STEAM & SMOKE | 18+

CHAPTER | 27 |

I COULDN'T LEAVE. Ghost left me in the hotel room, not saying another word since our conversation in the car. The credit card was in the drawer and my passport was still in my suitcase. Like he said, I could go but knowing that a group of agents were coming blindly to their death didn't sit well with me.

And a small part of me didn't want to leave Ghost.

I wanted to punch a wall. This was bigger than what I thought and I knew it wouldn't stop even if they arrested De Vil. There was something going on that only Ghost knew. He had ties with Sinners but I had the feeling not many people were aware of his association with the mafia.

The following morning, I hadn't heard from him as he didn't come back. I got ready and waited, unsure what to do and sighed with relief when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it but instead of Ghost, the two men from the plane stood, looking down at me.

The blond man pushed through, his friend following his lead. "Ghost, told us to watch you. I'm Grey," the blond man said then pointed. "He's Ace."

Ace nodded to me, silent as usual.

"I don't need you to watch me."

Grey sat down in a chair, relaxed. "Too bad. Orders are orders."

"Where is he?"

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart. Just keep looking pretty."

Instinctively, I moved away from him. "Am I allowed to go outside at least?"

"Sure," he shrugged and stood up to open the door. "Ghost said to take you wherever you want."

"If I want to go the airport?"

"Then sure."

Despite my question, I sat down and turned the television on. Hours passed and evening came but Ghost showed no sign of turning up. The sound of a phone vibrating caused me to turn my head in the direction. Ace glanced at it before speaking. "He wants us to get De Vil in the van."

"That's it?" Grey responded. "Is he not going to help?"

"Of course not. He's an asshole. He said by midnight we should be out of there and at the port."

Looking at me, Grey rose from his seat. "What about her?"

"She'll be with us."

The predatory look on their faces told me that I had to be alert as I faced the television screen again. I had a bad feeling about the night ahead and when I saw the dress I was going to wear, I knew it could only go downhill.

"What the f*ck is this?" I said, irritation seeping into my voice. Ghost had come back, leaving him and I alone in the hotel room. He was back to his old asshole self, his arms folded as he stared at me with the same annoyance. I ignored the desire running through me as I saw him in his suit and glared.

"A dress, angel."

"You say that but I'm not seeing it." With a slit coming up to the hip, the rose gold dress was elegant but stilled showed enough skin to be seductive. However, I was mad about his plan. "You want me to flirt with De Vil?"

"I just want you to get him out of the room. Ace and Grey will sort him out."

"And where will you be?"

His cold mask went up as he smirked. "None of your business."

"I'm breaking rules for this, Ghost. You're the enemy."

"Like I told you, you can go but in thirty minutes, I'm leaving with or without you."

We both knew I wasn't going to so I put on the dress in front of him under his gaze. It fit like a glove and maybe in another life I would have appreciated the beauty but the danger that was going to unfold later on kept me on edge. Ghost brushed my hair behind my ear, sending shivers down my spine. If it was fear, I wasn't sure.