Chapter 7
XANTHE
“You like him,” Lu whispers, and I wince, opening my juice and taking a sip. I came here tonight to surprise Ghost, making sure I look cute for him in my baggy jeans and red halter top that shows off my stomach. I never expected to see him coming down the stairs with another woman.
Why did I believe he was different?
He showed me who he was the first time, and I should have believed it.
I feel him just before he enters the room, the tension almost suffocating.
“Xanthe?” His tone is pure gravel.
I don’t look away from Lu, not wanting those gray eyes to suck me in.
“Eyes on me, little one. She’s not going to save you,” he growls in a dominant tone, and my eyes widen and flick to his of their own accord.
He reaches down to gently cup my face, his gaze tracing my features. I could love this man. I want to jump into his arms right now, and ignore the last ten minutes, pretend that they never happened.
But I need to be strong.
He promised not to hurt me, and he already has.
“Leave me alone, Ghost. I thought you were different. Clearly, I’m wrong,” I manage to get out, standing up and threading my fingers with Lu, needing the support.
I’m weak when it comes to Ghost.
“Come on,” Lu says. “Let’s go have a dance. It’s a party, after all.”
I nod. “Ghost should leave. Looks like he’s partied enough already.”
The petty side of me wins with that parting comment.
Lu drags me to the dance floor. “Anything you want to share with the group?
“Later,” I say, as Ora comes up to join us. We all start to dance, and from the corner of my eye, I see Ghost standing in the corner, leaning against the wall, watching me. I ignore him. When I head to the bathroom, I run right into the last person I want to see right now.
Daisy.
“Have you seen Ghost’s cock before?” she purrs, an evil glint in her eye. “It’s fucking big. And he’s so rough when you go down on him, he fucks my throat like none of the other men here.”
“That’s none of my business.” I shrug, trying to move around her and pretend that her words don’t kill me.
“He’s into some real kinky shit, you know?
Knife play, role-play.” She lifts her dress and shows me the cut right there on her thigh.
“He needs someone who can give him all that, not some goody-two-shoes teacher. Let the real women handle the bikers. You should go find a banker or something.” With a short laugh, she walks away.
Ghost wants the club girls?
He can have them.
“How long are we going to play this game?” Ghost asks, leaning against my car. Unfortunately for me, he looks sexy as hell in a tight black T-shirt under his leather cut and dark jeans.
It’s been a few months since the party at the clubhouse, and I still haven’t forgiven him. Daisy’s words have played in my head on repeat, like a nightmare I can’t escape. Maybe because deep inside, she might be right.
I’m a virgin.
I had to Google what knife play was because I didn’t fucking know. And yes, I write romance, but I don’t write dark romance. I write cute love stories with bad boys. I write dirty sex, even though I don’t have firsthand experience on the matter.
The coach doesn’t always play, right?
But none of those scenes have ever included a knife.
Am I missing some untapped market?
“I don’t know, how long are you going to keep following me?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. I’ve seen him across the road from my school and my house. He’s not hiding that he’s here because I do not doubt that if he didn’t want me to see him, I wouldn’t.
“Until I take my last breath,” he says softly, running his inked hand over his recently shaved head.
Why does he have to say sweet things like that when I’m trying to forget him? “I can’t move on with my life when I have to see you all the time.”
“That’s why I’m not going anywhere,” he replies, leaning forward to tuck my hair back behind my ear. “I don’t want anyone other than you, Xanthe. I haven’t fucked anyone since I first laid eyes on you.”
Ahh. I choose not to engage in the good-old-head-doesn’t-count argument and unlock my car door.
Ghost quickly opens it for me, leaning over me to buckle my seat belt. He smells so fucking good that I want to bury my face in his neck, and I keep myself still to stop myself.
He kisses my lips gently before he moves away. “You don’t get to give me sunshine and then try to take it away from me.”
“You did that yourself by hooking up with Daisy.”
“I didn’t—”
“Don’t even try to deny it, Ghost. I saw you. You were doing up your button, and she had lipstick all over her face. I know that being in the club, you have plenty of options. Like an idiot, I just thought we had something good to explore.”
“I want you, Xanthe, only you. I haven’t even looked at another woman. I’m here every chance I can get away from the clubhouse, checking on you. Just wanting to catch a glimpse of you,” he growls, his throat working as he swallows. “I know what you saw, but it wasn’t what it looked like.”
“It looked like you couldn’t be bothered waiting for me, so you got what you wanted from a club girl.”
And one who is a bitch at that.
“I know I’m not as experienced as the women you’re usually with…” I pause and admit, “Or experienced at all, but I was saving myself to be with my soul mate. Stupid, I know, but for a second there, I thought that was you.”
His brow furrows, his eyes flickering with surprise. “You’ve never—”
“No. Now, please let me go because I’m late for my book club,” I say, and he takes a few moments before he closes the door, still looking taken aback by my announcement.
Yeah, I’m a virgin.
Now he’ll probably leave me alone.
Who wants someone who is a virgin at twenty-four?
Anyway, I have to get home and write sex scenes because I’m ovulating.
And being around him isn’t helping.
“We’re going to talk about this,” he murmurs, stepping back as I start my car and drive off.
No, Ghost.
I don’t think we are.