Red Rooms I Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader

16. Talk to the L.T.

The club is empty, of course it is.

It's 3pm after all.

It smells of smoke & champagne. The floor sticky, several co-workers cleaning it up and preparing for tonight's opening.

You and Grace put your jackets down and take a good look at the majestic stage first.

"Did you see my show yesterday though?" you ask her, keeping your eyes on the red curtains.

"I've seen it many times, dear" she chuckles, waving towards Indigo preparing the bar.

"Of course you have, i just mean...Me walking over to the boys? That part?"

She smiles and squeezes your shoulder "Only faintly. I saw you sitting on the guys lap, the one with the mohawk."

"Soap" you say.

"So a whole bunch of weirdos, it seems...Whats up with their names?!"

You walk to Indigo and hug them, asking how closing the club went yesterday.

"As per usual. Made a lot of tips though, so that was pleasant. Wish more people would be like those guys you sat with, thanks to them I can book my flights home next month."

You wink and mouth a "nice", before looking around.

"Indigo uhm...Have you by any chance seen my red hat i wore on the show yesterday?"

"Ohhhh...that one...y/n, I think they took it with them."

"What?"

"It was all very crowded towards the end, lots of booze everywhere... I only caught a glimpse of them leaving, he still had that thing on... I'm sorry, you know how it is...My head was somewhere else, I was working, all alone at the bar...I didn't know..."

"Indigo, don't worry" you say, smiling.

Does that mean...Wherever those men are now...John has your hat...And...Ghost must be with him now...right? Does he think of you? You certainly hope he does.

Indigo wipes the counter and you let them work, turning back to Grace, who is currently on the telephone talking to someone.

You look around the club. It is absolutely beautiful, you can't help but repeat that everytime you stand in here.

It is such a privilege to be working in this venue.

All these years of eating shit, working in shitty clubs, getting exploited by some rich men who treated you like you're a machine. Nevermind the 2 years before that. Working in brothels was not for you, and it took you some time to figure that out. Still, you're happy about that experience. In the brothel is where you met Grace. She was a dominatrix, occasionally renting a room there, since she was travelling from city to city. You found her inspiring right from the start. She taught you all kinds of tricks and tips that you're still very grateful for. And she showed you how to make good money, which you are obviously very grateful for.

You sit down on one of the red sofas, lighting a cigarette. Giving yourself some time to reminisce.

The apartment you just moved into is something you had always dreamed of. It's in your favourite part of this city, pretty central, with enough bodegas and good restaurants around.

You had a big living room with nice wooden floors, one wall basically just a large window, that lead to your big balcony. You could see the skyline from there.

The kitchen you could only reach through the living room, it was big enough for a small kitchen island and you kept it pretty brutalistic, grey walls that look like stone and all. Only a few light sources, because you like your apartment rather dark & gloomy, so they were enough for you.

You had a long corridor, raw beton walls and a big mirror. You did not decorate much yet, since you just moved in. You didn't keep a lot of your stuff from before, since you wanted a blank canvas.

A fresh start.

Your eyes shut at the past creeping up on you.

Living with your ex before, for a few years.

You did not enjoy a single one.

The click-clacking of a pair of high-heels pulls you out of your dark memories and Grace now stands in front of you, holding your red hat.

"W-where..." You put the burning cigarette aside, taking your hat.

She tries to hold back her smile and motions with her eyes to look behind you, so you do.

It's Soap.

You nearly drop the hat but quickly pull yourself together and smile at him, getting up.

"Heeeey, it's you!"

He looks pretty rough, not only sleep deprived but also with a small wound on his cheekbone.

"Sorry lass. Thought you might want that back."

Your heart is beating so fast right now.

"Yes I did! So thank you for...showing up and bringing it, are you okay? You...have a little...cut?"

He waves it off and holds his forehead "Yeaahhh got into a...fight of some kind. Frankly, I can't remember. Maybe it's better that way. You should see Gaz."

"Gaz? Where is he?"

"At the hotel, currently...eating breakfast or something I dunno, he didn't say one word to me after waking up so fuck know's...But his lip's pretty bruised and the knuckles, steamin' jesus..."

Heat rises up your face.

At the hotel.

Play it cool. Now you knew that they're staying at a hotel.

Don't be a creep about it though.

"Well, i'm glad you're okay." you softly hit his shoulder. He nods, blue eyes focusing on Grace behind you, who is now talking to Indigo.

You see the way he looks at her. He glances over to you and realizes that you've noticed now, and he clears his throat. "So he-hey haha, there you go. What's a cowgirl without her cowboy...cow...girl?... HAT, right?!"

He's so baby.

"Yeah, right..." you chuckle awkwardly.

Can you just ask for Ghost?

Did Ghost tell him anything about last night? When did Ghost leave? They must have noticed something...Must have puzzled it all together...You could just try. You HAVE to try.

"So I'll just leave then, Ghost is waiting and all and he can get quite mean when you leave him waiti-"

"Ghost!"

You blurt out like a dumbass.

He looks at you with one eyebrow raised, waiting for whats next. Only thing is though, your mouth was faster than your brain. You don't know what you're supposed to add to that, it was instincts.

"Is he here?" you ask, wishing you'd just melt into the floor right now, your cheeks burning from the embarrassment.

"No, he's waiting for me at his place. We're leaving next week, work related stuff and all. Gotta talk things through with the L.T.! Uhm...yeah.."

At his place.

You're screaming internally. He lives in this city.

You feel like punching the air. Your heart fluttering a thousand ways.

"Okay, sure. You need a ride or something? Is it far?"

You think you're being so slick.

"All good lass don't you worry 'bout me, got Price waiting outside in the car."

Fuck. Fuck you need to do something. Now.

"John?"

He smiles, ice-blue eyes digging into yours.

"Is there...some way to..."

Okay, fuck it. Might as well play with open cards now.

"Is there some way to reach your Lieutenant...?"