Page 9 of Ghost
I pull into a rough gravel road and follow it back behind a wall of trees, listening as Devon pulls in behind me, but just as I break the trees, I hear what sounds to be about ten more hogs coming along the way. What the heck? What if we were followed? What if I just unknowingly led Devon into a trap?
But it's too late. To my horror, as I stop my car and go to get out and warn him, I watch as three, no four more bikes pull up, each one finely decorated with huge, rough, and what I'm very reluctant to admit, so hot guys. At least they are giving me something to look at while being murdered. I try to joke with myself, but as always, it doesn't help. I'm focused on getting Ghost out of here, but the stubborn man is just smirking at me as he parks his bike and saunters toward me across the gravel drive.
“If you get back on now, I think we have just enough time for me to distract them while you get away,” I plead with Devon to just get out of here. Maybe Cara and Connor have moved on, and it was all just a false alarm. Devon's face softens as I try to turn him back toward his bike.
“Bunny,” he says in a cool and calm voice. One that has me pausing the waving and pushing and arm flapping, that is absolutely doing nothing whatsoever to move this man, and looking up at him in confusion. Why is he smiling? “Those are my guys, Bunny.”
That causes me to immediately stop flapping around like a wayward chicken.
“Ohhhhhhhh….. okay. Shew, no wonder you weren't freaking out,” I say, wiping imaginary sweat from my face. Then, the men pull up beside us and hop off their bikes. One by one, four big, huge, burley men lift from those sexy machines and turn to face us.
“Tizzy, that's Omen, Rasputin, Caesar, and Crypt.”
“Oh yeah, I remember them from the raid!” I say, watching as they walk our way. “Wow,” I breathe, “Yeah, I wouldn't be freaking out either. I bet you boys could take down a herd of longhorns, couldn't ya? With all those muscles, those tight, big…”
“Tizzy!”
“Yup?” I squeak as Devon growls, making me snap out of my trance.
“Please let Rasputin's arm go before I cut it off.”
Whoops, didn't even know that was happening. Bad hand.
“I don't know, Prez. It would take you an awfully long time to get through all this muscle.” Rasputin, I guess it's his road name, smirks as he flexes for me, and I can't stop the girlish giggle that falls out.
“Tiz, get your sweet ass over here,” Devon snaps, and the tone of his voice brooks no argument. Still, I turn to him, hands on hips, and open my mouth. Ready to give him a good talking to. Instead, he grabs me by the waist and hauls me to his side before I have time to blink. “Rasp, you're on mess hall duty for two weeks for that. Since you’ll need both arms, I’ll wait three to take that fucking arm.”
“Oh my,” I swoon at the look on Devon's face. I can't tell if he’s serious or not; by the hard angles of his face and the clenched jaw, I'm going with he's not kidding. “Don't worry, darlin’, I might like to look at other muscles, but yours are the only thing I want to lick.”
I leave him cursing and dance out of his arms, then move to face further down the driveway, the house still hidden from view behind another bend. I'm not as worried about my safety now that we have backup.
“Report,” Ghost demands behind me. He’s Ghost now. All traces of the warmth and teasing in Devon’s voice are gone, replaced by the hard, detached, expertly trained, clipped tones that are all Ghost.
“Getting some weird heat signature readings from the house, so not willing to rely on that. I’m monitoring the cameras and traffic around the town. Still, we need to get out of here sooner rather than later,” Crypt says, looking down at a small tablet he pulled from his saddlebags.
“Weird signatures?” I mumble to myself, that can't be right. Cara and Connor should both be alone in there. There should be two and nothing more. Not giving it a second thought, I turn and sprint for the door.
“Be okay. They have to be okay. They have to be,” I mumble as I take off at a run and fly up the driveway. I'm just about to round the last corner and finally get a look at the house when Devon pulls me back into his arms.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Bunny, we have no way of knowing what's waiting for us around that corner. It could be a trap. We don't even know if the heat signatures are them or not,” Devon whispers in my ear as he hauls me back behind him. I’m about to argue, to tell him I need to get in that house, but he turns those deadly eyes on me, and I have no choice but to nod and agree. That look alone would make the devil himself a believer. He’s in Ghost mode, and he means business. So I give him a nod of agreement, still knowing this isn't the end of it. I can't leave it with him having all the power.
“Just know this is your one. I only like being told what to do in one place, and I sure as heck don't see no king-size around.” I raise a brow as I hear snickers coming from behind me.
“Noted,” Devon sighs and rolls his eyes. I still don't miss the smile he tries to hide as he faces forward and takes out his gun. Glad he finds me amusing cause he's only just now seen the start.
With Devon in the lead, Omen takes up a place at his back, and then Caesar and Rasputin take up the rear, leaving me in the middle. They all have their weapons out and fingers on the trigger. Though they look lax, I can feel each of these men is supremely deadly in their own rights.
Ghost holds up three fingers, then counts down. When he gets to one, he quickly but silently moves forward and around the final bend in the driveway. I can still see his back as he takes in the scene before I round the corner and can see for myself, and allI hear is a muttered “fuck” before he lets the weapon drop and stands aside.
“Caesar, keep a lookout from the tree line. Anything that isn’t one of us moves? Shoot it. Omen, Rasp, you two finish sweeping the property. Carefully. Bunny, maybe you should wait in the car. This isn't a scene…” I don't let him finish. Instead, I push past all of them until I’m right next to Devon.
“I will do no such…” I cut off as the scene unfolds before me. I can't help but wail.
“NO!”
Chapter Nine
Ghost