Chapter 4
GHOST
“Ghost, what are you doing here?” Xanthe asks with surprise.
She doesn’t exactly look excited to see me, but she hasn’t told me to fuck off either, so that’s something, right?
It’s been a week since she saw me at Lu’s Sweet Treats.
I’ve seen her every day since, but she doesn’t know that.
I saw her little book party with her friends, which was cute as fuck.
She looked so damn sexy. She’s lucky there were no men there, or I would have broken into the house and made a fucking scene.
I almost did, but she decided to get herself off afterward.
I was so fucking hard and wanted her so bad, but I just sat on my bike outside her house and watched her.
Fuck, even thinking about it again is making me hard.
She looks just as beautiful today in jeans and a black tank top, her long, dark hair hanging like a curtain around her face.
She closes her laptop and gives me all of her attention.
When I saw her going to this café alone again, I thought it was the perfect time to, accidentally on purpose, bump into her.
I ignored the missing person poster on the way in.
Trust me when I say they aren’t going to find that fucker.
I’ve decided I want her to get used to seeing me, to being around me. I know I don’t make people feel comfortable, and it has never bothered me until right now.
“Was just getting a coffee,” I lie, shifting on my feet. “Can I get you anything?”
She shakes her head. “No, thank you. I just had one.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back.”
I head to the counter and order a coffee and a slice of chocolate cake. I’ve noticed she gravitates toward anything chocolate. When I come back to the table, I clear my throat. “Can I sit with you?”
“Umm, yeah, sure,” she replies, her brow furrowing. “How have you been?”
Fuck, she’s sweet.
I was an asshole to her at the clubhouse, not to mention how I wanted to kill War and Haze when she said she wanted someone like them, and she’s still being polite. When I first saw her that day, I just wanted her, and I’ve never had a reaction like that before.
I didn’t like it, and that fact hasn’t changed.
So, I did what I always do. I self-sabotaged and fucked it all up by letting her see me with a club girl. There was something there between us, and it made me want to run for the fucking hills.
I’ve never had a girlfriend. I have fucked around with no emotions involved, and that’s about it.
And I’m not having sweet missionary sex. I’m dirty and fucked up. I don’t really like women touching me, and I love a little dominance and knife play in the bedroom. I know that I’d have to hide those desires if I ever got the chance to have her.
Maybe I can role-play with Xanthe and pretend I’m a better man who deserves her.
I tried to stay away.
I mean, it’s in my genes to be a miserable bastard.
But I can’t do it anymore.
I slide her the slice of cake I got her. “Not bad. You?”
“Good,” she replies, staring down at the chocolate cake. “You got me cake?”
“Thought it might keep you here with me while I drink this.”
She smirks and pulls the plate toward her. “You got me there. Cake is my weakness.”
Thank fuck for that.
I dip my chin toward her laptop. “Doing some work?”
“Something like that,” she replies, her brown eyes flickering with amusement before they roam over my cut. “So, you’re a road captain?”
“Yeah, I make sure everyone stays safe.” I shrug, sipping my coffee.
I can’t remember the last time I’ve had a conversation this long with someone.
She slowly nods, leaning back in her chair to study me while she takes a bite of cake. I can’t look away from her plump, juicy lips sliding over the fork.
Fuck.
Now I’m hard in public.
“This is the first proper conversation we’ve ever had,” she suddenly says, tilting her head to the side. I wonder if she’s going to call me out for what happened at the clubhouse.
She should, because we both know I was watching her all night, even when another woman had her mouth on my cock. I didn’t even finish, I ended up pushing her off me, fucking hating myself.
“It doesn’t have to be the last,” I say, watching her suck on the fork. “What are you doing after this?”
“Now?”
“Yeah.”
“Nothing much. Going home and making something for dinner,” Xanthe replies, tucking her hair back behind her ear. “You heading back to the clubhouse?”
“Well, I thought if you were up for it, I could take you for a ride.”
Her eyes widen, and she opens and closes her mouth. She suddenly looks both confused and suspicious. “Oh. Why?”
My lip twitches. “Fuck, Xanthe. You aren’t making this easy, are you? I’m trying to ask you out.”
“Really?” she asks, her brow furrowing. “Why?”
“Fuck,” I mutter, rubbing my hand down my beard.
“I’m sorry, it’s just… I had no idea you liked me. I mean, after what happened at the clubhouse…” She trails off, biting her lower lip.
“I was a dick,” I admit.
Standing up, I offer her my hand. She hesitates, but then takes it and lets me lead her outside without another word. She’s so much smaller than my six-foot-two frame. Hell, she must be standing at five-foot-nothing, but she’s all woman. Fuck, I want to kiss those pouty lips of hers.
And I never kiss.
We keep walking until we reach my motorcycle. No one has ever been on the back of my bike. No one. She’s breaking all my rules, and I don’t give a single fuck.
I put her laptop and handbag in my saddlebag, and then slide my spare leather jacket over her shoulders. It swallows her, but at least it will keep her warm. I put my helmet on her, gently touching her. “Have you ever been on a bike before?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I’ve always wanted to.”
My cock gets hard at the thought of being her first. “I’ve never had anyone ride on here with me,” I add casually, and her brown eyes widen.
“Really?”
I nod, getting on my bike and waiting patiently as she lifts herself behind me.
When her hands come around me, holding on to my cut, I stiffen, but then relax and close my eyes, enjoying the moment.
I’m not someone who enjoys a lot of touch, but with her, it’s different.
My first reaction to put distance between us isn’t there.
“Hold on to me and lean with me,” I say to her over my shoulder. She tightens her fingers around my stomach, and I stare down at them, swallowing hard.
After my childhood and losing my sister, I’ve found it hard to let anyone in. You can’t trust people. They hurt you, and they take advantage of you.
I’ve grown to trust my club brothers somewhat, but a woman? I haven’t allowed that yet.
I tried to stay away from her.
I really did.
For her.
But it’s too fucking late now.
She’s mine.