GHOST OF YOU | BWS

eleven.

After a short ride to Joaquin's neighbourhood, we stop in a parking lot behind a diner, the rest of his gang parking next to us. Joaquin gets out of the car and walks around before helping me out of the car, and he holds my hand as we make our way to the diner, his guys right behind us. The moment we enter the restaurant, everyone's eyes turn to us as the room goes completely silent. I notice the tense looks from the few people sitting around the room, and they all start to gather their stuff before standing up and walking towards the door where we're standing. Joaquin doesn't seem to pay much attention to it, pulling on my arm to make me follow him to a table where he pulls a chair and indicates me to take a seat with a smile. I take a look around us, the room now empty for the exception of me, Joaquin, his gang and the few people behind the counter and in the kitchen. Joaquin's guys stand a few feet away from us, as if guarding the space, making me think he must be involved in some real shit to need that kind of security when he goes on a date. As soon as we're both sitting down, an older woman comes to us, holding a notepad in her hands, and I can't help but notice how shaky her hands are.

"Good evening Mr Silvatore", she says, nervousness clear in her voice.

"Greta, dear, how's the old husband doin'?", he asks, making the woman shake even more. "Back from the hospital yet?" he adds, and even though he's being very subtle, the way the woman is reacting to what he is saying makes me think he and his guys have something to do with her husband being hospitalized.

"Not yet", she answers before looking at me with so much pain in her eyes I feel my heart sink. "What can I get you today?", she then asks as she turns her attention back to Joaquin. He orders for the two of us, and Greta turns around and goes back behind the counter. I feel bad for her, and whatever her story is. She's clearly terrified of Joaquin and probably has good reasons to be. I mean why would the entire restaurant leave when him and his gang arrived if there wasn't some kind of history here? They obviously own the place, and I don't mean that literally.

"Do you always bring your friends with you when you take a girl on a date?", I ask, trying hard to hide how uncomfortable I am sitting in this empty diner, surrounded by half a dozen gang members. An amused smile appears on Joaquin's lips, his eyes narrowed on me.

"Unfortunately, the stream of business I am in requires 24/7 protection", he answers, his smile never leaving his lips.

"What is it that you do exactly? What kind of business requires that kind of protection?", I ask, playing dumb as he looks at me more intensely.

"Just business", he answers, clearly not wanting to go into details about how he probably kills people for a living. "Enough about me, tell me about you. What's your life story?", he asks as if we had been talking about him for hours. I know when not to insist, and start telling him about my life, leaving some key details such as my dead brother, or Isaac and his gang. The minutes go by, turning into hours as we talk about anything and everything, the sky now pitch black outside. I fight to keep my eyes open while Joaquin tells me about how he used to visit his grandma in Mexico every summer when he was a kid.

"My apologies, I must be boring you to death with my stories", he suddenly says with a laugh and my eyes instantly opening wide. Fuck, I can't make him think I'm not into him.

"Oh no, absolutely not", I said, apologetic. "I'm sorry, it's been a long day", I add and he smiles again, dimples appearing on his cheeks.

"Of course, what am I thinking? You had classes all day long, and I stole you for dinner, you must be exhausted. Let me take you home", he answers and I freeze. Shit, I can't turn him down twice. But I really can't have him know where I live either. As I try to think of a way out, Joaquin stands up and walks around the table to reach me and extends his arm towards me.

"Let's go", he simply says, his hand waiting for me to grab. Shit, there's no way out, is there? I give him a fake smile and grab his hand before he starts walking to the door, me on his toes. I don't question the fact that we didn't pay for the food as I choose to focus my energy on praying for a miracle to come and save me from him driving me home. He signals for his guys to go as well, and I start to worry they're all coming to my place too. Soon enough I am sitting in Joaquin's car, on our way to my apartment, only two of his guys following us. My heart is racing in my chest at the thought of what might happen once we reach my place. Does he expect us to have sex tonight? The thought literally makes me sick. Is this what my life has become? But in the end, does it really matter? It's just sex after all. Just a physical act that means nothing. Then why am I feeling like I'm about to puke just thinking about it? When we reach my apartment, Joaquin walks me to the building door, his two bodyguards waiting at the bottom of the stairs. We stand there, simply looking at each other for a second. Am I supposed to invite him in? Fuck, I really don't want to.

"I had a really nice time tonight", he says, his hand reaching for my face where he grabs a strand of hair and places it behind my ear. That sudden contact of his fingers on my skin gives me shivers and I know he noticed it as a smile now hangs at his lips. It doesn't take long before his hands make their way to my hips and he pulls me towards him, my chest now crushed against his. He leans his face towards me and breaks the distance between us as he crashes his lips on mine, his tongue quickly making its way in my mouth. Of course, I don't push back as I know I can't screw this up, but to my surprise, I am not as disgusted by this kiss as I thought I'd be. He's a pretty good kisser if I'm honest. My hands move to his neck while his hands move to my ass, his fingers dipping into my cheeks. When he finally detaches himself from me, we're both panting and it takes us a second to catch our breath. I know exactly what he has in mind for the rest of the night, the bulge in his pants making it pretty clear. But just as he's about to say something, a ringtone starts echoing. Joaquin puts his hand in his pocket and pulls his phone out before placing it on his ear and walking down the couple of stairs leading to my building's door. I watch him walk away, probably not wanting me to hear whatever dodgy things he's talking about, until something appears in the corner of my eye, tears already forming at the sight. Charlie. What's happening to me? Why do I keep seeing my dead brother? I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to control my breathing, hoping he'd be gone when I open them again.

"You okay there?", I suddenly hear Joaquin ask me, making me open my eyes. I shake my tears away, and fake yet another smile.

"Just tired", I say but the look on his face makes me think he's not convinced. Luckily he doesn't insist.

"I'm sorry, I have to cut the night short, business's calling me", he says, giving me an apologetic smile. "I'll make it up to you", he adds before leaning forwards again and kissing me, not giving me time to answer anything. "I'll see you soon, pretty face", he finally adds after he detached himself from me, and start walking towards his guys. I don't wait before getting inside the building and quickly make my way inside my apartment, immediately locking the door behind me. I jump in the shower, feeling dirty and disgusting. I sit in the tub for hours, crying all the tears in my body until I am left frozen to the bone and forced out of the shower by the uncontrollable shaking in my body. I put on my pyjamas and bury myself into bed, tears still falling down my cheeks. This is my life now. A year ago I was this happy girl with a loving family, a ton of friends and a future ahead of her. Look at me now. I'm hanging out with drug dealers and psychopaths and about to prostitute myself to get access to the man responsible for all of this. And God knows all of this will be worth it when I see the look on Reggie's face the moment I kill him. That can't come soon enough.

Hello! Sorry there's no Brad in this chapter, but I promise the next chapter will make up for it. You're gonna learn why Brad's acting like that with Joy VERY soon!!! Can't wait for you to read the next chapter! Love you guys.