimpered, yanking Niko down for another kiss.
Their breathing was deep as moan after moan escaped them. Niko’s dick was heavy against his leg.
Reid wasn’t going to last much longer.
“Oh fuck,” Niko blurted before warm wetness spread between them.
That was enough to send Reid over the edge. He pulled Niko down and came with their lips pressed together.
Gasping for air, Reid finally lowered his head.
“Fuck, that was amazing.” Niko panted, struggling to catch his breath.
“It sure was,” Reid added, making no effort to move from under the hunky Russian. He was pretty sure the tent now smelled like dick and satisfaction.
“Damn, dude, you boys are animals,” they heard Blade say from his tent next door.
“Way to ruin the mood,” Ace shot back, before Blade let out a muffled cry. It sounded like Ace might have slapped his fiancé.
“Okay, now that Niko and Reid are done playing hump my boner, can everyone please shut the fuck up so I can get some sleep. Honestly, you’d think this was a frat house or something,” Marcus grumbled from two tents over.
“Fuck…” Nikolai groaned, lowering his head into the crook of Reid’s neck.
Reid gently comforted his big, strong man by stroking his hard, sweaty back.
Lucas and Caden chuckled.
“See? I told you they didn’t hear us,” Caden whispered.
Marcus groaned.
Reid muffled a laugh.