Page 113 of Ghost

But my ankle is the least of my worries when I see where in the room Grimm is taking me.

In a corner is a space where the carpet has been ripped out, so it’s just concrete. There’s a hook in the center with an iron chain attached to it.

“No.” I try to pull back, but it’s no use. “Please don’t. You don’t want this. You wanted to protect me.”

“I am protecting you. I’m making you one of us.”

Grimm pulls me to the ground, removing my handcuffs, only to replace them with the shackles that attach me to the concrete. My arms are in front of me now, but the chain has no give, so I can’t get my hands more than four inches from the ground.

I try to kick him as he grabs my ankles, handcuffing them together. He tightens it so it digs into the one that’s swelling, and I wince.

“I thought I was here for you.” I think of anything to say that might turn this around.

With Grimm, maybe I have a chance. Maybe I can remind him of the flash of good I remember when we were kids. But if he leaves me at the mercy of Titan, this is over.

“You are here for me, doll.” Grimm grabs my waist and pulls me in, licking the side of my neck.

He drags his fingers over my lips, and I try to turn away as bile rises in my throat.

“But this is how it works.” Reaching down, he grabs me between the legs, and a tear slips down my cheek. “You want to be my bitch; you need to show my president you’re worth keeping around first. So be a good girl when he and his officers get here. The better you take them, the quicker you’re mine.”

36

Ghost

We stop two milesaway from the Iron Sinners compound. Our vans idle on a desolate road as we stand in a circle.

“It won’t take much for this to go to shit.” Steel looks around the group. “Even if the Iron Sinners are distracted, it’s their territory. They have the upper hand.”

Havoc hums, pulling his hair back. “We’re outnumbered and outgunned, even with the element of surprise.”

Steel nods. “Chances of not walking back out are high, which means we only go in with a unanimous vote.”

He looks at me, knowing nothing will stop me either way. But hopefully, when I breach that gate, I’ll have my brothers at my side.

“To be clear, killing as many Iron Sinners as we can get our hands on isn’t our mission tonight. We go in, and we get Luna. Then we get her out. We take down whoever stands in our way, but that’s it. The longer westay, the worse our chances. We’ll deal with the rest of them another day. Understood?”

Everyone nods.

“Let’s vote.” Steel straightens his back.

“I’m in.” Legacy is the first to speak. “We protect our fucking family, or we’re nothing.”

Havoc nods. “Seconded. And even though Chaos is still getting fixed up back at the clubhouse, he said he’d vote to burn the Iron Sinners to the ground if he could. So, we have his vote.”

“You already know where I stand.” I cross my arms over my chest, waiting.

“I say let’s level those fuckers.” Soul grins. “We’ve been too easy on them.”

All around, words of support ring out until the final vote is left with Steel, and I don’t know what he’ll choose. He has to consider the club as a whole, not just my feelings for Luna. If he agrees to this, he might not come home to Tempe and Austin, and I know that’s the last thing he wants.

“We protect our own.” Steel nods. “To the grave. If we don’t do that, then we don’t stand for anything.”

He reaches out to shake my hand, and I take it.

Not too long ago, I broke his trust, but his loyalty to me and our club is why he’s respected by his men. Why any one of us would easily give up our lives to save his. He would do the same.

“One more thing then.” I swallow hard, gripping Steel’s hand. “I want to claim Luna as my old lady.”

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