STEAM & SMOKE | 18+

CHAPTER | 14 |

I WAS P*SSED. Ghost ignored my glare as we walked to the diner that supposedly was good, leaving me annoyed and alone. For a criminal, he stood out, people glancing at him then their gaze flickering to where our hands were joined as he dragged me. I had already given up trying to make him let go which he also ignored. We  finally entered a diner and Ghost pointed at a booth at the back.

"Sit," he ordered.

I fought my desire to argue that I wasn't an animal that he could tell what to do but his facial expression told me he wasn't in the mood. So I sat down, watching as he spoke to the waiter then handed him a stack of cash and pointed at me. I raised an eyebrow at Ghost as he sat beside me.

"Would you like to tell me what's going on?" I asked, curious.

"No."

"You pointed at me."

"Congratulations for spotting that. What do you want to eat?"

He ordered for me but he didn't speak even when my food arrived. His phone vibrated and he picked it up. "Hello... No, I'm not... I don't f*cking care what he thinks... He can try... This was your idea. I'm just following orders... Fine. Bye."

Ghost folded his arms, his face expressionless. I sipped my coffee before speaking. "Who was that? Was it your boss?"

"I don't have a boss, angel."

"Then who was it?"

"Someone you don't want to know."

"Is he more dangerous than you?"

He scoffed. "If he was, I would be at home instead of running around Nevada."

"Do you not want to do your job?"

"Why all the questions? Weren't you mad at me not long ago?"

"I've eaten so I've calmed down."

"Good. Which hand do you write with?"

Hesitantly, I answered and raised my left hand. "Left."

Grabbing my right hand, he brought out handcuffs from his pocket and put them on my wrist, connecting them to the leg of the table. Eyes wide, I tried to jiggle my hand free but it was no use. He f*cking handcuffed me. I punched him in the chest with my free hand, furious.

"What the actual hell?"

"I have placed to be and I need you to stay here."

"Could you not leave me in the hotel?"

"That hotel isn't safe, angel. There's people watching and I can't deal with them as well as you at the same time."

I stared at Ghost. "I don't need a babysitter. I can go wherever I want."

"The thing is, Malia, as much as I want to believe you're in Vegas to find De Vil, I know that's not true. You need me and I need you so stop with the games."

"I need you to remove this," I told him, shaking the handcuffs.

"I will when I come back."

I hated him. He brought out the worst in me, making me forget all the training I had to become an agent. "F*ck you."

"The waiter will bring you whatever you need. Just call him over," Ghost told me and got up.

"What if I need the restroom?"

He shrugged. "Not my problem. Be a good girl and stay here."

I swore under my breath as he walked away. Hours passed and the sky darkened from outside the window as I waited. The waiter had gone home after I insisted multiple times and there were only a handful of people in the diner.