Chapter 4

Nikolai steps into Matt's front hall.

He toes off his sneakers, pushes them with the side of his foot into the neat row of Matt's shoes lined up beneath the coat rack.

Then he turns to see Matt, who has just finished locking the door behind him, staring open-mouthed at Nikolai's face.

Matt's eyes are wide when he asks, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Nikolai says.

He probably should have checked his reflection, before he knocked.

From Matt's expression, he wonders if his bottom lip has split open again.

"Are you?"

"Yes, yeah, I just got the wind knocked out of…