Page 31 of Who's Saving You
Rhett shrugs. “Just where I was told to look for her. Ghost wants her as his souvenir.” He smirks, and it makes me sick.
Dante shakes his head. “Don’t bring trouble here, Rhett. I warned you, I’d give you work, but if you fuck me, I’ll end you.”
Rhett holds his hands up defensively. “I’m just doing as I’m told, man.”
I narrow my eyes. “So where is she?”
Rhett shrugs and says, “Haven’t seen her around yet.” His clipped tone, paired with a spark in his eye, tells me he’s lying. “I heard a couple of guys cornered her the other day, but they didn't bring her in. Ghost said she hangs out here. Maybe she’s a club girl, or maybe she’s just looking for a good time.” He shrugs. “She’s late-twenties, dark hair, and a bodyIwouldn't mind for a souvenir.” His face takes on a sinister look, but he continues speaking. “Ghost sent me a couple of pictures of a woman. One’s a profile view, the others are taken from behind, but damn, I’d know that ass anywhere. I’ll know her when I see her.” His leering tone makes me sick. “And before you ask, no, I’ve never spokento him and I’ve never seen him. He doesn’t make himself available to anyone. Only communicates via text on burners. He’s a ghost for a reason.” Rhett keeps talking, oblivious to the storm brewing behind my eyes. “Ghost knows everything, man. Names, faces, routines. You think you’re safe, you’re not. That guy’s like the damn boogeyman. I don’t ask questions; I just follow orders.”
Dante steps up beside me and whispers, “This is very similar to the way I fixed it sophomore year.” He stares right at me. “No name, no face-to-face. It was all through throwaways.”
“You think it’s the same guy?” I choke out the words because I just know there’s more to this.
He shakes his head. “Not sure, but it's very close.”
I whisper the words, “I know what this is about, D.” His eyes hold mine like he’s reading my mind.
I step toward Rhett slowly, the stale smell of cigarettes clinging to his clothes irritating my nose. “This guy doesn’t spark any familiarity?”
Rhett shrugs, looking around the room. “I mean, they’re all pretty similar in how they run shit. So maybe, maybe not.”
I turn my back on him again, looking down on the betting room. Then I let my eyes wander over everyone in the club, taking in the women dancing, the bar, the lights. I should be down there with them, enjoying my life as a famous NFL player, not up here, hiding secrets in the dark.
Then someone catches my eye. I zone in on a girl down on the edge of the dancefloor. I can only see her profile, long dark hair hanging down to the middle of her back. Slim figure but with curves, dressed in a black halter dress. But I know exactly who she is.
Noelle.
Her snarky attitude, even from up here, is evident and gives her away. She’s talking animatedly with her hands, as she glances at the group of guys behind her. Two other girls are with her, who look familiar, and they each grab her and pull her along to the middle of the dancefloor and start hip-bumping her and holding her hand, twirling her to make her smile and dance.
But as I look closer, I see two guys leaning up against the wall, tracking them, and realize it’s the same two I ran off the other night.
My body freezes, and I say, “She’s being watched.”
Dante comes beside me, following my gaze. “Who?”
I can’t even get her name out; my mind is racing with thoughts. Rhett’s lying about Ghost assuming she’s a club girl. He’s been tailing her since that night. “Look below. Remember those two girls from last week? The ones being bothered by those two assholes until security tossed them.” Dante nods. “That’s them, isn’t it?”
Dante's body stiffens as he follows my gaze. “It is them. Who’s the third?”
“That third is the one Ghost wants,” I whisper and turn to Rhett. “What do they want with her? Scare her into not talking? Fine. Done. There’s no need to go further.”
Rhett shrugs again with a mischievous grin. “Ghost was adamant about keeping her quiet.”
He’s not telling me something. Why is this Ghost so concerned about keeping her quiet? It has to be the same guy we tangled with in our sophomore year.
And if it is, maybe he knows what happened to my father.
Because after I did what they wanted, cheated myself and my best friends, my dad disappeared anyway. It was all for nothing, and now I have to live with that decision.
“This isn’t a coincidence.” I turn back to Rhett, taking quick strides and yanking him by his shirt to stand in front of me. “How does he know?” I roar out.
He puts his hands up defensively. “Nik! I don't know what you're talking about! I’m just following orders.”
I stare at him, his eyes wide and full of fear. I push him back onto the couch and charge for the door before Dante grabs my arm. “Nik! You can’t go out there. You’ll be recognized.”
I take a breath and close my eyes, counting to five before letting it out. How the fuck did I end up here?
“You're right. Okay,” I say, breathing deep.
