5. Ghost
Ghost
“You ready?”
“Hell, yeah. I’ve been ready.”
That wasn’t exactly true. I hadn’t slept well and had been running behind all day. I blamed it on our new guests and the onslaught of bad memories their arrival had brought with them. I was hoping that my late-night shift at the Vault would give me a much-needed distraction. “Then, let’s get rolling.”
As we headed out to the parking lot, Rusty turned to me and asked, “Bikes or truck?”
“Better take the truck.” There was no missing the disappointment in his expression when I said, “It’s supposed to storm tonight and will keep storming through the next three days.”
He nodded, and we both continued over to my SUV. We loaded up, and half an hour later, we were standing at our posts and scanning the crowd. The Vault was one of the more popular strip clubs in Little Rock—partly because of our smoking hot dancers and partly because of the high-quality pot we sold on the side. The club not only gave us a front for the goods but also brought in a steady income on its own. It was a win-win for us all.
The bright lights flickered across the floor, bathing the patrons and dancers in various shades of blue, purple, and red. Rusty and I stood at the entrance with our arms crossed and our eyes trained on the crowd, constantly monitoring for any sign of trouble—because it was coming.
I could feel it.
It had been a rowdy night, even by The Vault’s standards.
The club was packed, and the drinks were flowing. It was only a matter of time before trouble found its way into the crowd. I was starting to feel the itch when I spotted two drunk guys near the stage. They’d been hooting and hollering at Candace for the past hour, and the blonde bombshell was giving them everything she had. But they were growing more obnoxious with every drink they downed, and their comments had gone from crude to downright disrespectful.
She was a seasoned dancer who’d dealt with men like them on many occasions. She knew how to handle herself, so we gave her a bit of leeway. But as I stood there watching the scene unfold, I could tell her patience was running thin.
When one of the guys reached out and grabbed her arm, things took an immediate turn. She jerked her arm back as she snapped, “Watch it, asshole. We don’t play here.”
Her cheeks were red with anger when he slurred, “Come on, baby. Give Daddy what he needs.”
He swayed back and forth, and once he got his footing, he reached for her again. That’s when I’d had enough. I bolted towards the stage and signaled for Rusty to follow. We were getting close when the second asshole took his drink and tossed it towards Candace.
It splashed across her chest, and all hell broke out.
Candace was a petite little thing, but she had a temper and wasn’t the type to back down. With a fierce glare, she hopped off the stage and shoved the guy backward. “I said, hands off!”
The drunk stumbled, but he caught his balance just before crashing out on the floor. His face was flushed with anger as he took a charging step toward her. “You little?—”
He started after her, but he didn’t get far before I grabbed him by the collar, jerking him back and lifting him off his feet like he weighed nothing. I tossed him to the ground and placed my knee across his collarbone, making it impossible to move.
Rusty came up behind me, and in a blink, he had the second guy pinned against the wall. My guy started to squirm as he whined, “Come on, man. We were just having a little fun!”
“Fun’s over.”
I jerked the guy to his feet and started dragging him toward the entrance. Rusty followed close behind with the second guy, and when we reached the front door, we tossed them out onto the sidewalk. I towered over them as I said, “Consider yourselves banned.”
“Aw, man. You ain’t gotta be like that.”
“Banned,” I repeated. “You come back, and you won’t be walking out of here.”
Without saying anything more, I turned and headed back inside. I’d barely stepped through the door when Candace came rushing over to me. She batted her long eyelashes as she said, “Thanks, Ghost.”
“Just doing my job.”
“Yeah, well, I still appreciate it.” She took a step closer. “I’ll be glad to thank you properly after we close.”
“Yeah, I’d be down for that.”
“Great.” A smirk tugged at her lips as she turned. “See ya in a bit.”
Rusty and I exchanged a glance, then made our way back to our place at the door. Grim came over, and he had his usual stern expression when he asked, “You boys good?”
He was the club enforcer. It was his job to make sure the club and everyone in it was safe. Rusty sounded irritated as he answered, “The next motherfucker who comes into this fucking bar wanting to start some bullshit, I’m gonna give them what they're looking for.”
“Think you already did that,” Grim teased.
“Hell naw. We let ‘em off easy and you know it, but that bullshit’s over. Anyone who tries to put their hands on one of our girls is gonna get my foot in their ass.”
“Booze and hard-ons aren’t a good mix,” Grim explained. “They’re always making people do stupid shit.”
“Yeah, but putting your hands on a woman is crossing the line.”
I knew where Rusty’s aggravation was coming from.
Whitney and Toby had made an impression on him, too. It was hard not to. They’d been through hell, and all at the hands of someone who should’ve been looking out for them. It was impossible not to feel something—compassion, pity, rage. They all came in waves, each one hitting harder than the last.
It must’ve been on Grim’s mind too because he turned to me and asked, “How are our guests making it these days?”
“They’re hanging in. Goose is with them now.”
“Good.” His brows furrowed. “Has Shep made any progress with the ex?”
“Yeah, you could say that.” Shep was the club’s computer hacker, and since the day they moved into the clubhouse, he’d been monitoring the ex, making sure he wasn’t making a move to come after them. “His address, the precinct he works for, and who he’s been running with. Nothing to make him think that he might be up to something. At least, not at the moment.”
“That’s good. Maybe Viper was right. Out of sight. Out of mind .”
“Somehow, I doubt that.” I grimaced. “Turns out, the guy’s old man is a big shot judge who’s got half the damn town in his pocket.”
“No shit?”
“Yeah, he’s a heavy hitter, and he’s had his son’s back since day one.” I shook my head as I continued, “This asshole has been causing trouble since high school. Fights, drinking, assault—whatever you can think of, he’s done it. But every time, his old man’s there to sweep it under the rug. Cops? Paid off. Records? Cleaned. Like none of it ever happened.”
“Alright, he’s got a rich dad who gets him out of shit. That doesn’t explain his fixation on the girl.”
“Probably less about her and more about being told no. That’s something this guy isn’t used to. Hell, he’s been getting away with whatever the hell he wants for years, and when Whitney tried to cut him off, it probably set him off.”
“So, we’re not dealing with some pissed-off ex. We’re dealing with a guy who thinks he owns her.”
“Exactly and mark my word. This guy isn’t done with her. He’s gonna keep coming after her, keep pushing, until either he breaks her or kills her.”
“Then we make damn sure he doesn’t get near her.”
“He doesn’t stand a chance.”
He gave me one of his looks as he asked, “So, you and Goose are good to keep watching over them?”
“Got no reason not to.”
“Well, let me know if that changes.” He gave me a pat on the shoulder. “You boys keep on keeping on, and if you need me, you know where to find me.”
He talked with Rusty for a few minutes, then returned to his post at the back. While there weren’t any more fights or handsy assholes, we stayed busy right up to closing. But as soon as the lights came on, the crowd cleared, and we were able to get everything shut down for the night. I’d all but forgotten about Candace and her offer until she came over and slipped her arm around mine. “So, your place or mine?”
“How ‘bout we just hit the clubhouse for a bit? I’ll get a prospect to run you home later.”
“Sounds good to me.”
We locked up, and Candace followed close behind as Rusty and I made our way out to the truck. I was surprised he didn’t give me any shit when she climbed in the back and closed the door. Instead, he got in next to me, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. Concerned, I asked, “You good?”
“Yeah, just tired.”
He kept his eyes closed all the way back to the clubhouse, and I was beginning to think he’d fallen asleep until he mumbled, “I need a vacation... at the very least, I need to get laid.”
“You should’ve said something sooner,” Candace purred from the backseat. “There are plenty of girls at the club who would’ve helped you out with that.”
“Yeah, I know, but that’s not what I’m looking for.” There was hint of sadness in his voice when he said, “I want something more.”
I understood.
I’d been wanting something more for a long time, but that was on me.
I’d had it once and fucked it all up, and I’d been around long enough to know that chances like that don’t come around twice. Unlike me, Rusty was a good one through and through. He deserved to find what he was looking for, so I told him, “Your time will come around. Just gotta keep your head on straight until it does.”
“I’m trying, but it ain’t easy.”
“No, it’s not, but it’ll be worth it in the end.”
He didn’t respond.
He just kept his head back and let my words soak in.
When we got to the clubhouse, I parked in the back, and as soon as we got out of the truck, Candace darted over to me. As we started inside, she slipped her arm behind my waist and clung to me like she wanted everyone to know that she was mine for the night. Not that it mattered. It was late, and most of the guys had already called it a night.
We were about to start down the hall when Rusty turned to me and said, “Before you two run off, come have a beer with me.”
“I could go for a drink.” I glanced down at Candace as I asked, “You good with that?”
“Absolutely.”
With that, we started towards the bar. We were just about to reach the door when something behind us caught my attention. I glanced over my shoulder and spotted Whitney and Toby at the end of the hall. Whitney was kneeling, scrambling nervously to pick up some snacks they’d dropped. When she spotted me, her eyes locked on mine—wide and filled with something that hit me like a punch to the gut.
She looked so vulnerable, and not because of the bruises on her face or her bandaged wrist. It was more than that. There was hurt in her gaze—a hurt that seemed directed at me. Suddenly, I was second guessing my plans with Candace.
“Who’s that?” Candace whispered.
“No one.”
“Then, what’s the hold-up? Let’s go get that drink.”
“I’m gonna pass.” I loosened her grip on my waist and took a step back, putting some distance between us. “You two go ahead.”
“What?” Candace frowned, confusion clouding her expression. “Why? What’s going on?”
I didn’t answer her.
Instead, I turned and started down the hall as I told Rusty, “Take care of her.”
“You got it.”
“ Whoa, wait ... You’re leaving? What about...”
“I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Okay. Suit yourself.” The words had barely left her mouth when I heard her tell Rusty, “Come on, handsome. Let’s go get us that drink.”
I had no idea if they’d gone on to the bar or if they’d vanished into thin air. I didn’t care either way. My focus was on Whitney and Toby and finding out what they were doing up at this hour. Her eyes remained trained on mine as she collected the rest of the snacks and stood.
She looked like she was about to bolt as I made my way over to them and asked, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, we just went to the kitchen to grab a snack and a couple of drinks. I hope that’s okay.”
“Of course it’s okay. Get whatever you want.” I glanced down at Toby, and he refused to meet my gaze. “Prez told you to make yourselves at home, and that’s what you should do.”
“We’re trying. It’s just a lot.”
“Give it some time. You’ll get used to it.”
I didn’t move.
I wasn’t going anywhere until I knew for certain that she was comfortable. “You need anything else? Some extra blankets or pillows? Some different snacks or...”
“No, no,” Whitney replied, her voice quiet, but there was a sadness lingering in it. “This is more than enough, and the bed is just right.”
“Good deal.”
“We’ll let you get back to your friends,” Whitney murmured before turning and walking Toby down the hallway toward their room. “Goodnight, Ghost.”
“Night.”
I watched them as they disappeared down the hall and into their bedroom. Once they were out of sight, I went to my room and finally crashed for the night. As I tried to drift off to sleep, I kept thinking about my encounter with Whitney and Toby. While I still felt an unexplainable anger toward Whitney for not protecting Toby, those feelings were lessening the more I knew about her ex and his past. I hoped we could keep them both safe from that sorry motherfucker because they didn’t deserve the physical and emotional pain he had caused.
The days that followed were quiet. Some of the guys had gone to a homecoming gathering with the Memphis chapter. Goose and I held back with Seven and the prospects, so we could keep an eye on Toby and Whitney.
We’d given them a wide berth, allowing them to venture out on their own, and I was pleased to see that they took full advantage. Toby spent hours upon hours playing pool while Whitney busied herself with cleaning and watching movies. Toby had started hanging around some of the guys and had even had a full conversation with Memphis. Hell, he even smiled a time or two—not at me, but he smiled just the same.
Whitney was a bit quieter, but she seemed to be adjusting. She’d been helping in the kitchen and had spent some time with a couple of the hang-arounds. She’d also spent some time with Jenna and Antonia, a couple of the ol’ ladies, and while it was brief, she seemed to enjoy it. Her bruises had faded, and the cuts had healed, and if you didn’t know better, you’d think nothing had ever happened to her.
It wasn’t much, but it was progress. And it hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Not by me or by Goose.
He was watching Toby set up the pool table for another game when he leaned over to me and said, “He seems better, right?”
“Yeah, I think he’s doing good. I think Whitney is, too.”
“Yeah, me too.” He sounded concerned as he asked, “You think we should get them out for a while? Maybe to the park or something?”
“A little early for that I think.”
“I don’t know.” Goose grimaced. “You know what it’s like when we’re cooped up in here during lockdown.”
“Yeah, it’s rough, but there’s no sense in pushing them.”
“Not pushing.” He sounded overly confident as he said, “I think they’ll be into it.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” He looked over to Whitney as he shouted out, “Hey, Whitney?”
The sharp sound of his voice startled her so much she nearly leapt right out of her seat. She inhaled a breath, then tried to play it off by awkwardly smiling. “Yeah?”
“Sorry about that. I just wanted to see if you and Toby would like to get out of here for a while and go to the park or something.”
“Umm...” Her eyes skirted over to me, then right back to him as she answered, “It’s really nice of you to offer, but I think we’ll pass.”
“You sure?” he asked, sounding surprised. “It’s a pretty day.”
“Yes, I’m sure, but thanks.”
“No problem.”
I gave him a minute, and just when he thought I was gonna let it go, I leaned over and snickered, “ Told ya .”
“Yeah, yeah. The hard ass has it all figured out.”
“I’d rather be a hard-ass than a dumb-ass.”
Goose shook his head, and as he started toward the pool tables, he grumbled, “I can’t deal with you today.”
He walked up to the table and started racking the balls. I stood back and watched as they played a round. Every so often, I would glance over at Whitney and watch as she read her book. She was totally engrossed in her story and had no idea I was even looking at her. Now and then, her eyes would widen in surprise, and she’d read a bit further and let out a little laugh or a sigh. There were even a few mischievous smiles here and there, and I couldn’t deny that those small, unguarded reactions tugged at me.
I don’t know how long I’d been standing there watching her when she leaned her head back with a huff and closed her book like she’d read something she didn’t like. I used the opportunity to go and ask, “Good book?”
“It was, until the main character decided to kiss another girl and ruined everything.”
“Mmm.” I tried to hold back my smile, but she looked so damn cute sitting there with that exasperated expression. “Maybe he will redeem himself.”
“Maybe, but it’ll take a lot. The heroine really trusted him, and I’m not sure how he can fix this.”
“What about ‘love always prevails’?”
“Sometimes a broken heart can’t be pieced back together... It’s just too broken.” She let out a defeated sigh, then glanced over at Goose. “I hope I didn’t offend Goose when I turned down his offer to go to the park.”
“It’d take a lot more than that to offend Goose.”
“Well, I really appreciated the offer. I’m just not ready to chance it yet.”
“I get it.”
“Toby’s really doing well here,” she continued.
“You sound surprised.”
“I am.” She watched him make a shot as she explained, “He hasn’t had a lot of men in his life—at least not any that he’s spent much time with.”
“What about his father?”
“He died before Toby was born.”
“Oh, damn. I had no idea.”
“It’s okay. It was a long time ago.” Whitney fidgeted with the edges of her book as she continued, "He was in the military, and we met when he was home on leave.”
“I see.”
“I thought we were going to have all the time in the world, and we didn’t even make it six months.”
“What happened?”
"He was stationed in Iraq, and they were doing all these training sessions. One day, there was some kind of freak accident... a mortar misfire or something, and it killed him and two others instantly."
“Ah, damn. Those are the worst kinds of fatalities. You know they could’ve been prevented, so they had a pretty big impact on all of us, especially when it happened to someone in our platoon.”
“I didn’t realize you’d been in the military.”
“Served two tours, and while I was there, I lost some good men. It was tough, and I’m sure it was even harder for you.”
“Losing him certainly left its mark. I just never thought it would happen to him.” Her voice was strained as she told me, “I didn’t find out I was pregnant until several weeks after his funeral.”
“So, he never knew...”
“No... I’ve tried to raise Toby in a way that would make him proud, but I can’t help but feel like I’m failing.”
"You’re doing great."
“You’re sweet to say that, but...”
“But nothing,” I interrupted. “Toby’s a good kid, and that’s because of you.”
“Thanks, Ghost. That means a lot.”
I gave her a nod then said, “I’ll let you get back to your book. Maybe your guy will pull his head out of his ass.”
“I certainly hope so.”
She smiled as she opened her book and started reading again. I glanced over at Toby and Goose, and when I saw that they were about to start another game, I went over and picked up a pool stick. “Mind if I join ya?”
“Sure thing, boss.” Goose finished racking the balls, then stepped back and said, “You break.”
At first, the kid seemed a little apprehensive about me playing a round with them. Hell, he barely said a word. He just watched me like a hawk and backed away any time I got too close.
I couldn’t blame him.
I hadn’t been all that cordial to him or his mother, but after a few shots, I leaned over to him and asked, “Why can’t you trust a burrito?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Because they always spill the beans.”
At first, he had no reaction, but as he stood there staring back at me, his lips slowly curled into a slight smile. I was getting there, so I tried again. “Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl going to the bathroom?”
“Why?”
“Because it has a silent pee.”
“Aw, man.” Toby shook his head and laughed. “That’s just bad.”
“It’s funny, is what it is.”
After that, Toby started to loosen up. He missed more than he hit, but by the end of the game, he was laughing and giving me a hard time about my shot like we were buddies.
It was good seeing him like that—like he was a kid again. I had a feeling he had grown up too fast because of what he had experienced, and I hoped he could relax here, knowing we would take good care of him and his mom.