Page 58 of Ghost's Obsession

What I don’t say is that’s fuckin’ fine by me. All I care is making sure Carnage can no longer pose a threat to the woman I love or her unborn child. To my mind that’s starting to look more and more like putting a bullet in his fucking head.

Chapter 18

Heather

Isit curled up on the little loveseat by the window, still in my nightgown and slippers, cradling a mug of chamomile tea. I mostly wanted something warm to hold, while worrying about Ghost and his club brothers. All the shit I went through with Carnage is fresh in my mind. There were moments when I didn’t think I’d make it out of that relationship in one piece. From the stories I’ve heard from Ghost, Tusk, and Brittany, it’s pretty clear he was on his best behavior with me. Unfortunately, his best is still the worst relationship I’ve ever been in. I had no idea what that man was capable of when we were together, I just knew he wasn’t right in the head, and I had to get out of there.

The phone buzzes on the end table, pulling me out of my thoughts. I snatch the phone up so I can answer on the first ring. When I hear Ghost’s voice, my heart skips a beat.

“Hey, mama,” he says, his voice deep and warm. “You hangin’ tough for me?”

I relax back against the chair and rub my hand over my stomach. It’s small, but there’s a noticeable baby bump now. My answer sounds a little breathless to my own ears. “Always. I wish you were here with me.”

He chuckles, amused by the neediness in my voice. “You miss me that bad?”

“Yeah.” I lean over onto an oversized cushion. “I know that I’m being all kinds of extra right now. I also know you’re onthis mission with your club brother and that means you’re pretty safe. I just have a hard time relaxing when I know you’re in danger.”

The pause on the other end of the line makes me wonder if I am annoying him or maybe I hit him right in the feels.

After a few seconds, he clears his throat. “Don’t you worry about us, darlin’. We’re close. Real close. Carnage ran, but we’re right on his trail. That fucker is not getting away from us. Rigs thinks he knows we’re onto him and got spooked. If that’s true, he’s at high risk for making a stupid mistake about now.”

This is good news. I’m glad he’s sharing it with me. “I hope so.”

“I thought you deserved an update but mostly, I just wanted to hear your voice.” After a second or two he adds, “Needed to make sure you and the baby are okay.”

“We’re fine,” I tell him. “That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“Yeah, I got to thinkin’ and decided that if I don’t come right out and tell you what I’m feelin’, you’ll never know. I need you to know that you’re important to me.”

I can’t keep the smile off my face. “I love you too.”

He clears his throat again. “Yeah, I love you too, sweetness. Are they treatin’ you right today?”

“Yes,” I assure him. “Brittany’s been hanging out up here with me, and the prospects are checking in.”

“Good. I trust them but just wanted to double-check everything was fine. Stay in the clubhouse and tell the prospects if anything weird happens.” There’s a slight hesitation before helowers his voice. “I don’t like being away from you right now. Not with Carnage on the loose. We’re tracking him in the next county over, which is almost five hundred miles. Knowing that bastard is nowhere near you is the only thing keeping me sane right now.”

Finding out that Carnage was far away loosens a tightness in my chest. “I’m glad he’s nowhere near me as well. Just do what you need to do and come back to me.”

His dark tone clears, “I’ll be back soon. I promise.”

He tells me goodbye too fast and gets off the call. That’s how I know he’s in the middle of something. I certainly don’t want to be the reason he’s distracted if danger is near.

I go back to sipping my tea. Only now, I’m worrying more about Ghost and less about myself because Carnage is far away from the clubhouse.

A couple of minutes later, my phone buzzes again.

I answer because it’s the lab. “Hello?”

“Hello, is this Heather Bryant?” The voice is female, brisk, and polished. “This is Sarah from Las Salinas Regional Lab Corp. I’m calling on behalf of Dr. Patchett regarding your recent prenatal labs.”

I jolt forward in my seat, almost spilling tea all over myself. “Yes, this is Heather Bryant. Did something bad come back in my bloodwork?”

“Oh, nothing like that,” she replies quickly. “There was a processing error on one of your blood draws. The vial wasn’t sealed properly, and the sample inside was compromised. Wejust need you to come in and redo that one today so that your file stays current.”

“Oh,” I stammer, my mind reeling. I can’t remember if any of the vials they used looked odd. “Are you sure it was my vial that was compromised?”

“Yes, ma’am. Heather Bryant. I’m holding the vial in my hand right now and it’s labeled with your name and patient number. The lab manager flagged it and asked us to reach out this morning.”

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