Page 7 of Ghost
Ghost could practically hear Rami’s brain short-circuit.“He got away?”Indignation and disbelief saturated his boss’s voice.
“Not he.She.Until she tells me who hired her, she’s not fucking going anywhere.”
Rami let out a low hiss.“You got any idea who it could be?”
Ghost grunted.Even though they were good friends, Rami didn’t know much about Ghost’s history.For good reason.You couldn’t be invisible when people knew about your past.“You’re the only person who knows where I’ll be,” he said, evading the question.“I need you to find out everything you can on the woman.I’ll send you her picture.”
“Copy that.”
He hung up and stared at the video footage of the three cameras stationed around his property.One pointed over the attached garage toward the road, one at the front door, and one faced his backyard.No movement on any of them.It was unlikely, but the footage could’ve been hacked.
Urgency made his spine itch.Time to move.He sent the entire four-hour clip, including when he left for the gym up until now, to Rami in a secure email asking him to analyze the footage for tampering or signs of entry.He included the clips from inside his house as well, but those angles were limited to the main areas.Rami would sort it out and get what he needed.
Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he went to the kitchen.He had enough provisions in his bag for seventy-two hours.But since he didn’t need to leave this exact second, he could afford to pack a little more.
He’d need extra to keep the bitch alive long enough to talk.
His cabin was fully stocked, how he always left it, but they’d need food and gas for the ride because he didn’t intend to stop.His tank was full, so he’d just bring his jerrican and—Fuck.
With the woman as prisoner, he couldn’t take his truck.He wasn’t above tying her up in the covered bed, but the vinyl soft-top wasn’t secure enough.If she screamed or got free, he was fucked.
No, he’d have to take his Charger.
Goddammit.At least he had a second truck at the cabin—a must for mountain roads.Making his way to the garage, he grabbed his keys from the ring by the door and then tossed his bag into the back seat.He’d already put the woman’s clothes and the syringe in his bag.He wasn’t about to leave shit behind.Whoever she was working for might come looking.
Back inside the house, he went to the basement door.Anger flashed through him as he grabbed the doorknob.
He’d started to get comfortable in this place.A stupid move, but one he’d fallen into nonetheless.Now he had to uproot or take out the people after him.Only one of those options was appealing.
After stomping down the steps, he headed for the chair and immediately noticed its slightly different position.She’d tried to escape.
Didn’t matter.She wasn’t fucking going anywhere under his watch.He withdrew a switchblade from his pocket.The knife whistled as it snapped to attention.
He cut her right ankle free without slicing her skin, not sure why he was being careful.He reached for her left.The second the thin plastic hit the ground, her right knee slammed into the bottom of his chin.
His teeth clanked together.He caught her ankle, but she let out a battle cry and sent her other knee for his nose.Dodging, he jerked her from the chair.She landed on her stomach on the cement with asmack.
In a scramble of movement, she twisted to her back.One long leg swept over the back of his neck, pulling him on top of her, while the other knee came around to attempt a triangle choke.
Too bad for her she didn’t have the use of her hands.He did.Grabbing the inside of her right knee, he freed himself from her grasp and slammed his other hand around her throat.
His fingers twitched on her smooth, delicate skin.Part of him wanted to withdraw his hand, to make sure he hadn’t hurt her, but that part of his brain was dumb as shit.She wasn’t an innocent woman.She was a cold-blooded killer.
No better than him.
Still, the wiring in his brain fired one way: men were targets, women were to be protected.
Clearly not the fucking case, but his stupid head hadn’t received the message yet.
This woman was trained, lethal—and dead, once he got what he wanted from her.
The taste of blood filled his mouth.“Try that again and I’ll bind you like a fucking pig.”
She didn’t blink.
Jesus.If he weren’t feeling her hot sex against his thigh right now, he’d be certain he was faced with a robot.
“You won’t get the answers you want.”Her vocal cords vibrated against his palm.Her voice, sweet and feminine, forced his fingers to ease the pressure.“You might as well kill me now.”
