Ghost Among Lies (Ghost Team #2)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

SLOANE

Adulting sucks!

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Paying bills? Horseshit.

Making tough decisions? Who wanted to do that?

Working full-time? Well, when you had a job like mine, it wasn't too bad actually.

But honestly, who decided that when you turned eighteen you magically became an adult and were capable of being responsible?

Because let's be real, that logic was complete bullshit.

The arbitrary number did nothing to qualify you as an adult.

Take it from someone who was twenty-nine and ten times out of ten didn't agree I should be making adult decisions.

Right now, for example, I was withholding vital information from my team because I didn't know how the square peg fit into the round hole. Stupid analogy, I know, but my brain couldn't process how Mason could possibly know Hayes.

The smart thing would've been to reach out to Hawk and ask after I turned up zilch during my own search. But I didn't want them to know I was keeping a close eye on Mason after they assured me he was innocent. Our team worked too closely with Hawk, and I preferred to keep the peace.

With a dramatic sigh, I opened the message app and sent a group text to the team.

TEAM MEETING IN 5.

I didn't give a location. There was only one place we ever met up. The common area. I didn't give a reason. There was no need. If one of us called a team meeting, everyone would show no questions asked.

I made up my mind. Four heads were better than one, and maybe one of them would have a better idea about what was going on with Mason.

Carrying my tablet, I made my way to the common area. Nyx was already there, playing Russian roulette with her knife and fingers. She didn't bother to stop when she glanced up at me and raised her brow in a silent “what's going on?”

"Don't you ever worry you're going to stab your hand?"

"The day I stab my hand is the day I give up this life." She kept going despite her attention being split between the conversation and her movements. "You going to tell me why we're meeting?"

"Not until the others arrive. I prefer to only explain things once."

"So pragmatic. That's got to get boring after a while."

I ignored Nyx's jab. Not all of us could have her carefree attitude. Some of us had shit in our past that changed us fundamentally.

Anita was next to arrive with Beckett hot on her heels.

That man looked at her like she hung the moon when he thought she wasn't looking, because Anita struggled with feelings.

There was no denying she loved him back, but from what I gathered, it would take lots of time before she was completely comfortable expressing herself.

Fortunately, Beckett was willing to meet her where she was at. My friend got lucky when he walked into her life.

The last to arrive was Lilith. She slipped in silently and leaned against the wall with her arms folded across her chest. Lilith was naturally quiet and reserved. She only spoke when she had something important to say, but I knew she soaked up information like a sponge. Nothing got past her.

"New assignment?" Anita got straight to the point with one raised brow.

I was the team contact for Hawk. Every assignment they brought to our attention went through me first. Normally, when I called a team meeting, that was the reason.

"Not exactly."

"It either is or it isn't. There's no in between," Anita huffed.

Anita wasn't exactly known for her patience. Nor did she tolerate cryptic answers. She was a straight shooter all the way.

"Since I released Mason, I've been keeping tabs on him." I watched Anita closely for a reaction. My teammate didn't disappoint.

"Why?" she narrowed her eyes at me and snapped. "I thought you were convinced he was innocent."

"No, I trusted Hawk to provide us valuable insight. That didn't mean I had no intention of keeping an eye on him."

"Okay, so why are you telling us now? What's Mason been up to?" Nyx's curiosity usually got the better of her.

"Up until today, he's lived a very boring and routine life. And when I say routine, I mean strict. He never deviates from his schedule—until today."

"So what was so special today? And why are you dragging this out? Are you shooting for a suspense factor? Or maybe you just want Anita to knock you the fuck out."

Anita and I both glared at Nyx. There were times our teammate could be downright annoying. Today was one of those times.

"No, I'm not. I'm just having a hard time processing what I saw."

"Why don't you tell us, and maybe we can help clear things up." Beckett gave me an encouraging smile. Sometimes I felt like he was too good for our group.

"I caught Mason at a coffee shop when he was supposed to be at the gym." I paused for a moment and said the name that still, to this day, caused my stomach to erupt with butterflies. "He was with a man names Hayes Cooper."

Nearly everyone looked at me like I had suddenly grown six heads.

All except Anita. She was scrutinizing me. For what, I didn't know. Maybe to see if I was stable enough to handle the situation. Anita was the only one to know about my history with Hayes, and even she didn't know all the details.

"Are we supposed to know who that is or why the minor change in his routine is significant? Isn't it possible Mason wasn't feeling motivated and wanted coffee and a donut instead."

"Hayes has a connection to us," Anita deadpanned.

Lilith spoke up for the first time, "How?"

Anita stared a hole into the side of my head. I guess that was her way of saying it was my responsibility to explain who Hayes was.

"Hayes Cooper was my high school sweetheart." I closed my eyes, and his face flashed behind my lids. "And the man I was supposed to marry."

Nyx whistled. When I finally found the nerve to open my eyes, I could see the pity in hers. "Don't give me that look."

"What look is that?"

"I left him," I clarified. "I did the walking away. Not the other way around, so spare me the looks of pity."

"It's not pity," Nyx snapped. "It's concern. I know you and Anita think emotions are bullshit, but there's nothing wrong with being concerned about someone."

The logical part of my brain knew that. When I was younger I had no problem expressing my emotions.

I wore those damn things on my sleeve like a badge of honor.

Then the incident happened, and I was forced to rewire my brain.

I built a wall so damn high no one would be able to get over it. Effectively turning my emotions off.

"Yeah, well, I don't need your concern either. I'm fine."

"I swear I work with a bunch of emotionally stunted women." Nyx shook her head.

Nyx could think whatever the hell she wanted. It didn't matter to me one bit.

"Okay, so you were once engaged to Hayes, and now he's meeting with Mason. What does it all mean?" Lilith spoke up. She rarely did so, but the few times she would, it was because she wanted to keep the peace. Lilith wasn't a fan of confrontation like the rest of us.

"I'm not sure. I haven't spoken with Hayes since I left ten years ago, and as far as I know, neither of us ever met Mason back then. And believe me, I would've known if Hayes knew him. We were stuck to each other like glue even though we came from two different worlds."

"Define two different worlds?" Nyx questioned. "Are we talking like the Hatfields and McCoys?"

"Try the country club princess and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks."

"Wait." Nyx held up her hand. "You were a country club princess?"

I dipped my chin once. "Let's just say if my parents hadn't cut me off, I would never have had to worry about money. Or the next ten generations for that matter."

"Why did they cut you off?"

I glanced to where Anita was standing next to Beckett. I don't know what I hoped to get from my teammate, but she didn't give it to me, so I went with my gut. Provide the bare minimum.

"Because I no longer wanted to be a part of that life. And if they knew what I did now, they would never approve."

Nyx squinted her eyes and tilted her head one way and then the next. She did this a few more times until I finally snapped, "What the hell are you looking at?"

"Just trying to picture you in a dress and wedges. I've never seen you in anything other than pants or shorts. And definitely not in heels."

I could understand Nyx's sudden fascination. I wasn't the same person. It was hard to reconcile the woman I was now with the girl I had been in high school.

"Can we focus back on the problem at hand, please?"

"If you insist. So based on your description, I guess it's safe to assume Hayes was from the wrong side of the tracks.

" Nyx wasn't asking a question, but I nodded anyway.

"Right, so is it also safe to assume your parents didn't approve of the relationship?

" Again, I nodded, but I also clarified, "We kept our relationship a secret from my family. "

"Okay, so how do you think Hayes and Mason know each other now? Maybe the connection is the mob. I'm not sure what wrong side of the tracks means, but I'm getting mob vibes." Nyx appeared fully invested in this conundrum.

I didn't want to believe Hayes, my Hayes, the man who desperately wanted to break the cycle his family had been in for generations would have anything to do with the Dunkin family, but the fact remained.

Ten years had passed, and people changed.

I no longer knew Hayes or what decisions he made. Just like he didn't know mine.

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."