Chapter 40
CHAPTER FORTY
brETT
We make our way out of the house to the sounds of Rupert and Venom protests. Ghost turns and gives Rupert a few scratches, pointing at the bowl of untouched food he laid there a few minutes ago.
“I promise I’ll be back, boy. Keep your brother out of trouble for a few hours, okay?”
Rupert huffs, turning slowly and curling up in his dog bed by the front door. Venom sees his opportunity and curls into the small crevice near Rupert's belly, his little paws making biscuits in his dense white fur. I giggle at the sight but allow Ghost to lead me out of the house with his hand on the small of my back.
I hop into the passenger seat of the blue truck, squeezing my knees together as Ghost starts up the engine and pulls out onto the small trail leading into the mouth of the forest. He takes small glances at me, the cool metal of his mask glinting each time with the afternoon light.
“Something’s on your mind.”
It’s not a question, but I still nod, worrying my bottom lip. “You said he’s the head of the Hellfyre Motorcycle club? Well, I’ve heard stories about those guys—I can’t help it if I’m a little anxious to meet one.”
“Reinhold will not harm you,” Ghost promises, reaching a gloved hand over and resting it on my knee. Goose bumps rise along my skin, eliciting a deep chuckle from Ghost. I chose to wear jean shorts and a loose-fitting T-shirt for our outing, and now I think I should have opted for something with a little more skin coverage. I can’t think straight when he’s running his hands on me, and by the looks of him, he has no intention to stop.
“How the hell are you so sure?” I demand.
“Because he owes me a favor.”
I look over at Ghost, sure that if I could see his face, he’d be smiling.
Hell, I’d bet my life on it.
After an hour of winding through the deep underbrush of the forest, Ghost pulls through an opening between two cypress tree trunks, and the land opens into a large circular clearing. At the far end sits a strange-looking triangular cabin lined the entire way around with rose bushes. Pink, orange, and red doilies stand out against the dark green leaves, adding a touch of vibrance to the otherwise dreary-looking cabin.
“Holy shit. Is that a greenhouse? ” I ask, my mouth falling open at the massive glass structure about fifty meters from the house. “And a fucking pigeon coop? Where the hell are we?”
“Reinhold’s house,” Ghost murmurs, squeezing my knee lightly as he stops in front of the large oak steps leading up to… well, there’s no door in sight, so at the moment, it looks like they lead up to a blank wall. But when Ghost leads me up and presses his wrist to the wall, I know that there’s a hidden entrance here like at Ghost’s house.
The wall splits, and scraping fills the air as the door to the house opens. I look at Ghost with wide eyes, but he just chuckles and steps inside. “Ghost,” I whisper, following close at his heels as we step into the large living area. “Ghost, we can’t just walk into his house. What if?— ”
“He knows we’re coming,” Ghost says, stepping across the wooden floorboards toward a door at the right of the room. “Plus, I was the one who installed that entrance for him—I have the master key. I can come and go as I please.”
I sigh, following him as he presses his wrist to the door, eliciting a clicking noise as the lock slides open. “It’s still rude.”
“Rude-schmude.” Ghost waves a hand in the air. “Reinhold and I are friends. I’m sure he’ll just be happy to see me.”
As soon as Ghost pushes the door open, a large crystal ashtray shatters against the wall next to Ghost’s head. Pieces of crystal clatter to the floor as a growl fills the room, followed by an impossibly deep male voice.
“What the fuck, Ghost? I told you to stop breaking into my house!”
Ghost sighs, stepping fully into the room. I look around him, my eyes locking onto the huge black shadow sitting behind a mahogany desk. After a few seconds, I realize the massive thing is, in fact, a man. And a pissed-off one, at that.
When Ghost sees I don’t follow, he waves a hand at me, seemingly unfazed by the hulking figure who just tried to kill him. “It’s not technically breaking in when you have the key, Reinhold.”
The shadow curses, slamming a hand down on the large mahogany desk, his face hidden by the shadows in the windowless room. “Stop calling me that.”
“No need for a hissy fit,” Ghost tuts, wrapping a hand around my waist and hauling me to his side. “It’s unbecoming when there are guests present.”
As if noticing I’m here for the first time, the man stands from his desk, his hulking shoulders going rigid. “Brett. Right?”
“Yes,” I say, pulling my shoulders back to appear brave despite the shake in my knees.
Suddenly, the figure steps out from behind the desk into the light, and I can’t stop the horrified gasp that escapes me. The beast before me is like no man I’ve ever seen—and I’ve seen a lot of fucked-up things and people, but he is actually, genuinely terrifying.
My throat is like sandpaper as I swallow, and I lower my gaze so as not to look him directly in the eyes. Or, eye, I suppose. If he has another one, I can’t see it past the thick metal mask covering the right half of his face.
“It’s nice to meet you, Brett,” he says, sticking out a massive, tattooed hand for me to shake. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
My hand drowns in his as he gives it a rough shake, and I pull it to my chest when he releases me. “You have?”
He nods. “Ghost is my… friend,” he says, scowling as he utters the last word. “He told me I could trust you. So I am.”
“That’s… nice of him,” I say, my heart threatening to burst from my rib cage like a tiny, frightened bird. If he wanted to, he could crush my head like a grape. Or flick me across the room with his pinky. You better be fucking right, Ghost, or I swear I’ll come back and haunt your ass when he kills me.
Kain gives another nonchalant shrug. I watch him carefully as he strides toward the desk, then plops down in the leather armchair. His mouth still holds the scowl from earlier, making him look far more imposing than should be physically possible.
He pins me with that one silver eye, and I start picking at the cuticle on my thumb.
“So now that the introductions are over, we can get down to business,” Ghost says, clapping his hands together. “We need your help.”
“As you said on the phone,” Kain grumbles, his gaze shooting toward a photo on his desk, angled just enough so I can see the person in the frame. At the center of the photo is one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen, her smile set in a wide grin as she shows off her engagement ring.
“Who’s that?” I ask, cutting off whatever snarky comment Ghost was about to reply with.
“Lillith.”
“Oh,” I say, a little smile tugging at my lips. The thought of this brute settling down with someone is almost cute. “Is she your wife?” I ask, noting the gold band resting on his ring finger.
Kain gives it a twirl, his face still set in that stony expression. “She’s my everything.”
Ghost takes a breath to say something else, and I shove my elbow into his ribs.
“I’m sure she feels very… safe with you around,” I say, cutting a look at Ghost that says, don’t you dare say anything.
He nods thoughtfully. “I hope so.”
“Kain?” A voice like tinkling wind chimes fills the office, washing over me and filling me with a strange sense of calm. I look at the MC leader, finding the voice seems to have the same effect on him. I’ve seen a lot of strange things in my time as an FBI agent, but nothing could have prepared me for what I would see next. Kain—the great, scary beast—smiles.
“Hello, flower,” he murmurs, his face morphing in front of my eyes. Even his voice is different, like a massive weight has been lifted from his chest just by her being in the room. “I missed you.”
“I was only gone for a few minutes.” The woman—Lillith, I presume—giggles, practically skipping over to where Kain is now standing. She gives him a quick kiss on the lips, and then—-to my utter surprise—lifts his mask and places her lips against the mutilated flesh beneath.
Well, now I know why he wears the mask. Ouch.
“Are you Lillith?” I ask, feeling strangely inadequate in her presence. There’s something in the way she moves— something enchanting—and there’s no wonder why she was the woman to melt this man's heart. “We were just talking about you.”
“Only bad things, I hope,” she giggles, pressing her cheek into the center of Kain’s chest. A pant of jealousy rings through me. Not about them, but about what they have. I wonder what it’s like to have someone love the worst parts of you.
“You’re Brett? Ghost won’t shut up about you,” Lillith says, breaking me out of my thoughts .
“I—yes,” I murmur. Everyone seems to be in the loop but me. “We’re… working together.”
At the mention of it, Lillith’s face becomes stony. “You’re helping him with that Sanctum business? I fucking hate those people?—”
“Flower,” Kain’s growl is a warning, but Lillith just waves him off.
She’s not afraid of shit. I like her. “Do you deal with the Sanctum regularly?” I ask, shooting a nervous glance at the hulking man behind her.
“Not often. But enough.” Lillith’s face sours at the thought. “Ever since we absorbed the Serpents?—”
“Serpents?” I ask, needing some clarification.
Lilith gives an apologetic smile. “They were the Hellfyre’s rival club until last year. We took out the leaders and absorbed the rest of the willing members. They had strong ties to the Sanctum, and when Kain tried telling them he wouldn’t continue working with them…” She cuts a sorrowful glance up at him. “They… killed a couple of the young recruits. Strung them up from the bathroom ceiling for us to find. Headless,” she adds, a shiver running through her as she relives the memory. “Now, there’s always these guys in masks showing up to the clubhouse, threatening Kain if he doesn’t pay his dues on time.” Lilith shakes her head, an angry little scowl on her face. “They’re evil. Which is why, when Ghost called, I told Kain he had to help.”
“And we’re still not sure if I’m going to,” Kain reminds her, holding her possessively close to him. “I will not risk your safety.”
Gee, doesn’t that sound like someone I know?
Lillith and I exchange exasperated looks, followed by giggles as the men try to figure out what it means.
“I’ll be fine, Kain,” Lillith grumbles, placing a delicate hand on his chest. “You know you have to help Ghost. You have to stop them, Kain.”
Kain sighs, rolling his good eye to the ceiling. “As you wish, flower.”
Lillith squeals, clapping her hands together with a beaming white smile as she faces us. “See? I told you he would help!”
Ghost nods in gratitude. “I appreciate your efforts, Lillith. Why, he seems more and more like a real person every day. So much better than that hulking beast I knew just a few months ago?—”
“Watch it,” Kain growls, cutting Ghost a murderous glare. “I can still rescind the offer, you know.”
“Ah, but you never go back on your promises. It’s something we have in common.” Ghost waves him off. “And I’m looking to cash in.”
Kain huffs, leaning back in his seat and taking Lillith with him. “What do you need?”
“What every great villain needs—a sidekick.”
Kain takes a sharp breath, his biceps flexing as he holds in his irritation. “And what will this sidekick be required to do?”
Ghost shrugs nonchalantly, pretending to inspect the leather covering his fingernails. “Oh, you know… infiltration, cover fire, murder… the list goes on.”
Kain pins him with a hard stare. “You’re not actually that stupid, are you?”
“Of course I am. Why else would I be here?”
I look between the two men, my brows pinched together in worry. “Ghost? What’s he talking about?”
“He’s planning to take out the Madam,” Lillith whispers, her eyes wide with fright. “Ghost… no.”
“Yes,” he says, taking an even step forward. “The Sanctum works much like a beehive—the queen at the top, making sure all the little workers fall in line. But take the queen out, and the hive goes berserk.” Ghost squares his shoulders. “Don’t you see? There’s no use trying to do anything else. If the queen lives, the hive goes on. Even if we killed all the Table members, she would have them replaced within the hour. No, we have to kill the Madam. We must kill the Madam. It’s the only way.”
Kain and Lillith nod like they understand. Meanwhile, it feels like someone has their fist wrapped around my heart. How on earth is he going to accomplish his plan? And with only me and Kain for backup? The Madam must have a hundred masks working for her, ready to throw down their lives to protect her. One man can’t possibly take on all that.
“We must take our leave now,” Ghost says, sliding his hand around the small of my back. “I’ll message you the details in a day or so.”
When we make it to the doorway, Ghost stops, his shoulders tensing. “Reinhold, I haven’t said it yet, but thank you. You really are a good friend.”
A low chuckle pours from Kain’s throat. “So you keep saying. Try not to get yourself killed before we storm the headquarters, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Ghost murmurs, his steps slow as he leads me from the house. “Yeah, I’ll try.”