Page 99 of Ghost

The Road Rebels let us know the Iron Sinners buy isn’t happening for another two hours, but we need to beat them to it if we’re going to set up a perimeter andget the jump on them. I wish Titan would show up so we could cut the head off the snake and get this over with already, but he’s been underground since his men kidnapped Tempe and Austin.

He knows we have eyes all over the city waiting for him to be vulnerable, and he’s being careful.

When we get to the warehouse, we pull around back and hide our bikes so the Iron Sinners won’t know we’re here. It’s quiet, and I do a quick scan for sensors to see if we tripped anything. The Iron Sinners might be upping their security game with their new tech specialist, but the warehouse is unguarded.

Which means they won’t see us coming.

I activate a signal blocker to cut off any outside communications. Once the Iron Sinners step into the grid, they won’t be able to alert anyone of the attack. It’s never my first choice since it cuts off our outside service as well, but we can’t risk this going sideways.

“We’re clear,” I tell Havoc, who makes his way over to Steel.

They direct everyone into their positions. A few prospects will monitor the perimeter while Legacy and I are sent to squat at the upper level of the warehouse. It’s my job to send out a radio signal if anything goes wrong, and since Legacy is the best shot in the group, he needs to be in a position to take out anyone who tries to run.

Legacy wipes a spiderweb off his shoulder as we move to our position in the dusty warehouse.

“Why can’t this kind of shit go down somewhere not so grimy.” He frowns.

“Scared of spiders?”

“Fuck you.” He pulls his gun out, squatting down and getting into position. “Nothing should have that many legs.”

I chuckle.

I’ve seen Legacy run straight at a lineup of Iron Sinners who were shooting at him, so it’s hilarious to me that something as small as a spider bothers him.

“Besides…” Legacy brushes dust off his arms. “It’s getting harder to explain to Bea why I’m coming home in the middle of the night covered in dirt and blood stains.”

I tuck my phone away, watching the front of the warehouse. “Never thought about it like that. How’d King handle it with you?”

“The same way Dad handled everything.” Legacy snorts, shaking his head. “He gave me a knife for my sixth birthday and taught me what arteries to cut to take someone down in less than thirty seconds. He didn’t hide me from this shit, so I never had any questions.”

“Does Bea have questions?”

Legacy frowns, resting his gun on the railing to keep it in position. “Yeah, and I’m not ready to answer them.”

I think about Bea running around his backyard in a tutu, kicking a soccer ball, and I get it.

“But you’re not moving her off the compound?”

“Fuck no.” Legacy glares at me. “It’s safer behind the gates.”

“Well, then you’re gonna have to face this sooner or later. And I’m not saying that to piss you off, brother. Butyou’ve got two options in this life, and you know it. Get her out or be honest.”

“She’s five.”

“I’m not saying you have to do it now. But she’s a smart girl, and she’s gonna start asking questions. If you want to keep her safe, you’re going to need to tell her some version of the truth before she starts to think you’re keeping shit from her.”

Legacy looks over at me, narrowing his eyes. “When did you get so fucking good with this shit?”

“When it’s not my life I’m talking about.” I drop my chin, raking my fingers into my hair.

“You’ll make a good dad, Ghost.”

“I’m not having any fucking kids.” Whatever doubt I had riding off the compound has only been made clearer through this conversation.

“Okay.” Legacy grins.

“Really, okay? You’re just dropping it.”

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