Page 176 of American Hellhound
“They’re keeping it on lockdown until they can round up the whole crew.”
“Why not just knock on their front door?”
“They don’t make the shit there. Nobody knows where the cook houses are.”
“Not even you?”
“No. Why would they tell me that?”
“I dunno. Why would you turn rat? People do lots of crazy shit.”
“I’mnota rat,” Roman said, eyes widening in obvious fear. His nostrils flared, a prey animal scenting danger. “I’ve never said shit about this club.”
“No, you’ve just been dealing with all kinds of creeps behind its back.”
“They werebusiness opportunities.” His voice gained volume, grew high and tight. “I’m not Duane’s nephew,” he said with a sneer. “I can’t just walk into church with a garage blueprint in my hands and expect anybody tolistento me. So I had to do some things I didn’t’ want to, sure. But anybody would’ve in my position.”
“And what position is that?”
“Future president.”
Ghost grinned. And then he laughed, hollow and humorless. “Jesus Christ, you actually think that, don’t you?”
“It could happen,” Roman said, bowing up his back. “You don’t care about this club. You’re off playing house with your piece of jailbait. I’m the one who wants the chair. I’m more like Duane than you.”
“That’s not a good thing!” Ghost snapped.
“You’ll wake Aidan,” Collier said, tone gentle, inching his way into the kitchen, no doubt readying to intervene if Ghost lunged across the island.
But the idea of hitting Roman held no appeal. He didn’t want to get his hands dirty.
He backed up a step, shaking his head, exhausted. “You’re ambitious, yeah? You want it. But you’re a dumbass. All the ambition in the world won’t get you anywhere if you’re this fucking stupid.”
Roman was denied the chance to respond by the phone ringing.
~*~
“Ghost?” Maggie whispered into the phone, hand trembling so badly she thought she might drop it. “Ghost, they’rehere.”
“What? Who’s there?” She could hear the panic in his voice, though he covered it with gruffness.
“Those guys from Hamilton House. They’re here, at my house, they’reinside.”
Downstairs, she heard another crash. It sounded like the china cabinet, the breaking of thousands of dollars’ worth of fancy crystal. Her mother had screamed once, right after the door was kicked in with a terrible bang, but Maggie hadn’t heard anything from her parents since. She had no idea if they were conscious…or alive.
Ghost swore on the other end of the line. “Where are you? Are you okay?”
“I’m upstairs. I’m okay, but my parents–”
“Stay where you are,” he commanded. She heard voices in the background, the thump of boots, the rattle of his breath. “I’m coming. But stay there. Don’t go out to them, okay? You’ve still got the gun?”
“Y-yes.”
“If they come into your room, use it. Aim for the chest, center of mass.” When she didn’t respond: “Mags!”
“Yeah. Okay. Okay.” She heard footfalls down below, the men moving around. Then another crash. “Hurry. Ghost–”
“I am, baby. I’m coming.”
