STEAM & SMOKE | 18+

CHAPTER | 22 |

I HATE GHOST.

The next time I opened my eyes, I found my wrists and ankles bound together with rope while the rest of my body was laid out on a couch. Sunlight lit up the huge living room and I could hear birds singing happily from outside. Groaning, I tried to sit up without any success but immediately gave up when I heard the sound of footsteps and closed my eyes as if I were asleep.

"Listen to me... Shut up. I don't give a f*ck why you did it... I don't want excuses and I don't owe you an explanation... You think you're invincible, Lucy but I know where you are and I don't mind going over there to put a bullet in your f*cking head," Ghost growled to someone.  "Try that sh*t again and I'll send you to hell myself."

It went silent apart from the footsteps that got closer to me. Ghost touched my face then trailed his fingers down to my neck then pressed down. I winced in pain from the pressure on the bruises when he strangled me. He sighed.

"You can stop pretending."

My eyes met his gold ones angrily. "You hurt me."

"You didn't listen to me," he replied casually.

"Let me go."

"Go where, angel? You have no clue where we are and I have all your belongings."

"Then remove the rope."

He stood up and glanced down at me. "No. You look good tied up."

I changed tactic. "Isn't Lucy the girl who works with me? Did she send those people?"

Ghost smirked. "Not that Lucy. This one is more dangerous."

"Did she cheat on you?" I asked.

"You could say that."

"I'm glad."

He rolled his eyes and answered his phone that started ringing. "Yeah... Angelo. Don't f*ck around. Tell Santan not to waste my time or I'll charge him... Yeah, come in."

He hung up then opened a drawer and pull out some tape. "What's that for?" I quickly said before he put it over my mouth

"To keep you quiet, angel. You talk too much and this guy isn't here to make friends with you. If you're a good girl, I'll take you upstairs later."

Seconds later, there was a knock and a man walked in. His hand was hovering over his gun which meant he didn't feel safe around Ghost and his gaze flicked toward me.

"Boss, we found Lucy," he started, his eyes on me. I remembered I was still in the dress from the club and it had risen up to the top of my thighs. "The men that were ordered-"

Ghost coughed and the man's focus went back to him but he lowered his head when he saw the anger in Ghost's face. "Don't look at her, Angelo, unless you want me to kill you. I already know where Lucy is. Tell me why they wanted to kill me."

"Lucy thinks you're trying to take over."

"Why?" Ghost sounded p*ssed. "I'm just a contract killer. He made sure I knew my place."

He?

"People want you to lead and recognize you as the Prince of Vegas."

"Sh*t." Ghost closed his eyes for a moment and exhaled. "Have you told Santan?"

"No, Boss."

"Good. This stays between you and I."

Angelo nodded. "I'll tell you if anything else happens."

Ghost motioned that he should leave. Once Angelo was gone, he ripped the tape off and I hissed at the feeling. "When you remove the rope, I'm going to kill you," I promised. "Lucy is a guy?"

"Lucy is short for Lucifer. He's the leader of Sinners and my dad."

"Your dad?" I repeated shocked.

"Adopted. He's Santan's biological dad."

I was starting to understand. It must have been Lucifer who was friends with Quince De Vil and was probably the person making him hard to find. "So who is the Prince of Vegas? Is it you or Santan?"

"Lucy trained me to be a bodyguard and a solider for his son. I legally don't exist. There's no record, no evidence that I was ever born. That's why everyone calls me Ghost, angel. Santan has history and his father is the leader which means only he can use that title."

"But why do they call you it?"

He grinned. "Because I've made a name for myself. I own a huge percentage of Vegas, I'm involved in trading and I'm a paid killer. I'm a dangerous man to come across."

"What about Santan?"

"He loves to call me for favors and relies on his inheritance. People fear him because they fear me."

"But why are you working against your father?"

"That's not important and I need to go. I'll be back in thirty minutes. We're gonna finish what we started in the car."

I flushed red and glared. "You're not touching me."

"I pretty sure I heard you say you wanted me to," he reminded me walking towards the door. "And I plan on making you moan my name, angel."

Patiently, I waited for him to leave before rolling off the couch and onto the floor. I managed to sit up then eventually got into a standing position. I didn't notice how large the room was and you could tell whoever live here was rich. I began fiddling with the rope, using my training to get out. Eventually, it fell to the ground and I moved onto my feet which took less time.

I opened the door and peered into the hallway. There seemed to be no one around. Chandeliers were hung on the ceiling and I saw a staircase going down as well as up.

"This is a mansion," I whispered to my self. I assumed there could be a bedroom upstairs and quietly tiptoed to the staircase. The floor I was on had many doors and no indication of what was inside. There was one at the end that was slightly open and I made my way towards it.

I gasped as I walked inside. It was a condo within a house. It had its own staircase, kitchen and living room from what I could see from just stepping in. There were no personal objects, no mess - it was as if it were for show. I entered the closest room which was the bedroom and noticed it was en-suit.

"Sh*t," I whispered impressed. After exploring the bathroom, I became conscious that I needed a shower and there was one available. Ghost wouldn't back any time soon, I thought as I stripped out off my clothes.

That was my first mistake.

The moment I stepped out the shower after wrapping a towel around me the door, Ghost joined me in the room fury on his face.

"I'm considering buying you a hearing aid," he growled, caged by his arms against the wall.

I looked up at him and smirked. "F*ck you."

Leaning into me, his lips brushed by ear. "You're very lucky you walked into my room or you'd meet some guys who would want to remove your clothes and have their way with you."

My body warmed at how close he was and the thought that only towel separated him from my body. I tilted my head up at him. "You're acting like you're not one of those guys."

"I'm not." His hand ran up my thigh and moved between my legs. I gasped and grabbed onto his wrist, whether I was encouraging or stopping him, I wasn't sure. "I'm not like them because you want me, angel."

"I don't," I denied.

"Then why are you wet?" Ghost asked, his voice now husky as he moved two fingers inside me slowly, stroking purposefully between my inner thighs. Whimpering, I clung on to him, my back arching instinctively. There was nothing holding my towel up  so when he tugged on it, it fell to the ground leaving me exposed.

Ghost came flushed up against me, muscular lines pressed against my curves. I didn't want to be this girl but as he trailed his lips down towards my chest, my resolve dissolved.

"I have a-"

"I don't want to hear it," he murmured. "Right here, right now, you're mine."