“Naw. Figured I come to find you first, see if I was needed. If not, I’d hit the road again.”
Looking at the man I hadn’t seen in five years, I threw caution to the wind and said, “Mia’s home.”
Ghost growled, then looked away. I knew there was something he wasn’t saying regarding Mia, and though the tyrant was legal, I knew Ghost would never do anything. But looking at the man now, he was fighting his own demon hard.
“When are you gonna stop running, Ghost?”
“You’ve got your demons, and I’ve got mine, Reaper.”
That was for damn sure.
Ghost had been a Golden Skull since the day he was born. He loved the life and everything it entailed. He and his brothers Grimm and Shadow grew up around the club, and when they turned eighteen, they prospected for a year before being fully patched in. Unlike Grimm and Shadow, Ghost was the quieter of the two, if anyone could believe that. Ghost preferred to go his own way and do his own thing. He was stealthy, and regardless of his size, he could disappear within a crowd and never be seen again. His quiet nature and specific ability to stay undetected made him invaluable to the club, and the club used his power more than it should.
Ghost was the club’s assassin, and over the years, death took its toll on him. A few days after my pops was killed, Ghost lost it. He couldn’t handle it anymore and left. One morning, he just woke up, got on his sled, and drove away, taking a few of the brothers with him.
That was five years ago. I not only lost my best friend, but my V.P. I knew when Ghost left, he wouldn’t be back anytime soon, and I was right. I needed help, and that’s when Chaos stepped up. Chaos was a good V.P., but he was no Ghost. Where Chaos preferred brute force, Ghost was quiet. One look and everyone fell into line. He didn’t have to yell, threaten, or pound someone into submission. Nope, Ghost just said what he wanted, and it got done.
No one fucked with Ghost.
Ever.
It gutted me when I woke that day to find him and the others gone. I tried for months to get ahold of him, but all I got was silence. The only contact any of us had with him was through his brother Grimm, who guarded his big brother's whereabouts fiercely, even refusing to tell me, not that I’d ever heard Grimm utter a fucking word. Grimm preferred grunts to words.
So, seeing Ghost before me was a shock.
“You need to stop by the clubhouse and see your brother.”
“Naw, Grimm is good. If he needs me, he will tell me.”
Smiling, I replied, “Yeah, I’d love to hear that.”
“I’m gonna stay around for a bit, in case you need me.”
“Your room is still available.”
“Naw. Got a place. It’s quiet. Need that to keep the demon away. Call me if you need me.” I said nothing as Ghost turned and walked away, disappearing back into the tree line. Getting back on my bike, I was about to start my engine when I heard Ghost shout, “Tell Grimm to stop grunting and use his words.”
“Fucking creepy bastard,” I muttered, revving my engine as I pulled away from the ocean and headed back to reality.
THIRTEEN
REMI
I’d been lying down in Reapers bed, resting after cleaning most of the day, when a soft knock at the door woke me. Sitting up, I say nothing as the door slowly opens, and Hellhound sticks his head in. “Remi, sweetheart. Sorry to wake you, but Reaper’s back, and he wants you to meet him downstairs in the chapel.”
“The chapel?”
Hellhound nodded.
“Can I have a minute to use the bathroom?”
He nodded again and said, “I’ll wait for you out here.”
With that, he shut the door, leaving me alone with my own thoughts. The Chapel? From my understanding and what some of the men had told me, women weren’t allowed in the Chapel, well, unless they did something wrong or worse. But what could be worse? I know I went a bit overboard cleaning the clubhouse, but it seriously needed it and looked great now. I’ve done everything Max has asked of me. I didn’t even complain once about being locked down. Maybe Max changed his mind.
My heart raced at that thought. It was plausible. I was tainted and unclean. No matter what I did, my past would always be there. I couldn’t hide the scars on my body any more than the nightmares I had. I’d been used beyond belief, and no man wanted a woman like that.
I knew coming here was iffy. I thought Max accepted me. He said he did. Had he changed his mind? Was there someone out there better for him? Maybe he thought I was more trouble than I was worth.