As he inspected the group of people waiting in the ticket line, his mind returned to the glimpse of the man he’d seen boarding the train. Something about him was familiar—unnervingly so. But he could think of no Association operatives that fit the description, even with a wig—
Because he’s not with the Association.
The garage. Sebastian in the trunk. The hit man.
Shoving people aside, Kyle raced back through the station. The train was almost at the end of the platform, and Kyle ran, arms and legs pumping as he called out. An employee shook his head as Kyle sped by, and as the train picked up speed, it lumbered out of reach.
Cursing himself for not killing the man properly and being too quick to escape from Brambani’s estate with Sebastian, Kyle reversed course, ignoring the quizzical comments from the employee as he ran past him again. The station had grown only more crowded, and Kyle was tempted to fire a shot into the ceiling to clear the way. He leaped over a baby carriage and finally fought his way outside to the car.
Engine roaring, he thundered off. He had a train to catch.
Chapter Seventeen
Sebastian stared blankly out the window as he left Naples behind. His father was dead. His brother was embroiled in criminal business with no easy way out. He had no possessions. No friends. No lover.
All he had to his soon-to-be-changed name was a slip of paper with bank account information printed neatly on it. He’d hoped Kyle had included some kind of note, but there was only the string of twelve numbers that identified the account and the five-digit bank clearing sequence. What were you expecting? Poetry? A declaration of eternal love?
Kyle had given him the means for a new life. A fresh start. Sebastian should be grateful, and he was. Of course, one could argue that Sebastian’s old life would be going along just fine if he’d never met Kyle Grant. But would it? He’d been miserable, trapped at home and subject to his father’s whims. How long before his father would have decided Sebastian wasn’t worth the effort? It had all been inevitable, really.
His body ached, bruises and scrapes everywhere after what he’d been through the night before, but as he shifted in his seat, there was one tender spot he savored. Squeezing his ass, it was as if he really could still feel Kyle deep inside him. He was curious to try topping sometime, but the mere thought of being taken made his stomach flip-flop and a thrill course through him.
Thinking of fickle, faithless Peter and his hang-ups now, Sebastian could only laugh. His father had done him a favor when all was said and done. Sebastian hadn’t had a clue as to what sex could be. What love could be. Sure, Kyle didn’t love him back, but Sebastian knew what he felt couldn’t be called anything else. And maybe Kyle…
He mumbled to himself. “Stop it.” It’s over. You’ll never see him again.
He needed to think about the future. Decide where to go. He could go anywhere in the world. Out of Europe was best, he supposed. Perhaps the man he was meeting would have suggestions. Sebastian had never been to Australia. Couldn’t get much farther away than that. Or New Zealand. He could start a new life on the other side of the world.
Although he had enjoyed Boston very much. Perhaps somewhere else in the States. San Francisco, Seattle, Miami…New York. With eight million people, what where the odds that he’d ever run into Kyle on one of Kyle’s infrequent visits home? Slim to none. And if I did happen to see him one day, what was the harm in that?
He was being foolish, he knew. Kyle was probably glad to be rid of him. To get back to his normal life. He knew Kyle had genuinely cared for him, but it was silly to imagine it was anything more than sex and some casual affection. They’d been caught up together in extraordinary circumstances—extraordinary for Sebastian, at least. It was only natural to be drawn to one another.
But what did they really have in common? Kyle was a spy for God’s sake. And Sebastian was…he had no idea. Anything I want to be. He would go back to school, he supposed. Not Harvard, but there were plenty of good mathematics programs. Perhaps he could specialize in codes. Become a cryptographer. That would be something, at least. Not as exciting as spying, but since when did he crave excitement? He was lucky to have made it out of the past week alive, and more excitement should be the last thing on his mind.
Yet he already missed it. He wanted to stop men like his father from hurting innocent people for their own gain. He could do something to change the world. How would he ever be happy lying low and going back to school? It seemed ludicrous to go back to a classroom after what he’d learned. To go back to anything resembling his old life.
He’d spent months moping over Peter, hoping he’d come back. Hoping things would change. Hoping his father would accept him the way he was. It was futile, and this time he wasn’t going to just let his life happen. He was in control.
He felt as if he’d aged a decade in the last week. He’d never been so weary, but beneath it all he felt a new sense of pride. Of accomplishment. He was going to be okay. Whatever happened, he would get through it.
As someone took the seat beside him, Sebastian turned away from the window. His polite smile froze on his lips as his father’s assassin settled in. The man smiled himself and pointedly glanced down at the gun he held trained on Sebastian, hidden from other passengers’ sight beneath a suit jacket folded over his arm.
“Mr. Brambani. How nice to see you again.”
Sebastian blew out a slow breath. “I’m afraid I don’t know your name. Seems I’m at a disadvantage.”
The man’s calm, steady smile sent a shiver skittering up Sebastian’s spine. “They call me Giaguaro.”
Jaguar. “That’s comforting.”
He chuckled. “You are a surprise, young man. I never thought you’d give me a moment of trouble. Of course it was your spy friend who shot me. Took me out of action for a good few days.” Giaguaro rolled his shoulders back in an exaggerated motion. “Fortunately his shot was just a few inches too high. Missed my heart.”
Sebastian refrained from asking whether there was actually a heart of any kind beating in the killer’s chest. “Too bad.”
“Yes, for you it is. And for him, of course. A measure of revenge is in order. Oh, no, no. I can see your concern. It’s quite touching, really, but you needn’t worry. You’ll be dead and none the wiser. I will make him suffer, of course. He’s been quite an inconvenience.”
“My father’s dead. Whatever contract you had is null and void.”
Giaguaro’s eyebrows rose slightly. “How interesting. But it changes nothing. I accepted the assignment, and I will see it through whether or not my employer is still invested in the outcome. It’s a matter of honor.”
Sebastian scoffed. “Yes, clearly.”
“I have a reputation, my boy. I get the job done. In this case it’s taken a week longer than anticipated, but done it shall be. I see my Serbian friends weren’t successful either. I told your father not to bother with them, but he was always a stubborn man.” He glanced about at the half-empty train car. “Now if you’ll kindly precede me out into the aisle and move to the rear of the car. We’ll be getting off at the next stop.”
“And if I don’t?”
Giaguaro nodded toward the middle-aged woman sleeping in the window seat across the aisle. A teenage girl sat across from her, texting intently. “Mother or daughter? Your choice.”
“You can’t kill them right here, out in the open.”
“Oh, you’d be surprised by what I can do.” He waited a moment, then nodded and started to rise. “I think daughter first,” he whispered.
“Stop.” Sebastian sighed. He couldn’t allow innocent bystanders to get hurt. Especially since he was greatly outmatched and without a weapon. He’d thought of taking a gun that morning, but it had seemed counter to the fresh start he was making.
Sebastian desperately glanced about for options—for anything—as he walked to the rear of the carriage. He sensed Giaguaro directly behind him, could practically feel the man’s breath on the back
of his neck. But if he was going to shoot you in the middle of the train, he’d have done it already. Sebastian took his place in line behind three people who were waiting to leave the train. Don’t make it easy for the bastard.
The lineup consisted of an elderly man and a young couple. The train slowed as they neared the station, and Sebastian craned his neck to peer past the couple and catch a glimpse of the terrain. It appeared to be a rural station, with not many buildings in the immediate vicinity, and rocky, forested countryside beyond.
Then the train was coming to a stop, and the passengers ahead were picking up their luggage. “Steady, now. Hate to put a bullet in their brains,” Giaguaro hissed.
Mind whirling as he locked his plan into place, Sebastian followed as the passengers moved to the steps. The conductor nodded as they went by, and wished them a pleasant day. On the dusty platform, Giaguaro nudged him to the left, and Sebastian began walking. The train idled while passengers got on and off, and then came to life, chugging forward.
Giaguaro was at Sebastian’s heels, and as the train picked up speed, Sebastian drove his elbow up and back into Giaguaro’s face. The man’s nose gave way with a satisfying crunch, and Sebastian kicked back, hammering Giaguaro’s knee as he turned and wrested the gun from his hand. It sailed into the air and dropped over the edge of the tracks, under the departing train.
Running, Sebastian reached out, grasping for the handrail on the door to a passing car. It slipped away, and he glanced back. Three more cars, and the hit man was charging after him. Only twenty feet of the station remained before dropping off into wilderness. Sneakers pounding the cracked concrete, Sebastian leaped for the railing and swung up onto the tiny platform at the back of the old train car.
Giaguaro tried for the next car but missed. Only one car remained, and Sebastian watched, heart pounding, as Giaguaro threw himself onto the back of the train. For a moment it was as if time froze, and Sebastian waited for the man to tumble back to the platform. But he disappeared from sight, and as the train curved away from the station, the end of the platform and the track behind were empty.
Wrenching the door open, Sebastian barreled into the red-faced conductor. Ignoring him, Sebastian raced past, trying to think of a place to hide. He could only stay in the bathroom so long, and it would be the first place most people would look. The conductor shouted after him, and Sebastian could feel many eyes on him as he dashed to the next car. Glancing back, he saw Giaguaro running up the aisle. The hit man stopped and flashed what looked like a badge to the conductor. Terrific.
Just inside the next car was a baggage area, and without pausing Sebastian dove for the lower shelf of suitcases, squirming into the space behind the luggage. The door to the car slammed open and feet thundered by, the conductor yammering about an escaped criminal. There were five more cars ahead, and he hoped they would continue on.
Of course, the problem was that they would surely begin a systematic search of the train cars once they reached the engine and didn’t find him. Sebastian couldn’t simply find a nearby house to hole up in, and anyone disembarking at the next station would be closely scrutinized.
Moving quickly, Sebastian peeked past the luggage and slipped out of the train car. The vehicle had picked up speed, and the wind whipped by. A ladder led to the roof, and Sebastian clambered up carefully as the train swayed and rumbled along. He flattened onto his stomach, gripping the metal as best he could. Although the train hadn’t seemed to be moving that quickly when he was inside, as he peered down at the uneven ground sloping down from the track, the thought of jumping off seemed impossible.
Holding on, he tried to think of anything else he could possibly do. Giaguaro had lost his gun—but could have a backup. Even if he didn’t, he had fifty pounds on Sebastian, and the conductor and likely other train staff behind him. Sebastian would be easily overpowered.
A metallic clank somewhere behind him echoed over the whistle of the wind. Peering back over his shoulder, his heart plummeted as Giaguaro appeared atop the next car. Arms out for balance, Sebastian leaped to his feet and raced forward, the hit man in pursuit.
Giaguaro yelled for him to stop, but Sebastian raced onward, leaping onto the next car. He staggered and almost went down before regaining his balance. Maybe he won’t be able to make the jump. Sebastian glanced back as Giaguaro sailed over the gap. Now they were atop the same car, and Sebastian ran onward, mind racing to formulate a plan.
As he glanced back, his heart skipped a beat as another person appeared at the back of the train. Sebastian blinked, certain his mind was playing tricks on him. But Kyle was really there, sprinting across the tops of the train cars, leaping the spaces between, seemingly without a second thought. Sebastian could have laughed with relief at seeing Kyle again. Yet the relief turned to horror as Giaguaro turned and roared, pulling out another gun from his ankle holster.
Kyle sped toward them as Giaguaro lifted his arm to fire. The train rocked from side to side as Sebastian turned and sprinted back the way he’d come. He flung himself into Giaguaro’s back, knocking him flat. The man still managed to fire and was taking aim again as Kyle neared.
“No!” Sebastian jammed his knee into the hit man’s injured shoulder and pinched his wrist, forcing his fingers to open. The gun landed with a clank and skidded over the side as the train jolted. They both scrabbled for a handhold, and suddenly Giaguaro struck out with a knife.
Fire slashed through Sebastian’s thigh as a shot rang out. Blood pumping from the wound in his back, Giaguaro faltered as Kyle jumped onto the car. After a moment of shock, a frenzied expression came over the hit man’s face, and he screamed, hurling himself toward Kyle. Kyle fired again, hitting him square in the chest.
But as Giaguaro tipped over the side of the slowing train, he clutched Kyle’s leg, his weight dragging Kyle off balance. Sebastian lunged forward, gripping Kyle’s hands as Kyle kicked desperately to dislodge Giaguaro. He slid over the side as he shook the hit man free, and Sebastian dug in his heels, muscles burning as he held on to Kyle.
Pulling back with all his might, he hauled Kyle back up. Panting, they clung to each other for a long moment. Sebastian never wanted to let go, and Kyle held him tightly, fingers digging into Sebastian’s flesh. The train jolted again, and Kyle sat back, looking over one side and then the other. He nodded toward the right. “Grassier.”
They stayed low as they inched out to the edge. The ground sloped down from the track bed, a stretch of wild grass growing before a line of trees and a ravine beyond. The train was still going far too fast to jump safely, but they were undoubtedly nearing the next station and they needed to get off now. Kyle backed them up to the other side of the car. They got to their feet as the train rocked. Sebastian’s right thigh screamed as he put his weight on it, but he ignored it.
Kyle said, “Three…” and Sebastian nodded, counting along. On “one,” they launched themselves across the roof and off the other side. Sebastian’s injured leg collapsed beneath him with a searing jolt as he hit the ground and rolled down the embankment. He came to a stop on his back in a tangle of shrubbery and tried to force his lungs to expand. Breathing shallowly, he listened to the clackety-clack of the train fade away.
Then there was only silence and the sound of the forest. Too silent. With great effort, he raised himself onto his elbows and peered around. He didn’t think he had any adrenaline left, but he scrambled onto his hands and knees. “Kyle!”
Crumpled at the foot of a tree, Kyle didn’t move. Dragging his right leg, Sebastian crawled to his side, his stomach roiling. Please, please, please. “Kyle!” He shook his shoulder, and Kyle’s eyes flew open. Blood trickled down his forehead, and he winced as he prodded his head.
“Don’t move.” Sebastian was busy examining Kyle’s limbs, which seemed intact.
With a groan, Kyle pushed himself up and sat back against the tree trunk. “We have to move. Eventually they’ll get the police out there. Unless you managed not to attract any attention on boar
d?”
“’Fraid not.”
Kyle glanced down and reached for Sebastian’s injured leg. Blood darkened his jeans, and he bit his lip as Kyle inspected the gash. “It’ll need stitches.” Taking the hem of his own T-shirt, he tore a strip of cotton and wrapped it tightly around Sebastian’s thigh. “Car’s about a mile back. Hid it off the road and waited for the train. Damn traffic getting out of the city; just missed you at the last station.”
“How did you know?”
“Should have placed him right away when I saw him boarding, but I was thinking about who the Association might send after you. I thought I’d eliminated him.”
“Thank you. For coming after me. You didn’t have to.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
Shaking his head, Kyle smiled ruefully. “Because I’m so in love with you, Sebastian.”
It was as if all the air in the forest was suddenly sucked away, and Sebastian’s whole body froze. Impossible.
Kyle pushed away from the tree and started to get up. “We have to go.”
Sebastian surged to his knees, ignoring the flare of pain in his thigh. He took hold of Kyle’s shoulders, shoving him back down. “Wait.”
Saying nothing, Kyle simply caressed Sebastian’s cheek.
“You really…love me?”
“I know I shouldn’t. But I do.”
Sebastian’s heart raced. “Why shouldn’t you?”
“Because you deserve so much better. You deserve to be safe and happy, and far away from me. This is no life for you.”
As he spoke, he knew it was the truth. “It’s the only life I want.” Taking Kyle’s face in his hands, Sebastian kissed him soundly. “I don’t want to go. I want to be with you. God, I love you.”
The Chimera Affair: Gay Romance Page 19
