“Yeah?”
I sat back on the couch, pulling my shirt down and fiddling with the hooks of my bra. Something about the way he was staring at the wall as he spoke into the phone told me the moment was over. When the call ended, he wasn’t just going to roll back over to me and start kissing me again.
Ghost’s contribution to the conversation was monosyllabic at best. It lasted no more than a minute and he pushed the phone into his pocket when he was done and turned to me.
“We need to get back to the clubhouse. It’s Crash. He’s not doing too well and we need your help.”
I stood up, running my fingers through my hair that was still a little damp.
“Yeah, sure, let’s go,” I said, trying not to meet his eyes.
Ghost got busy putting his on his shoes and jacket. He handed me a denim jacket lying on one of the chairs; it was a few sizes too big for me. There was nothing sexy about any of the clothes I was wearing, but I didn’t care.
I would have liked for the earth to open up and swallow me whole. My cheeks were flushed. The back of my neck was burning up.
My own voice kept ringing in my ears…please, please, take off my pants.
What was I thinking? I was so embarrassed. How desperate did he think I was? Did he think I was going to beg him to undress me every time we were alone now?
Ghost was waiting for me by the door while I tied my hair up tightly in a bun. Outside the cabin, the woods looked dark and dreary. I thought I heard a wolf howl. It was chilly and I was glad for the jacket, glad to be with him.
I got on the bike smoothly this time and held onto his shoulders, instead of wrapping my arms around him. Even touching him like that was enough of a reminder of what we’d just done in his house.
Thankfully, he didn’t want to discuss it either. Maybe we would never have to discuss it.
9
Ghost
Mercy didn’t bring up what had happened in the cabin and neither did I. Besides, there was no time to discuss it. Mary-Beth sounded pretty distressed on the phone, so Crash was probably in a bad way.
When we got to Fifth Gear, I helped Mercy off the bike and we rushed inside. It seemed like she was ready to focus on her work too. She didn’t meet my eyes.
Some of the guys were waiting at the door of the cellar.
“Mary-Beth’s in there,” Bolt said. Mercy and I went in.
Crash was in bed but he was groaning aloud like a wounded animal. His sister was by his side, trying to hold his hand but he was thrashing about, shuddering and shivering. Even in the dim light of the cellar, I could see his pupils were enlarged and skittering in every direction.
Mercy turned to me. “He needs serious help, Ghost, do you see? We should take him to the emergency room.”
Flash and Allegra were there too. He heard what Mercy said and was quick to jump the gun.
“There’s no way we’re taking him out of here. Definitely not to a hospital!”
Mercy shook her head and looked at me again.
Crash groaned loudly and Mary-Beth sobbed.
“Mercy, can you please help him? Can you do something?” she asked, tears streaking down her cheeks.
“I don’t know what I can do to help him,” she replied.
“I’m going to get one of the guys to bring everything you need. Make a list. Whatever you need will be brought here. We’re not taking him out of here,” I said.
“But…” Mercy was going to protest but I turned to Mary-Beth.
“You understand, don’t you? The dangers of taking your brother to a public place like the emergency room?”
I figured Mercy would understand the situation better if it came from Mary-Beth.
She nodded and looked at Mercy.
“They’re right. Crash might not make it if we take him out of here. There will be a lot of people, Eagle’s supporters, who are hoping he’s already dead by now. If they find out he’s in an emergency room in a public hospital, they’re going to kill him there.”
Mercy’s eyes grew wide. It was obvious to me that she hadn’t thought of this. She glanced at me and then at Mary-Beth again.
On the bed, Crash was still groaning and thrashing his head from side to side.
“Okay, I’ll make a list of what I need,” she said and moved toward the bed.
“Hey, Ghost. Drax wants to see you in his office.” It was Bolt; he’d stuck his head around the door.
“Yeah, I’ll go. Make sure some of the prospects are with Mercy and Mary-Beth here. Get them whatever they need,” I replied.
I made to leave the room and looked at Mercy over my shoulder at the door. She wasn’t looking at me. She and Mary-Beth were trying to hold Crash down while he struggled and growled.
What had she done to me?
Why couldn’t I get her out of my mind?
Why couldn’t I just move on with life and get the job done?
* * *
“Did you see his sorry ass?” Drax groaned when I walked into his office a few minutes later.
Spike was in the room with him and he was looking exhausted.
“Yeah. He’s down there with Mary-Beth and Mercy.”
“Mercy? The stripper from Teasers?”
“She’s a nurse,” I replied and Spike nodded, looking impressed.
“How the fuck did they manage to get a nurse in the game?” Drax roared with a smirk. I probably would have smirked too if I’d known nothing else about Mercy. I wanted to tell them she was more than that. She was more than a stripper. But I kept my mouth shut on the subject.
They didn’t need to know I was developing a soft corner for her.
“What’s going to happen to him?” Spike asked.
“Mercy is looking after him.
