Page 14 of Ghost

When I rounded the next corner, I saw it—home sweet fucking home. As I stood there, halted in my tracks, an unfamiliar emotion hit me like a sledgehammer. I’d taken the things that meant the most to me for granted for years and I vowed in that moment to do better.

“Ghost? Is that you?” I jolted at the sound of Crow’s voice and turned toward the guard shack. Crow stepped out, breath floating in the air and his coat pulled tight around him.

“Yeah,” I called back as my eyes continued around him toward the clubhouse. The place was lit up like the Fourth of July and the music was pumping. My dick perked up at the sight.

Down boy.You ain’t parking anywhere but at home tonight.

That decision was solidified when another gust of icy wind whipped around me, and the chill dug deeper into my bones causing my whole body to tense. My ribs protested from the response, and I groaned through the pain.

Fuck, that hurt.

“Damn, brother. You look bad. Why didn’t you call for a pickup?”

I pulled out my phone and waved it around, barely able to speak. “Dead.”

“Right. Let me help you.” Crow came closer and lifted my arm, the leather from my jacket creaking as he wrapped it around his shoulders while sliding his arm around my waist to hold me up.

“Shit,” I hissed, eyes scrunching as I breathed through the pain.

“Sorry.”

“I think I can make it from here,” I rasped, grabbing onto the metal railing in front of my place.

“You sure?” he questioned, worry creasing his brow.

“Yeah, get back to the gate. And do me a favor. Don’t tell anyone I’m home yet. I need a few hours.”

His eyes searched my battered face and he nodded. I knew my family would want to see me, but I needed at least a night to get my head right, and maybe a little longer for my body to heal.

Patience.

I exhaled heavily, letting the weight on my shoulders fall as I climbed up the steps. Once I was at the top, I looked out, surprised at how much snow had accumulated. It was a lot more than I realized. The temperature was dropping too. It would be a bitch to shovel in the morning, but that was a problem for then. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my keys and shakily aimed for the lock and missed. Damn it was freezing.

Come on...

I tried again but my fingers were stiff and uncooperative from the frigid cold, and then, true to my luck, the keys slipped out of my hand, disappearing into the drift of snow.

"Son of a bitch!" I hissed.

Holding onto my ribs to keep them from jarring, I grabbed my keys from the landing, then shoved the key into the lock. It resisted at first, but with a push and twist, it blessedly relented. I’d never been more grateful to be home than when I pushed open that door and the warmth from inside hit me in the face.

Out of habit, I swung the door back and winced when it rattled loudly.

“Goddamn, it's warm in here,” I muttered under my breath at the same time warning bells started ringing in my mind.

I dropped my head and closed my eyes when the unmistakable sound of a revolver’s hammer being pulled echoed across the room.

Such a rookie fucking move.

I’d made it home without incident, only to get caught slipping into my own fucking house.

Very slowly, I lifted my hands, praying whoever was standing behind me was not about to shoot me in the back.

If I could get them in front of me, I might have a fighting chance. With my hands still raised, I carefully spun on my heels and damn near stumbled when I came face-to-face with the sexiest woman I’d ever seen.

“Jesus,” I hissed as my eyes raked across her body. It probably wasn’t the best response to being held at gunpoint, but the bitch was perfection. The fact she was pointing a goddamn revolver straight at my chest like she knew how to use it, only made my dick harder.

"Who the fuck are you?" we said at the same time.

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