Page 26 of Ghost

“Ghost—”

“Lock up when you’re done.” I storm out the door, slamming it behind me.

I can’t have her, but I can’t let her go.

I can’t be around her, but I refuse to let her work with anyone else.

She’s mine, even if it’s only in my head.

8

Luna

Spring in Vegas meansthe clubhouse has already started warming up. It’s April, but the back doors have been open all morning, and by afternoon, the fans will be moving air through the building. The air conditioner kicked on twice this past week, which means we’re in for another blistering hot summer.

After Ghost stormed out of his office, I finish what I started, adjusting the last of the new cameras, then go to find Legacy to review the bank account Steel wanted my insight on.

Stepping into the main body of the clubhouse, Ghost is nowhere to be found.

I don’t know what I did or said to piss him off so badly this morning, but he has no right to be upset. I’m the one who’s been lied to for the past year. If he didn’t want me around, he shouldn’t have invited me to Vegas in the first place.

My nails dig into my palms as I clench my fists, wishing he’d let his walls down for one day and admit what’s actually bothering him. Then maybe I’d finally figure him out.

There’s still so much I don’t know about Ghost.

He’s quiet and keeps to himself.

He hasn’t laid his hands on a woman in the entire time I’ve known him, and he rarely talks to anyone but his brothers.

If I were smart, I’d stop hanging onto this hope that someday he’ll let me in. Or worse, that this could grow into whatever I thought it was the first time we met.

I keep hoping he’ll wake up one day and see me like I see him.

Walking through the clubhouse, I find Legacy at the bar on his laptop. He’s typing while Kristen, one of the newest patch bunnies, tries to get his attention. She giggles and smiles, hoping he’ll look up and take notice. She’s still learning the ins and outs of the guys, so she doesn’t realize Legacy doesn’t fuck patch bunnies. His bed might not be empty like Ghost’s, but he sticks with local girls, tourists, or anyone not associated with the club.

Kristen smiles, messing with her long, blonde braid. She leans forward when Legacy says something, and her cleavage draws his attention, even if he won’t do anything about it.

I roll my eyes at the obvious move when I’m no better. I purposely bent over in front of Ghost this morning just to see if he’d pay attention. It worked, but seeing it fromthe other side makes me wonder if he just thought I was pathetic.

Legacy’s attention returns to his computer, and Kristen frowns. Someday, she’ll learn she’s on a long list of girls who couldn’t break him, and she won’t be so bothered by it. All the patch bunnies try when they first make the clubhouse their home, so it’s nothing personal.

Legacy is the cookie-cutter definition of what most girls melt over. He’s tall, solid muscle, and has a smile that’s practically cut from a magazine. He’s also fiercely protective and the sweetest father, so if his model good looks don’t get their attention, Bea’s first trip to the clubhouse will. Legacy is everything girls like Kristin seem to find irresistible, and I understand it, even if I don’t feel that way.

My tastes have me scanning the room for a different biker. One with more tattoos, more emotional baggage, and one who is not nearly as friendly. But Ghost is nowhere to be found.

I cross the room and slide onto the stool beside Legacy.

“Hey, Luna.” Kristen smiles, darting away.

New patch bunnies are always awkward around me at first. They don’t know what to make of my role at the club. I’m not a threat to them when it comes to the guys, but I’m not one of them either.

It’s the only benefit of being on Reina’s good side. She’s their unofficial leader, so she bridges the gap.

I glance at Legacy’s screen. “Steel said you wanted me to take a look at a few bank accounts?”

He hums, switching browsers. “We need to know if any of these accounts look familiar. They’re all inactive now.”

Something about how Legacy saysinactivefeels like there’s a hidden meaning behind it, whether he intended that or not. He’s making it clear where the line is with the club’s trust. And while they need my help to figure out what I was hired to find, Legacy is also making it clear that I’m not being given access to anything that could hurt them now.

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