Chapter 55
“You need to wear a mask.”Willy offered me a chipmunk mask. He had a bulky build and long dreadlocks with colorful beads at the ends. His warm smile put me at ease in this loud and crowded place.
“Thanks, but why do we need to wear masks?” I put on the mask and glanced around. “Not everyone is wearing one.”
“Jayden always wears a mask when he makes big bets. You’re here as him, so it’s safer to wear it.”
Understanding, I nodded. “Do you know where I can find The Tip?”
“Not sure. He’s wearing a mask too. I can ask around. Look for a tall guy with a skull tattoo on his finger.” Willy shrugged. “But he might not be here tonight.”
Disappointment nipped at me. Please be here.
I hoped The Tip could help me get information on the unknown man who had Aimee. Arrow and I could stop by the Mount Centauri Museum next when it reopened after the renovation.
“I’m gonna go check out the fights.” Willy gestured to the many rooms down the hall. “Wanna come?”
He was here to gamble, not babysit. Plus, I didn’t want him lingering around me as I searched for The Tip.
“No thanks. Don’t worry about me. By the way, do you know what kind of mask The Tip usually wears?” There were so many people here in masks. It would be hard for me to pick him out of the crowd.
“I’ve seen him in a bunch of different ones, but he likes those damn clown masks.”
Fear slithered up my spine. Could The Tip be another alias for Ghost? How many did he have? Or was this another coincidence of some sicko who preferred clowns? My stomach clenched as though it knew it were Ghost.
“Thanks. I’ll keep an eye out for a clown mask.”
Willy nodded and headed over to a group of people wearing matching blue masks.
I strodeby a group of men who exited a door. They all grinned and held white slips in their hands. They must have come from the betting area, which I had no intention of visiting.
A sign promoting animal blood sports stopped me. Seriously? I’d heard about these but had never witnessed it. What kinds of animals did they have here? I walked down a short hallway to an area with people surrounding a small cage. People cheered as two roosters fought. I blinked at the horrific sight.
It sickened me to see the injured animal. I swiftly strode out of that room and returned to the main area.
Why would people want to watch animals kill each other? I supposed it was no different from watching MMA fighting or anything of that sort. The violence was too much for me. Was there a veterinarian on call in case these animals could survive?
My gut told me no.If they had cared about the animals, they wouldn’t be doing this. I made a mental note to report this place after I got the info I needed.
I didn’t like the uncomfortable vibes lingering near me. It had to be Ghost’s energy. My body still feared him, as though he had some invisible connection to me. Trauma could do so much to a human psyche, and I’d been trying my best to detach from him. Even when I’d thought he was dead, that unease had remained.
But knowing he was alive had intensified it. I had to face him head-on. I didn’t fear Ghost now like I had years ago. Learning martial arts had strengthened my body and mind. But the body remembered things that the mind couldn’t control. The muscle tightness, the erratic nerves, and the escalated heart rate would take time to overcome.I willed my body to eliminate the trauma that had embedded itself into my muscles—my cellular memory.
As I searched for Ghost, the wounds on my back tightened, and the nerves bubbled again and again.
Stop it,I scolded my body. He doesn’t own you. I do.
Even if I located Ghost, would he sell me information? I was in disguise and wore a mask, so I would be a regular customer coming to him for business. Despite this, I had to be extra careful if I wanted to save Aimee.
“You got your boys ready for the shipment?”
A chill skipped down my body at the sound of the familiar voice. I turned to see two men talking in the corner by a tall appetizer table. One man wore a bird mask, while the other had the clown mask I’d seen at Ormon’s restaurant.
Ghost.
I calmed my breathing as tingles bombarded me. I’m stronger and braver now. He has no power over me.
With each exhale, the goosebumps faded. I stepped over to an empty table and pulled out my phone, pretending to look busy. One thing became paramount as I stood near my enemy. My body had listened to me. It didn’t panic the way I had expected it to. The fear didn’t have the same suffocating grip as it once did. Fear was still there, but I could shove it aside to focus on more important matters. Nothing was more important than getting Aimee back and figuring out how to make Ghost pay for his crimes.
I listened in on their conversation.
“The shipment’s arriving next week,” said the man in the bird mask. “Time to retire, man. What are they gonna do with those kids?”
Kids?
Ghost shrugged. “Don’t know, don’t care. Not my business. I’m just making money.You got the wine too?” Ghost asked. “Show me.”
“Yeah.” He showed Ghost an image on his phone. “What if The Taipans find out you stole their wine?”
Was this why Calvin had looked stressed when I saw him at Bella’s Bistro?
“You gonna tell them?”
“Do I look like I want to die?”
“Then don’t worry. Keep your mouth shut. Once the money’s in your account, I suggest you go on a long vacation, preferably somewhere no one can find you.”
Birdman laughed. “You too, man.”
“Yo, Tip!” shouted a familiar voice.
I turned to see Chicken, a patient at my practice. He always brought his grandmother and other patients who couldn’t afford dental care into the office. He wasn’t wearing a mask.
Chicken slipped money into Ghost’s hand. Ghost counted it and grunted. “There’s a lot missing.”
“I’ll pay the rest back soon. It’s been tough, man.”
Ghost grabbed Chicken’s shirt with both hands. “You have three hours to get me the rest. Add another thousand. If you don’t deliver, you’re dead.”
“I already paid you two thousand for the original five hundred I borrowed.” Terror splashed on Chicken’s face. “I can’t get any more.”
“I don’t give a shit. Get out of my face!” He shoved at Chicken.
“Yeah, get lost, asshole!” Birdman also shoved Chicken.
Chicken clenched his fist, wanting to fight back, but he didn’t, and I knew why. His grandmother needed him. If he fought Ghost now, he’d probably have ended up dead or in prison. I didn’t know Chicken well, but I knew he cared for his grandmother and other elders in the community.
I could easily kill Ghost with a metal bar gleaming against the wall. I could avenge my mother. But his death wouldn’t bring back my mother or remove my wounds. I wouldn’t feel any better having blood on my hands. How could I take care of Kaylee if I were locked up? My dad would probably have a heart attack. How could I love Arrow if I were separated from him?
In my mind, I’d killed Ghost a thousand times. Right now, I envisioned the pipe smashing into his head and cracking his skull with blood dripping down his face as he looked into my eyes and knew it was me—the girl who got away.
Ghost was more useful alive than dead.
Courage and adrenaline filled me as I strode over and interrupted their conversation.
“Yo! My man, Chicken! Haven’t seen you in a while. What’s up?” I deepened my voice to sound manly and slapped at his back.
Chicken stared at me.
I didn’t give him time to ask a question. “I got you.” Turning to Ghost, I said, “My pal owes you money? How much?”
“You gonna pay for him?” Ghost asked.
“That’s right.” I paused and stared at the fiend in the clown mask. The evil eyes hadn’t changed one bit. “How much?”
Ghost stared at me for a while. Then he pushed me against the wall. “Who do you think you are, butting into my business? You wanna die?”
I pushed back and punched him in the gut. “Keep your hands to yourself if you want them intact.”
He charged at me and threw a punch. I blocked and dodged another fist.
Chicken and Birdman stepped away as Ghost shrugged off his coat, whipped it aside, and cracked his knuckles. “I’ll break all your bones, fucker!”
I also removed my coat because it was too hot, and I needed to move easily to fight him. Ghost was a lot bigger than most men. But in a battle, sometimes that didn’t matter. A crowd had formed around us. So much for discretion. Where were the security guards? Were there any here?
Ghost’s fist came flying at me, but someone’s hand gripped his mid-punch.
“What kind of man hits a woman?” Arrow pushed Ghost’s hand away. He wore a Bullseye mask and glanced at me. I could see the fury and concern in his eyes.
“A woman?” Birdman asked.
“Yeah!” I shouted. “Chicken’s my friend, and I’ll fight to erase his debt.” I turned to Ghost. “You in, or are you afraid, asshole?”
Ghost snorted and laughed. “How about I fuck you first, and then I’ll break all your bones?”
“And I’ll cut off your balls and shove them down your throat before I sever your limbs,” Arrow seethed.
A moment of silence thrummed in the room. I could almost sense the darkness slithering up from the concrete floor like evil shadows instigating more violence.
Ghost stared at Arrow, then at me.
“Fight! Fight! Fight!” shouted the stupid crowd. “I vouch for the woman!”
Willy headed toward me, but I shook my head, signaling him to stay out of it. I didn’t need to make this messier than it already was.
I yanked Arrow aside and whispered, “What are you doing?”
“What are you doing?” he tossed back.
I didn’t reply. It would take too long to explain. I could tell he was mad at me for not telling him about tonight. I had my reasons. Still, I understood his anger.
“We’ll discuss it later,” I said. “Right now, I need to fight him.”
“I’m not standing here while a man attacks you.” He inhaled a deep breath and whispered, “I know who he is.”
“Chicken owes him money. The clown is a scumbag loan shark,” I said loudly.
The crowd booed him.
“Yo, Tip! I didn’t know you loaned money,” said someone.
“If I see him hit you, I’ll have to kill him.” Arrow placed a hand on my shoulder. “I don’t want you visiting me in prison, Tulip. Let me be the man I want to be for you.” His gray eyes gleamed with intensity.
My relentless protector.
It would kill him to watch me fight Ghost.
“Fine.” I pulled him closer and whispered into his ear, “Knock out a few of his teeth.”
Arrow snorted and whirled to face the crowd. “How much does Chicken owe you? Let’s resolve this right now.”
“I borrowed five hundred,” Chicken said. “But the interest came to be two thousand, of which I already paid one fifty. He just added another thousand a few minutes ago!”
The crowd roared. “Rip off!”
“Fraud!” another man shouted.
“The Tip gave himself a huge tip!” someone said and made the crowd laugh.
I could imagine how furious Ghost must be right now. Birdman went somewhere as people surrounded Arrow and Ghost. Did Ghost know who was behind the Bullseye mask?
“If you win, consider his debt erased,” Ghost said.
“When I win,” Arrow corrected and shrugged off his coat, passing it to me.