35. Ghost
35
Ghost
L ast night was nothing short of amazing. I can’t really speak for her, but she seemed to enjoy it just as much as I did. The shower is blazing hot, enveloping the bathroom in a thick cloud of steam. It’s time to wash away the lingering scent of temptation and get back to business. As I step under the water, the heat hits me like a wave, and it feels incredible. Instantly, all the tension in my muscles melts away, each one relaxing and soaking up the warmth. It’s a moment of pure bliss, a chance to reset before diving back into everything waiting for me.
Little Killer is still out cold; she really wore me out last night. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever felt this kind of way before. It’s a wild mix of feelings—I felt at home, safe, and genuinely needed. That’s a feeling I want to hold onto for the rest of my life. A feeling I have become numb to until now.
But before I can fully enjoy it all, I’ve got to figure out where Esmé is. She’s been missing for a little over half a year now, and it’s constantly weighing on my mind. I think it’s time to sit down with Inés and see if she knows anything that could help us. After all this time, I feel like she should be ready to take her first step into the field and assist us. It could make a big difference in our search for Esmé .
A loud knock on the door snaps me back to reality, and I instantly know who it is. Seriously, this early? I take my time drying off, letting the towel soak up the lingering water on my skin.
Once I’m dry, I move on to my hair, combing it back with care and making sure it looks just right. I add a little gel, just enough to keep everything in place. It’s a small routine, but it helps me feel ready to face whatever business comes my way. My face is next, I have a full beard, and I fucking hate it. This is not me. I can do this with my eyes closed. I half-ass slab some shaving cream on my face, grab my razor, and head to the front door.
I swing the front door open, and my day begins.
“Hola amigo, glad to see you still know how to clean up.”
“Yeah, yeah. What’s up, Raph? Anything new?”
“Nah, everything is a fucking dead end, man.”
“Well, what did we miss? We have to have missed something.”
“Day and night, we go over everything, and it all leads to the same place. Nowhere.”
We have to be missing something. The key to open every door is here somewhere.
“Have you talked to her?”
“Shh, keep your damn voice down she could be awake.”
The last thing I want is to ruin the trust I’ve built with Little Killer. She’s delicate, and I definitely plan on being honest with her. After all, trust is a fragile thing; once shattered, it leaves nothing but sharp edges. I need this to all go right.
“Are you going to tell her about everything?”
“I will when the time is right. Don’t worry about it. This is a mess I need to clean up.” Our tones are hushed.
Fuck man. Raph has me so worked up that I knicked myself while shaving in the kitchen sink.
“Don’t keep waiting. Time is ticking, and you and I both know that it is not on our side, G.”
Raph is right. I do this now. No more waiting. No more playing with the time. Everything comes out, and I have to brace myself for what Little Killer might do. She was known as Tormenta to many, and I can’t help but see what gave her that name.
I clear my throat, wiping the remnants of the shaving cream off of my face. Raph stands there and throws a bag on the table.
“You didn’t forget about our guest, did you? It is looking pretty rough for him the longer he is with us. It is about time to wrap things up, don’t you think?”
“Has he said anything else?”
“Nope, he won’t break. He is useless.”
“I have an idea, but I don’t know how well it will go.”
“Things can’t really get any worse than this. We’re the ones in control now.” He said it with a mocking tone, his grin stretching wide across his face as if he found amusement in the matter.
“Just shoot me a text on what you need from me. I will come by later to check in.”
I know I haven’t been around much here lately in light of some recent events, but damn. Why do I feel like he is enjoying this? Like I stepped down and he is the man now. It will be a cold day in hell before I just step down.
And just like that, he is back out of the door. I bite my nails, overthinking every step we have taken up until now. I know what I have to do, and I also know it is going to be very, very rough around here for a while.