Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
GHOST
T he evening had gone smoothly, and he wondered if the so-called threat against Ms. Higgins was valid. Was it a publicity stunt? Something she’d invented to get more readers? He’d secured the backroom of the restaurant before anyone arrived. There was only one entrance into the banquet hall, making it easy to guard. He had both of his team members working as well. Ruby stayed on Ms. Higgins’ six the entire night, even when she went to the bathroom. Dozer stood outside of the room, keeping his head on a swivel for anything amiss in the restaurant itself.
Ghost did a double take when Cassie walked into the restaurant. The woman was fucking gorgeous. Curves in all the right places and long auburn hair cascading over her shoulders. She wore a simple, but elegant dress that hugged her figure perfectly, and Ghost couldn't help but admire how perfect her ass looked in it. He wondered again at how similar her and Iris’ personalities must be, as the two women showed up in almost identical dresses. Cassie seemed nervous, reserved, sitting at the end of the table. There was something about her that had caught and held his attention as the night progressed.
Throughout the evening, Ghost stole glances at her from his position at the back of the room. As a former Navy SEAL and now a security specialist working for the most elite company in the world, he'd been trained to notice everything. Every insignificant detail. His focus kept returning to Cassie. He wanted to know every small detail about her, too. How sensitive was that dimple on her shoulder blade. If he licked it, would she shiver in his arms?
What the fuck is wrong with you? He chided himself. She's a stranger.
A stranger he wanted to get to know.
It was unlike Ghost to be captivated by a woman, especially a strange woman he'd never met before. He'd been attracted to plenty of women in his life, but there was something different with Cassie. For the first time in years, he wanted to get to know a woman and not just fuck her. His ex-wife ruined him for all women. Until now, at this moment, he hadn’t wanted to give another woman the chance to tear his heart out and stomp on it. Maybe this woman would be the one to change his mind.
She said little, mostly observing the lively conversation around her, but there was something in her demeanor that intrigued him. She seemed out of place among the glittering crowd, not because she didn’t belong, but because she seemed somehow... different. Real. Genuine.
He watched as she interacted with the other fans. She politely smiled and gave an occasional nod, letting them know she was actively listening. Despite her quietness, there was an undeniable warmth about her. When her food came, she took each bite slowly, as if savoring every last morsel. When she'd closed her eyes and moaned after her first bite of lobster macaroni and cheese, he felt his dick twitch in his pants. He was close enough to hear the conversation between her and a lady he’d recognized as an employee from the bookstore.
"That good?" The employee had asked.
"Better than sex," Cassie exclaimed.
Only because you've never had sex with me. A thought he'd keep to himself.
“That must be some damned good macaroni and cheese,” the reader to her left chimed in.
“I've never tasted anything this rich and creamy in my life. I'm on a ramen budget, not a lobster and steak one.” Cassie explained. “Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. I know there are many people in this world worse off than me. I'm just enjoying the moment.”
Yeah. This girl was different.
He'd watched as Cassie headed into the bathroom and a minute later, Ms. Higgins followed. He didn't know what had occurred while they were in the ladies' room, but whatever it was, had given Cassie the courage she needed to take part in the conversation. She'd moved down to sit closer to Ms. Higgins and had spent the next hour engaging with Iris and her other fans. Ghost noted the way Cassie's face lit up whenever Iris spoke directly to her. It was clear she was a big fan of the author.
Giving Iris her credit, she'd been nothing but warm and gracious with the readers. A different side to her than the one he and his team had initially gotten from the woman. She'd come across as cold and calculated at their first meeting. Almost as if it was an inconvenience having them there, when she’d been the one to hire them.
As the night went on, Ghost’s curiosity about Cassie only grew. There were plenty of beautiful women at the event, but Cassie stood out. She wasn't trying to be the center of attention; nor flaunting herself like so many others. He'd already had to gently but firmly send a few women on their way. The more wine they drank, the bolder they became. He had a line down pat for the ones hitting on him. He'd tell them he never dated anyone from the job. Which was mostly true. He never dated anyone, period. Not since Shelly.
One-night stands. Sure.
Dating? Relationship? Never again.
But Cassie, she wasn't like those women. In fact, he wasn't sure she'd even noticed him watching her. She was simply... herself. He could tell and it was a breath of fresh air. In a world of social media fakeness and concern about gathering likes and attention, Cassie was different. While everyone else took selfie after selfie and photographed the food, Cassie never took her phone out. It was as if she wanted to live in the moment, more than documenting it for later. He appreciated that.
When the dinner started winding down, Ghost noticed Cassie leave. He made a mental note of her departure, his protective instincts kicking in. There had been rumors of threats against Ms. Higgins, and while he wasn’t sure if they were credible, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off tonight. He kicked himself for not asking for her number, but there'd never been an appropriate time to do so.
He'd find her though, if it was meant to be. His mother lived her life with the belief that if it was, ‘meant to be, it’ll happen. If it doesn’t, it wasn’t meant to be. ’ He remembered one morning, when they were on the way to church, he saw a bike sitting on the curb and begged her to stop. “It will still be there later, if it’s meant to be.” All during church, he prayed and hoped for the bike to still be there. They didn’t have much in the way of extra money, although his parents sacrificed to make ends meet. After church, it was still sitting there, and she smiled as they loaded it into the back of the minivan. “This bike was meant to be yours.” His mother, who believed in God, also believed in fate and in karma.
A few minutes after Cassie left, he’d called for Ms. Higgins' car. After the driver brought it around to the back of the restaurant, Ghost made sure she was safely inside. He watched until Ruby and Higgins drove away before turning to head down the street to where he'd parked upon arriving. A flash of red caught his attention and his gaze locked onto the two figures up ahead. His instincts screamed at him. Something wasn't right. Cassie was facing him and she looked terrified. Where were her glasses? Ghost's eyes narrowed as two men stepped forward and grasped her arms. Cassie's struggle was futile against them; to Ghost's trained eyes, it was clear they were professionals.
Cassie reached out, flailing her arms, her fingertips grazing the fire hydrant, and she grasped at it. She was doing everything to keep the men from dragging her away.
“Help! Someone!” She screamed.
Ghost wanted to call out to her, but the other men hadn't seemed to see him and he wanted to have the element of surprise on his side.
“Shut her up!” the taller man in a suit yelled.
One thing was for sure: there was no time for hesitation. His SEAL training kicked in, his mind worked quickly as he rushed towards the group.
Ghost moved swiftly and silently, his years of training guiding every step as he closed the distance between himself and Cassie's captors. He’d earned his nickname for his stealthiness. His heart raced, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he assessed the situation. Two men had a firm grip on Cassie, dragging her towards the van that pulled up alongside them. She struggled against their hold, desperation etched across her face.
The street was dimly lit, the occasional flickering street lamp cast long shadows on the situation. Ghost knew he had to act fast and decisively. As he approached, he scanned the area for any potential threats or accomplices. Satisfied that it was just the three men and Cassie, Ghost closed in behind the first man, who was tall and broad-shouldered, dressed in a dark suit. Without hesitation, Ghost struck, delivering a swift blow to the man's neck, using his training to incapacitate him instantly. The man crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
Before the second man could react, Ghost spun around, quickly palming the knife he carried with him. He moved with practiced fluidity, disarming the second man with a swift series of strikes. A well-placed kick sent the man staggering backward, momentarily stunned. Cassie seized the opportunity, wrenched herself free from his grasp and stumbled away from danger.
Ghost reached for Cassie, his grip firm but reassuring. “Cassie, come with me,” he commanded.
When she stumbled, over absolutely nothing, Ghost wrapped his arm around her forearm to steady her. They hurried through the back street until they reached an SUV parked inconspicuously by the curb. Ghost opened the passenger door and practically lifted Cassie inside before slipping into the driver's seat.
“Thank you,” Cassie said, sinking back into the seat. “You are Iris' bodyguards, not mine, but I appreciate you saving me.”
“Put on your seatbelt,” Ghost said. His one day gig just got a bit more complicated.
“Those men thought I was her. They kept calling me Miss Higgins,” she explained to him.
“I noticed a physical similarity between you two,” Ghost said. “I imagine if you hadn't ever met Iris, you could get it wrong. Authors generally don’t have security with them. Fuck. That means there is some validity in the threat against her.”
“There’s a threat against her?”
“Yes. That's why they hired my team.” He was careful not to break any client confidentiality. He couldn't tell her more than that.
“What do we do now?” Cassie asked. “Do you take me back to my rental car? To my motel? Or?”
Ghost glanced at her briefly. “I'm going to keep you safe,” he replied. “For now, that's all you need to know.”
Ghost navigated the SUV through the city, taking a series of winding roads and back alleys to ensure they weren't being followed. Finally, he pulled into the underground parking garage of a high-end hotel. He turned off the engine and faced Cassie.
“This is my hotel. You're safe now,” he said. “But we need to figure out why they were after Iris and what we're going to do next.” He looked away from her long enough to shoot a text to his team and confirm Iris had made it safely back to her hotel.
Cassie nodded. “I still don't understand. Why would anyone want to kidnap Iris? They kept mentioning some man named Wilson, which is kind of ironic, in that the bad guy in her most recent novel is named the same thing and–”
Ghost's jaw tightened. He held up a hand to stop her from continuing. “It's complicated. But for now, let's get you inside and out of sight. We'll figure out the rest once you're secure.”
He led her through a series of back entrances and service elevators, avoiding the main lobby and any potential prying eyes. Once they were safely inside of his hotel room, Ghost relaxed some. He pulled out his phone and texted his team. Ruby and Dozer agreed to head to the scene and gather any evidence they could find, as well as pulling any security camera footage from the street.
Cassie sank onto the edge of the bed, her hands still trembling. “Thank you,” she said, her voice barely audible. “I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up.” She shivered.
He sat next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. His expression softened slightly as he looked at her. She looked terrified. “You're welcome. Let’s get you settled in for the night, we'll talk more in the morning.”
“In the morning? You want me to stay here, with you? I don't know you and there's only one bed…” She rose from the edge of the bed and started pacing.
Ghost watched Cassie from across the room, her fingers nervously toying with the strap of her dress. She occasionally cast glances at the door as if expecting someone to come bursting through it any second. It was obvious she was traumatized, at least some, from her brush with the would be kidnappers. He couldn’t blame her for being scared, it wasn't every day three large men tried to kidnap her. At least, he hoped not. Truth be told, he knew little about this woman. But he could hedge his bets that she wasn't normally a kidnapping target.
“Ghost,” Cassie finally said, breaking the silence. “I have a flight tomorrow morning and I need to get back to my hotel and pack up my things. I am so glad you were there for me but I don’t know you and I don’t feel safe staying in a room with a stranger. I'm sure I'll be fine. I mean, by now, surely, they've discovered their mistake.”
Ghost frowned, his brow furrowing. Ignoring the last part of the statement, he asked instead, “where are you staying?”
She hesitated before replying, “A motel on the outskirts of town. It's... not exactly the safest area, but it was all I could afford.”
His concern for her wellbeing deepened. “Cassie, I’m not convinced that you will be safe if you go back there. We need to get a full statement from you and find out who these men are. If they’ve mistaken you for Higgins and have your handbag with your hotel key in it, it wouldn’t be safe for you to go back.”
“But I don't have my stuff here,” she protested. “My clothes, toiletries ... Everything I need is in my hotel room. I lost my handbag and my phone in the scuffle... and my glasses. All I can see right now are circles of light unless it is right in front of me. I won’t be able to return my rental car if I can’t see to drive it.”
Ghost looked down at his phone and read the text from Ruby. He nodded before looking at Cassie. “My team has returned to the scene. I just got a text that they have your handbag, glasses and phone. Dozer is on his way back here with them. We'll figure it out,” Ghost said firmly. “But you can't go back there alone. Not with everything that's happened.”
Cassie stopped pacing and looked at him. "I can't just stay here. I barely know you. How do I know I'm not jumping from the frying pan into the fire?”
Ghost knew now was not the time to tell her he'd been wanting to get her phone number or that he'd been attracted to her earlier in the night. Not the time at all. He felt drawn to her and had an unexplainable sense of responsibility for her safety washed over him. Now he knew it was, meant to be, but he'd scare her away if he told her that.
Instead, Ghost softened his stance, stood from the bed and took a step closer to her. “I get it. I'm a stranger and I know you have no reason to trust me. But, you saw me at the book signing and again at dinner. They don't hire felons to guard celebrities. We go through intensive background checks. And before you say it, a background check simply means someone has been caught. I know. But I promise you, you're safer here with me than out there on your own. The threat might not be gone. Besides, I still need to know what exactly happened, and what they said, so we can protect Ms. Higgins from them. I know I’m asking a lot, I’d feel better knowing you were safe tonight.”
She bit her lip, the doubt still clear on her face. “I just... I don't know. What you say makes sense, but... you are still a stranger.”
“ Listen, I'll take you to get your things tomorrow first thing. But for tonight, please, just stay here. It's safer.”
She looked up at him, searching his eyes for something, what, he wasn't sure. Finally, she sighed, the tension in her shoulders easing just a fraction.
“Okay,” she said, softly. “I don’t know why but my gut is telling me I can trust you. I'll stay. But I can't sleep in my dress and I won't sleep in my underwear around a man I just met. I have to draw a line somewhere.”
He smiled. “I'm sure I have something you can wear.” Ghost turned to the dresser drawer and opened it, pulling out one of his worn Navy physical training t-shirts. The cotton was soft after years of wear and the letters were faded. “Here,” he said, handing it to her. “It's not much, but it should be comfortable enough for tonight.”
Cassie took the shirt, her fingers brushing against his as she did. “Thank you,” she murmured. “ I know you said you were in the military earlier, but you were in the Navy? I don’t know why I thought you’d have been in the Army or Marines. Navy doesn’t seem to fit you.” She laughed lightly.
"Yeah, something like that.” He smirked, not one to brag, and he didn't want to give too much information away; she was still very much a stranger, and he was a private person. Something told him they wouldn't be strangers for long, however. “Why don't you grab a shower while I wait for Dozer to drop off your stuff?” he suggested.
Cassie nodded, clutching the shirt to her chest. “Okay.”
She disappeared into the bathroom, the door closing softly behind her. Ghost wondered what she was thinking about. The men who tried to kidnap her? The book signing and meeting her literary hero? Him?
Lord, he hoped it was him.
He wasn't about the circumstances that brought them back together, but, he wouldn't deny being appreciative to the universe, or God, or whoever the hell was in charge, for putting her back on his path.
As soon as he heard the water running, Ghost changed out of his own clothes and into a pair of shorts and a plain white t-shirt. Normally, he’d sleep in just his boxers but he didn’t want to scare his unexpected guest. Moments later, there was a light coded knock on his door. Ghost knew immediately who was on the other side. Dozer had a serious expression on his face that didn't bode well for whatever information he'd ascertained.
“Got her stuff,” Dozer said, handing over Cassie's purse and phone. “Thought she might need these.” He carefully pulled her glasses out of his inside pocket of his suit jacket.
“Thanks,” Ghost replied, taking the items and setting them on the small table by the door. He moved out of the way and let his friend in. Once the door clicked behind him, he continued talking. “She definitely needs her glasses. I don’t know her prescription but I don’t think she can see a thing without them.” He smiled, thinking about how many times she’d bumped into the edge of the bed and the table while pacing. She really was adorable. He lost his smile at the sight of Dozer’s frown. “What’s the update?”
“The men were gone when we arrived on scene. Ruby’s fast at work pulling security camera footage and gathering as much intel as she can. We should know more by morning. I don't like that they were stupid enough to nab the wrong women. Stupid, violent and motivated criminals are the most dangerous of them all.”
Ghost nodded. “I agree. I'll contact the boss and let him know what is going on. He’ll probably want to brief tomorrow. I know Elite’s North Carolina office isn’t completely set up yet, but it makes sense to meet there. I'm sure Hunter will clear us for whatever we need to find these assholes and eliminate the threat.”
“When do you think we should let Ms. Higgins in on the situation?” Dozer asked.
“I'll let the boss have the honor of dealing with those details. I imagine she'll want to keep us around until she leaves town now, for sure. If not longer.”
“Cassie staying here tonight?” Dozer asked, glancing towards the bathroom door where the water was still running in the shower.
“For tonight, yes. She has a flight out tomorrow. I told her I'd take her back to the hotel to get her things and then make sure she gets on her plane safely. As long as nothing changes. Can you and Ruby take care of her rental car?”
Dozer nodded. “I picked the keys up off the ground and put them in her handbag.” Ghost opened the handbag and handed him the keys. The sound of the water in the shower shutting off caught their attention.
Dozer gave Ghost a knowing look. “I'll get going. She doesn't need two large men staring at her after what happened. See you in the morning.”
“Thanks, brother,” Ghost replied to his teammate.
Dozer nodded and slipped out the door, closing it quietly behind him. Ghost turned his attention back to the bathroom, listening as Cassie moved around inside. He moved away from the door and walked over to the couch. It was quick work pulling out the bed frame and, after retrieving the linen from the top of the closet, he made it. Walking over to the thermostat, he lowered the temperature a few degrees. He could not sleep in a hot room.
The bathroom door opened, and Cassie stepped out, her hair damp and her face looking fresher without the streaked makeup running down her cheeks. His t-shirt hung tightly across her chest before falling loosely across her stomach, the hem brushing against her knees. She looked vulnerable and tired, but there was a hint of relief in her eyes. He much preferred that over the look of terror and helplessness he'd seen in the alley.
“I heard a knock at the door and voices. Did your friend drop off my stuff?” she asked, glancing around the room.
“Yeah,” Ghost said. He picked up her glasses and walked over to her. Instead of handing them to her, he put them on her face, gently pushing them up on her nose. She gave him a grateful smile.
“So much better! I can see again! Thank you. For everything. I'd be in a van on my way to…” she shivered. “I don't know where if it wasn't for you. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help.”
Ghost shrugged, playing it cool. “Just doing my job.”
She stepped closer, her eyes softening as she looked up at him. “Well, protecting me wasn't your job. You were hired to protect Iris, and you did that. It means a lot to me. I mean, I’m really not much worth rescuing. Not like I’m someone important or-”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” Ghost said gruffly. “You are just as important as Higgins or anyone else. I don’t like it when people talk badly about themselves.”
Man, she blushed easily. Ghost liked that she responded physically to him. It didn’t take a lot of effort to figure out what she was feeling.
“Anyway then, thanks for rescuing me. I don’t know where I’d be right now if you hadn’t come along.”
“Luckily, you don't have to find out,” Ghost said, his voice gruffer than he intended.
“And thank you for making the bed for me,” she said, looking over towards the pull out couch. “I could have made it when I got out of the shower but thanks for doing it for me.”
“What? No, I'm sleeping there.” He corrected her.
“No, that's not right. You paid for this room, I'm crashing your pad. I'll sleep on the couch.”
“Listen, there is no universe where a beautiful woman is sharing a room with me and she sleeps on the couch. Period.” He wouldn't have it. He gave her his sternest, no argument, look.
“Okay, okay!” She held up a hand in mock surrender. “I don't have the energy to fight with you. I'm all fought out.”
He softened his tone and said, “Get some rest, Cassie. Tomorrow's going to be a long day.”
She nodded, looking genuinely grateful. “Goodnight, Ghost.”
“Goodnight, Cassie.”
As she settled into the bed, Ghost went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for bed himself. He wasn’t sure what the next day would bring, but he knew one thing for certain: he would keep Cassie safe, no matter what it took.