Tortured | Simon "Ghost" Riley

Chapter 1

Levi's Bar – Located in the city, 1 mile from the base

Sitting around a table, Alejandro, Valeria, Gaz, and Ana were playing blackjack for barrack duties. "Ana, it's your turn." Gaz said with a smirk, hiding a queen of hearts and a nine of spades under his hand, convinced he was going to win this round. Looking at her cards, Ana kept her face straight, showing no emotions. The air around them smelled like smoke, musk and had a hint of alcohol that occasionally became apparent. "I'll stand." Nodding, Gaz turned to Valeria, "You?" "Hit me, pendejo." Pulling the top card off the top of the deck, Gaz flipped over a jack of diamonds, "Fuck!" Valeria shouted, throwing her cards on the table, showing she was over 21. Kissing her cheek, Alejandro laughed, "Don't be a sore loser, mija." Rolling her eyes, Valeria responded, "Easy for you to say, you don't have to clean the fucking showers for a month." Gaz grew cockier, "Alright Alejandro what you got?" Lifting a brow, "I'll stand too." Alejandro's voice was mischievous. Nodding and pouting his bottom lip, Gaz slammed his cards down, "19, fuckers!" Alejandro threw his cards down in defeat, "Ha! You get to help little V here clean the showers!" Gaz shouted as he shook Valeria as she smirked before she slapped his hand away. As Gaz continued to celebrate, Ana slowly put her cards down, "20!" Gaz's face dropped as Ana laughed, "Looks like you get to clean the bathrooms." Fluttering her lashes at Gaz, teasing him further. "Alright, asshole. I'm done." Gaz laughed as he gathered the cards from the table.

Laswell and Price were discussing Laswell's wife trying to set him up with a friend of hers, but Price stubbornly refused. "Kate, you know my stance on relationships." "Yes John I know, but you need something other than them," Laswell whispered pointing towards Task 141 that were scattered throughout the bar, letting out a laugh. "I'm good Kate, thanks. And tell Stace I appreciate the concern for my love life." Price said as he smiled before taking a drink of his beer.

Ghost, Soap, and Rudy and Farah were in an intense discussion about the basketball game on the TV as it blared out of the speakers. All were sitting at the bar with a drink in their hands when a noticeably drunk woman walked up to Ghost, whispering in his ear, "Wanna take me home?" Ghost pulled away from her, glaring at her through his skull mask, "No I'm good." Ghost turned his attention back towards the TV. "Come on, you don't even have to call me in the morning." "I said no." Ghost's British tone was harsh. Attempting to help defuse the situation, Gaz spoke around Ghost to the woman, "He has a girlfriend." He lied causing Ghost to look at him, confused. After looking around the woman responded, "I don't see her anywhere." "Turn around." A voice behind the woman caused Ghost and the rest of them to look behind her, seeing Ana standing there with her hands resting on her waist, smiling devilishly. The woman clumsily turned around, looking at Ana through a scowl, "You settled for that?" she said drunkenly as she looked back at Ghost. Hearing the words leave the woman's mouth, Ghost's eyes filled with slight panic before he leaped up as the others at the bar followed his movements. "Time to go." He said quickly as he rushed around the woman to Ana who was already cocking her fist back to swing at the drunk woman. Ghost lifted Ana up by the waist, throwing her over his shoulder. Ana tried to fight her way out of his grip.

Seeing Ghost carrying an angry Ana, the rest of the team threw cash down on the table for their tabs and followed close behind. As they reached outside, Ghost set down a still angry Ana, "You need to get your anger under control, Ana." Ghost laughed as he lifted the bottom of his mask and lit a cigarette, smoke flowing from Ghost lips. "My anger wasn't the problem, she was fucking rude, and she wasn't taking no for an answer." Ana snapped back at him, snatching his cigarette from him and stomped it out, "and stop smoking, it makes you stink." Ghost rolled his eyes as he smiled under his mask. "so you're my girlfriend?" "You wish. Let's go." Ana laughed, walking away from him. The rest of the team dispersed around them, Alejandro and Valeria walking as they held each other's waists, talking shit to Soap and Gaz. Price, Farah and Lawell walked with Rudy beside them, laughing.

Hearing the banter, Ana quickly walked to catch up to them with Ghost watching her. Being a man who mostly kept to himself, Ghost only let loose on nights like these. When he met the team, he was guarded and didn't make much of an effort. Until Ana arrived he never considered joining them on their nights out. When he met Ana, it was different than the way he met the others; He immediately found her breathtaking. As time went on, he and Ana would subtly flirt but it never went further than that. But truthfully, he wanted it to but wouldn't jeopardize anything, from his job to the special bond they shared. He would be aggravatingly stern while she loved to joke and push his buttons. Eventually, he did grow a soft spot for her, but it wasn't until Soap pointed it out to him that he noticed. Thinking back, he remembered the short conversation.

Soap stood next to Ghost as they watched Ana and Valeria walk around the courtyard. Ghost was trying to hide that he was watching Ana, but Soap noticed immediately. Soap breaking his trance, "She's got you wrapped 'round 'er finger, Lt." he said taunting Ghost. "Why do you think that?" "Well she's the only one you don't yell at for starters." "I don't yell at you either, Johnny." "Bullshit, Lt." Soap argued as he laughed.

Ghost's POV

As Ana walked through the streets, taking in her movements, Ghost watched the way her hips swayed, his eyes following them narrowly. The way her black jeans hugged her exceptionally. The sheer white shirt she wore tied loosely at her waist, exposing a glimpse of her soft tanned skin around her torso, taunting him. His breathing became sporadic under his mask, a blazing urge spreading through his body. Her midnight hair flowed over her shoulders, thick stray strands caressing her face. Her smile showed her delicate dimples in her cheeks, her nose crinkling when she laughed. The sound of her precious laugh gave him an otherworldly experience, replaying in his mind continually. Her soft voice muffled everyone else's around him. Her intoxicating amber eyes consumed him daily, desperate to obtain a fix of his own private poison when she wasn't around. The world around him faded away when he focused on Ana as she looked back smiling at Ghost. Ana stopped in the middle of the quiet street, that was glistening from the heavy rain from earlier in the night, leaving a cool breeze behind as it eased. The streams of light from the streetlamps were bouncing off the wet road and the windows of the buildings that lined the street. There were quiet sirens, dogs barking and cars in the distance, and of course the voices of the team and other people in the area. But, of course, Ghost only focused on the petite woman in front of him. With his hands being kept warm in his hoodie pocket, Ghost got closer to Ana as she stood there with her hands crossed, obviously shivering slightly. "Cold, darling?" Ghost looked down at Ana, sounding sarcastic. Her shivering jolted her voice slightly, "N-No, not a-at all, a-assh-hole." She playfully beamed, sending more of the fiery urge through him. Sighing silently, Ghost grabbed the bottom of his black hoodie and pulled it over his head, careful not to pull off his mask with it, "Arms up," his voice was soft yet demanding. Putting her arms up caused Ana's shirt to lift slightly more, exposing more of her skin, stealing a breath from Ghost. As he slipped the hoodie over her head Ana wiggled her arms into the sleeves. Ghost stepped back to look at her, laughing at how much she drowned in it. "What's so funny?" Ana asked as she placed her hands on her hips, the sleeves hiding them. "Nothing," he shook his head softly, "You look good, Ana."