STEAM & SMOKE | 18+

CHAPTER | 3 |

STANDING OUTSIDE the club made me nervous. I stood up tall and entered, searching for Ghost. The darkness of the room made it impossible to see and the flashing lights revealed only a glimpse of a person's face. A hand landed on my shoulder and I turned to see a drunk man grinning at me.

"Hey, sexy girl. You lost?" He slurred, looking me up and down.

"I'm fine," I replied, disgusted.

Leaning closer, his nauseating breath washed over me. "I can show you a good time."

"I can show you my gun," Ghost growled. He was wearing another black shirt but it was long sleeve, covering his tattoos.

The man lowered his head. "I apologise. I didn't realize she was yours."

I opened my mouth to disagree but Ghost shot me a cold glare as the man disappeared.

I folded my arms defiantly. "I'm here now. What do you want?"

"To f*ck you."

My eyes widened at his honesty while my cheeks flushed red in anger. "I'm not a prostitute."

"I know," he answered. "I'm trying to find out who you are."

"I can say the same for you."

We stared at each other as people danced around us, not noticing the silent fight that was going on between us. Finally, he stepped into my space and placed a hand on my hip. Ghost pressed his lips to the shell of my ear causing my breathing to hitch. "We're going to my office," he murmured.

Pressing into my back, he led me out of the main part of the club until we reached a door that he used a card to open. Inside was simple with nothing that revealed his personality. He moved away from me, opening another door and brought back a glass along with a bottle of wine.

He poured it and handed it to me. I looked at it warily. "Is it drugged?"

"If I wanted to drug you, I would have done it a long time ago. But if it helps..." He wrapped his hand around mine that held the glass and took a sip. "See? Not poisoned."

I nodded. He stepped back and motioned that I should drink. "Would you like to explain why you and your friend were sneaking around my club?"

I placed my empty glass on the table. "Is it a crime to come here?"

"No, but I know you're not from here and it's very suspicious that you arrive a few days after I was released from jail."

"I don't even know who you are."

He frowned and took a swing from the bottle, gold eyes trained on me. "Are you saying it's a coincidence?"

"Don't you think so?"

"No."

Time for seduction. Striding up to him in my heels, I pressed a hand to his chest and looked up into his eyes. "I only wanted to find out who you were and work. I swear," I whispered as I leaned into him. While I wanted to say I was acting, the gasp when he tangled his hand into my hair and tugged was real. Ghost pressed his mouth to my throat, sprinkling kisses all over.

"I don't trust you, Malia," he groaned then picked me up and sat me on his desk. He continued his assault on my neck while his hands slid up my thighs.

"I'm not the dangerous one," I breathed grabbing into the front of his shirt. His lips finally made their way to mine and he grabbed my jaw, hardening the kiss. I could taste the wine from his mouth then he broke the kiss.

"I'm going to f*ck you here, in my office, on my desk," he promised, voice low.

Reality came rushing back. I wasn't supposed to be with him like this. I glanced at the tattoos peaking out of his sleeves. They might tell me something but when he pulled me into another kiss, my eyes closed, forgetting.

He tugged the red silk dress down to my waist and skimmed his hands over my body making me shiver. Ghost groaned, touching and teasing me, the feel of his touch lighting fires across my skin. My hands go to the bottom of his shirt trying to get rid of it. He rips it off, revealing his rock-hard chest. Running my hands over his abs, I take note of the ink on his chest. Amongst the many tattoos, in red letters, sinner is written in capitals on his collarbone. I run my fingers over it but he catches my hand.

"Don't," he warned.

Bingo.

I melt into him, distracting him, and when I feel his hands slide to my ass, I moan, wrapping my arms his neck. Lust driven, I didn't push him away even when his hand slid higher, his fingers hooking into the lace thong then ripped it.

I looked down in shock. "I liked those," I exclaimed, pouting. He shrugs, tossing them to the ground.

"They were blocking my way."

His fingers tunneled between my legs and I gasped aloud when they dipped inside. "F*ck," moaned before he kissed me. With each stroke of his fingers, I came closer to the edge. "Ghost," I murmured as he ripped open a condom.

Nudging my legs apart, he entered me in one long thrust. He wrapped a hand around my throat pinning me to his desk while the other gripped my thigh. I grabbed his wrist at my neck, trying to adjust to his size as he moved deeper.

"Say please," he demanded.

"Please," I breathed.

"Malia," Ghost said, voice tense. "Come for me." He pushed my legs further apart and pushed into me. I shiver, realizing I was having sex with the enemy. I cried out in pleasure as I reached my cl*max, nails biting into his back in ecstasy as he moaned into my neck.

F*ck.

Panting, I weakly pushed him away. "I need to go."

He pulled out of me, removing the used condom and zipped up his jeans. Wrapping my hair into a fist, he brought my lips to his for a second. "Tomorrow, Malia," he said quietly. "I want you more than just an hour."

I stared into the honey coloured eyes and lied.

"I'll be here."

*****

I silently entered the van at the now empty apartment where everyone was waiting. Harry narrowed his eyes at me. "Your hair is a mess. Did you fight someone?"

"Yeah," I answered as the car drove away from the city of sin.

"What did you find out?" The director asked. "Did he tell you anything?"

Trying to filter my memories, I remembered his tattoo. "Sinner? He has it on his collarbone."

"The club name?" Harry scoffed. "That's not useful."

"Unless it's his group's name," the director pondered.

"He's very sensitive about it," I said, feeling sore as I moved to tighten my coat. Glancing at my wrist, I noticed my bracelet was missing. "He took it."

"Who took what?" Harry asked.

My eyes widened. "He took the bracelet."

"It can't be linked back, right?"

The director nodded. "He can't reverse it but he might find out what it's for."

I sighed in relief. I could leave him behind and never see him again. I guess the saying is true.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.