Sinners Never Sleep | Stikolson *COMPLETED*

Chapter Ten

RYAN

"You're an idiot Ryan, how could you let him just walk out the front door."

Chris paces up and down the lounge while Angelo sits down next to me and pats my shoulder reassuringly.

"Tell us what happened and we'll see if we can help you out."

Angelo was an angel, so caring and thoughtful always putting other people before himself. He was the stark opposite to Chris, or at least who Chris use to be. How the hell they found each other and fell in love was a mystery.

"I told him my past and he felt bad for me. He then asked how he could be with a killer, and I mentioned you and Chris and that I was going to ring you to come over to talk to him. But then he asked if like Chris I'd give up killing if we got together and well I froze and he walked out the front door hurt."

Chris sighs and slumps down opposite us. Angelo gets up and walks over to Chris who pulls him onto his lap, Angelo was very good at calming Chris down when he got worked up.

"Do you love him, Ryan?"

"Yes I love him Chris; I wouldn't have killed his bullies and abusive boyfriend if I didn't."

Chris rolls his eyes and sniggers, "ever the romantic Ryan."

Angelo slaps Chris's shoulder playfully and glares at him, "quiet you I think it's very romantic. Besides you'd have done the same for me."

"Yeah if Ghost hadn't slunk back into the shadows I would have killed the sick son of a bitch for laying a hand on you."

Ghost had caused a lot of harm and now he was back, he was dating Ricky's best friend Vinny but there had to be another reason why he'd crawled out of the woodwork.

"Try and ring him again Ryan, tell him to come back here and we'll talk some sense into him. He's just scared."

I pull out my phone and dial Ricky's number but get no answer. I decide to dial his friend Vinny, whose number I'd gotten out of Ricky's phone earlier. I also discovered that Ricky had Ghosts number which meant they'd met and I didn't have a good feeling about their friendship, especially since Ricky didn't know Ghost was just like me.

"Hi, it's Vinny who is calling?"

"Vinny this is Ryan, err a friend of Ricky's and I was just looking for him since he hasn't been answering his phone and I'm worried."

I hear shuffling on the other end of the line before Vinny clears his throat.

"Ricky called me and he came to my boyfriend's place of work, but I had to leave because I have a test tomorrow so I left Ricky with Devin. Don't worry Devin is harmless and wouldn't hurt a fly."

So Vinny was in the dark about his boyfriend, he seemed like a sweet kid who didn't know who he was in bed with. I sigh and run my fingers through my hair; I'd had the phone on loudspeaker so Chris and Angelo were listening intently.

"Thanks, Vinny; I'll give him a call later to see if he's okay. Bye."

I hang up before Vinny can say goodbye.

"Who's Devin? I'm confused; I thought this Vinny kid was dating Ghost."

Angelo looks at Chris whose face drops. Angelo only knew Ghost by his nickname; obviously, Ghost didn't trust him enough to give him his real name.

"Angelo, Devin is Ghosts real name."

Angelo makes an 'oh' shape with his mouth and snuggles into Chris going back into his shell. He wasn't truly one hundred per cent back to normal after his encounter with Ghost.

"Ricky has Ghosts number if Ricky's with him he's not going to deny my phone call."

Chris nods and motions for me to make the call while he cuddles Angelo. I decide to go into my bedroom to give the two of them some privacy. Neither Chris nor I knew how Angelo would react if he heard Ghosts voice again.

Dialling the once familiar number of my friend and colleague I sit down on the corner of the bed, on the side Ricky slept on. Ghost picks up just as I finish stroking the bed wanting Ricky to be back in my arms.

"Why hello there Ryan, long time no speak old friend. We should keep our voices down because your little racoon is sleeping peacefully in my bed while I stand over him poised to stab him to death if you upset me."

A shiver ran down my spine, even on the phone Ghost had a menacing presence and voice to match. Chris assumed he had a screw loose somewhere in his head that made him the perfect killer, if not a bit mad along the way.

"Don't lay a finger on him Ghost, he's too good for you."

Ghost chuckles, "Ricky's so beautiful when passed out drunk. You hurt him, Ryan, he didn't have to say your name but I just knew. He trusts me, he talks to me."

So Ricky had gone out and gotten drunk because I'd hurt him that bad and was now in the hands of a killer far worse than myself. I clench my fists and punch the bed, how could he be so stupid? Yes, he didn't know who Ghost really was but still, he didn't know him well enough to go home with him.

"So you're playing a good guy now Ghost? That's not like you, what are you really planning?"

Ghost tuts, "good guys are overrated Ryan," he mutters dryly before cackling, "It's much more fun to be the bad guy."

I look up to see Chris stood in the doorway and I nod my head confirming our worst fears that Ricky is with Ghost. Ghost stops cackling.

"I'm going to take your silence as you're not alone, but who would you call? Is Chris there Ryan? Put me on loudspeaker or I slit Ricky's throat."

I sigh and put the call on the speaker; Chris closes the bedroom door and approaches the bed.

"Hello Ghost, now tell us what you want with Ricky?"

"Angelo wasn't faithful to me; his heart was always with you Chris. Does he like my artwork on his flesh, forever marked to remember me? Let's just say I think I like Ricky a whole lot more, now goodbye old friends."

Ghost laughs and hangs up. I curse and throw my phone across the room. Chris sits down next to me and rubs my back.

"You'll get him back Ryan if needs be use Vinny. Ghost won't do anything stupid while the kids around. I wouldn't wish the same fate on Ricky that Angelo went through."

I nod and bury my face in my hands. Chris was right I could easily use Vinny to get Ricky back, but that would mean putting someone even more innocent than Ricky in the firing line. But I would do anything to get my little racoon back.

GHOST

Ryan was hopelessly in love with Ricky and I could see why. His skin was pale as snow, his lips so kissable and the way his black hair laid messily across his face as he slept in front of me made me hard. Ricky was pure and innocent to this cruel world, just like Angelo was. But unlike Angelo, Ryan hasn't had enough time to dig his claws into him and manipulate his mind and heart against me.

"Sleep Ricky, one day you'll be mine. You'll see Ryan is the real monster and that I'm doing all this to protect you."

I stroke his hair and brush it off his face and Ricky rubs his cheek against my hand for a brief second before rolling over in the bed. The small gesture had my heart beat just that little faster in my chest; there was still hope for us yet.