God, that feels good.
The scar that comes from that should be a good reminder to him to watch who he fucks with.
Cole’s stopped screaming, but his body shakes in silent sobs. I ask him, “So, tell me what your plans are, Cole?”
He chokes out between sobs, “Stay away from Nat!”
I pat his bloody cheek and say, “Good boy. Old dogs learning new tricks and all that shit. Good for you.” Looking down at my bloody hand, I cringe and wipe the blood onto the back of his shirt.
I stand and help him up. The only word I could use to describe Cole’s facial expression would be horrified. Still sobbing, he cradles his gaping wound with shaking hands and I tell him pleasantly, “Take care now, Cole. Always a pleasure.”
Taking the hint, he takes off down the hall and into the elevator. I snicker. If he took off any faster, he would have flown. I sigh when I look down to the floor at the large pool of smeared blood. Luckily, the floor is tiled.
Clean up time.
Heading back into Nat’s apartment, I hear the bedroom door open. Music blasts as Helena pokes her head out and looks down at my bloody hands. She looks back into the room, says something I can’t hear then comes to join me, closing the door behind her.
I’m surprised as fuck when she doesn’t ask questions. She just goes under the kitchen sink to get some disinfectant and paper towels, then walks into the outer hall to clean up Cole’s blood.
I clean my hands over and over with dish soap. Blood is hard to clean and the smell of it is rank.
Once I’m certain there isn’t any more blood on me, I join Helena in the hall. Leaning against the wall, I open my mouth to explain but she cuts me off. Mopping up the red mess, she softly says, “Thank you.”
My brow bunches in confusion. I don’t answer. She mops up more blood before looking up at me. “For caring about her so much you would do this.” She opens her arms out to the blood-stained floor. Without looking back at me, she says softly, “She needs someone like you, Ghost.”
That pisses me off. I spit, “No one needs someone like me.”
She looks saddened by my admission. She stands and walks over to me. We stand almost face to chest and she states firmly, “Nat does.”
Neither of us speaks for a moment. She tugs my collar and looks unsure as she says, “You just need to let her in here.” She puts a hand over my heart. “And here.” She places her fingertips on my forehead. “Don’t believe the things your brain tells you about yourself. Your worth is judged by what others think of you, not what you think of you. Just give her a chance. She’ll surprise you,” she finishes quietly. Then she takes the blood-stained towels inside and shuts the door behind her.
Sighing deeply, I head back to my place. Once the door clicks shut, I place my forehead on the back of the door.
I need a drink.
Chapter Nine
Swapping spit
Lying in bed twiddling my thumbs, I am this close to losing my shit. It’s almost midnight and I’m still a little shaken by Cole’s unexpected appearance.
I mean, c’mon! Is the guy freakin’ serious?
Did he think I would pretend the whole I slapped you so hard you fell off the counter thing didn’t happen?
Fuck that!
Once Helena ushered me to my room, she made me put in my mp3 player. So there I was, devastated and frightened, listening to Hall and Oates sing ‘I can’t go for that (No can do)’.
Not exactly fitting music for the situation, but once Helena realized what I was listening to, she enthusiastically burst into song and I couldn’t contain my laughter. We love Adam Sandler and The Wedding Singer is one of our favorite movies. When she finally joined us, Nina decided to back us up with the singing.
And, as expected, we totally rocked that shit.
So there we were, singing crazy assed eighties music, doing some crazy assed eighties dance moves and two stepping. I almost forgot about Cole til I heard him yell out a blood curdling scream.
Fucking Cole. He ruined my eighties dance party.
So Nina did the only thing she could do. Docked my mp3 player and put the music on full volume. I didn’t know what Ghost was doing to him and, frankly, I didn’t give a damn. All I knew is that Cole’s screams could be heard over the music, and the music was pretty damn loud.
It almost sickens me that I felt satisfaction bloom in the pit of my stomach.
Almost.
Ghost isn’t a half-in kind of guy. I know whatever punishment he dealt to Cole would’ve been bad. So bad that I don’t actually want to know any of the details. I’d probably ralph. You see, blood and I don’t mix well together.
Helena excused herself from the bedroom making our trio a duet. She was gone for around ten minutes. When she came back, I asked her where Ghost was and she said he went home. I obviously didn’t hide my disappointment very well because both my sisters jumped to his defense saying he was tired from work and mentally exhausted from having to deal with Cole, and it was probably best that he didn’t see me right then. Around ten, I excused myself claiming exhaustion and went to bed.
Which brings us to now. Normally, sleep and I are best buddies, but I’ve been counting sheep for the past two hours. My brain just won’t quit.
This ticks me off.
An idea crosses my mind and like a freakin’ compulsion, I can’t let it go. Huffing out an annoyed breath, I toss the covers off me. Slipping on my Minnie Mouse head slippers, I creep to my bedroom door and sneak down the hall. I open the front door and walk over to Ghost’s door. I close my eyes, take a deep breath and knock quietly.
Realizing all too quickly that this is a very stupid idea, I turn on my heel and swiftly head back to my apartment. I know I’m too late when I hear his door open. “Nat? Everything okay?”
Busted.
I turn to face him and utter, “Yeah. Sorry. I didn’t realize what time it was, and by the time I did, I figured you’d be asleep.”
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
He leans his body against the doorframe and crosses one leg over the other. He’s dressed in his regular sleepwear of his blue pants and white tee. He makes it all too easy to make plain pajamas look sexy. His eyes search me long and hard as if he doesn’t believe me. I play with the ring on my finger and shift nervously, looking around for an escape when he slowly asks, “Wanna come in?”
Bad idea. Don’t go in. It’s a trap!
But my mouth decides for me. “Sure.”
What the feck, mouth?
Once I step into his apartment, I realize it’s the first time I’ve been in his place. The lights are off, but through the illumination coming from the side of the room, I can see it clearly enough to notice it’s exactly as I thought it would be.
Bare as the day it was made.
No sofa, no dining table, no TV. A wide bookshelf full to the brim of books sits in the place where the sofa should be and the wall closest to the patio has a long table with, I mentally count, one, two, three, four computers and one laptop. They’re all up and running. Some flashing while others beep. His apartment is like a freakin’ control room. The only thing that our places seem to have in common is that we both have a refrigerator.
I look at him and utter out of the corner of my mouth, “Not a lot going on in here.”
He glares through furrowed brows. “I like it just fine.”
Wide eyed and nodding slowly, I respond, “And that’s all that matters, friend.”
Rolling his eyes, he asks shortly, “Was there something you needed?”
Okay. Be quick. Get to the point. Then run like hell.
Nodding once more, I step forward, closing the distance between us. By the time I reach him, his face has turned questioning. I explain in a rush, “You know I kind of realized that you’ve not come to my rescue just once, but twice now, and I haven’t said a damn thing to you about it.” I turn and pace, running my hand down my chin to stroke my imaginary beard. Scoffing, I tell him, “My mom would b
e so disappointed in me and I hate to say it, but I know I was really selfish today and just thinking about myself. And what shit taste I have in men. And how much I miss Tina and the girls. And how much I wish I could tell them what happened without sounding like a weak person or victim.” My eyes start to sting. I breathe in a shuddering breath and go on, “I just don’t know how this happened. I should’ve seen it from the start, but I think I was so desperate to connect with someone that I settled for anyone.” I turn to him and point at his chest. “You saw it. You called him the, quote, angry man, end quote, and all I did was get defensive. I should’ve known, but I didn’t and now I feel stupid about it.” My feet still suddenly, stopping me in my pacing tracks. My eyes shut and placing my fingertips to my forehead, I laugh a humorless laugh. “So stupid. Anyways, I just wanted to come over here and thank you for being my hero. Twice. And I don’t know what you did to Cole, but I gotta say, I was as happy as a pig in shit hearing him scream like a sissy girl.”
Ghost blinks. Once. Twice. A wide smile transforms his beautiful face. He responds softly, “That was a fucking long thank you, pretty girl, and I’ll take it, but you should know, I’m more of an anti-hero.”
My face softens and I smile a small smile. “That’s not true.” I close the distance between us and take hold of his hand. I feel so tiny next to him. My head only reaches his shoulder when I’m without heels. His eyes question me. He looks at my dainty hand holding his large, calloused one. I whisper, “You didn’t have to come but you did. You helped me even though I really don’t deserve it. I’m always such a bitch to you.” I dip my face and confide in him. “You know I like you. You and me, we’re the same kind. We’re like avengers. Protecting the people we love. It makes sense for us to be friends, right?”
I look up into his softening eyes and he nods once.
Relief flows through me, lightening my body. I squeeze his hand and smile. “Okay. Good. Great. Now close your eyes, please.”
His eyes narrow untrustingly and I roll my eyes at him. With a shake of the head, I urge, “Would you just do it!”
He rolls his eyes right back at me and laughter climbs up my throat, itching to get free. I bite my lip to stop it from escaping. He puffs out a breath, puts his hands on his hips and makes a show of closing his eyes. Once they’re closed, I lift my hands in front of his face and wave ‘em around like I’m at a rave party. I’m satisfied he can’t see, but now that I’m in this position, I don’t know how I’m going to make this work. Looking around his apartment, I tell him, “Don’t move a muscle.”
I run across the room to the bookcase and get the two phone books from the bottom shelf. Placing the phone books on the floor in front of Ghost’s feet, one on top of the other, I carefully step on my makeshift stepping stool. I bounce up and down to make sure they’re stable, and once I’m satisfied there’s no threat of me falling on my ass, I place both my palms onto Ghost’s hard chest. His body stiffens at my touch, but as I rub his chest gently, I soon feel him relax under my palms. I take this moment to get a good look at him.
He’s beautiful.
His new haircut is modern and stylish, shaved at the sides but still longer up top. It brings attention to his face and makes him look polished.
My gaze slides down his lean and muscular body. The white tee he wears is tight against his skin, and I can make out every ridge of muscle that makes up his abs. His arms are toned and strong, with veins running through them. I wonder what it would be like to be held by those arms.
Here goes nothing.
The phone books have almost made me the same height as Ghost and we’re so close that my breasts are almost pressed up against him. I slide my hands from his chest, up his shoulders to curve behind his neck. He tenses when I pull my body flat against his and hold onto him as if I’m scared he’ll run from me. Because, in reality, I am scared he’ll run from me. My soft cheek rests against his stubbled one. My fingertips play with the short hair at the back of his head.
This is intense. There are too many feels.
Yeah, icky feels.
My heart races and I suddenly feel vulnerable.
I whisper hoarsely, “Thank you. Thank you so much for being there for me. I don’t know what would’ve happened tonight if you weren’t there. I am thankful as fuck that you were, because I can handle getting knocked around, but I don’t know what I would’ve done if something happened to my sisters.”
Having said my piece, I feel Ghost’s arms hesitate at his sides before they wrap around my lower back and hold me tight. I release the breath I hadn’t known I was holding and sink into him, feeling secure and protected. I burrow my face into his neck and breathe him in.
He smells like manly soap and mint. The weird combination works its magic, soothing me.
I totally need this right now. My sisters know I’m not the hugging kind so they don’t even try anymore. Today I really needed contact, any form of contact, but didn’t want to be that pathetic girl that asks for it.
But this is Ghost. It’s different with him. Different in a way I can’t explain.
His muscled arms cocoon me, squeezing me tighter. We’re flush against each other and I feel the hard bulge at the front of his pajama pants press into me. I smile into his neck and I know he feels it when I feel his cheek muscles form a smile too. Feeling bold and empowered, I do something I didn’t plan on doing.
I lift my head off his shoulder but keep my arms around his neck. I’m surprised to see that Ghost still hasn’t opened his eyes. I’m secretly thankful for it. I slide my hands from the back of his neck, forward and up to cup his cheeks. Before I overthink things, I lean forward and press a soft kiss against his lips.
An electric current jolts me, and from his sudden intake of breath, I’m sure he feels it too.
Then I remember something.
Holy shitballs! This is our first kiss!
I feel constricted in the best way when Ghost’s arms wrap tighter around me, warming me. I feel his mouth open a little against mine.
Is that an invitation?
I have no idea but I’m totally taking it!
Rather than plunge my tongue in, I lift my face and open my mouth a little, breathing into him and placing my full bottom lip into his parted mouth. Ghost groans into me and sucks my lip gently.
And, holy shit, it’s hot!
I feel that slight suction spark all the way down to my vajayjay. My core moistens and I clench my legs together but it doesn’t help. His lips are warm and soft and he tastes delicious. His sweet minty breath mingles with mine.
It’s incredible. I wish I never have to breathe so I can kiss him forever.
This is a sweet kiss. There is nothing sexy about this kiss, but I am so hot, I’m burning up.
This was not part of the plan!
Oh, yeah. Right. Stick to the plan.
Knowing I’ll be pulling away from this awesome kiss in a moment is seriously breaking my heart. My stomach dips. I don’t want it to end but Ghost and I are friends. Making this unplanned kiss a little awkward. Call it a thank you, if you will.
My body feels light as a feather. I’m swimming in bliss. I have never been so turned on by a kiss before.
As in ever.
In my whole life.
Loosening my hold on his neck, I slide my hands to rest on his shoulders and move my face back from his.
What happens next, I do not see coming.
Ghost growls and pushes his face further into mine, reconnecting our lips. I feel that growl vibrate through my crotch. My panties are soaked.
He’s not letting me go!
I push unconvincingly on his shoulders but he fights to win this battle. His arms loosen, his hands slide down my back, further down til his palms rest on my ass. Goddamn, I like that. My eyes roll back and I sigh loudly. He nips my bottom lip and grips my butt, squeezing both cheeks with his large hands. A moan escapes me and I press into him.
So much for ending this on my terms!
It’s on, motherfucker!
A whimper bursts out of me. I assault his lips with deep, open mouthed kisses and I wrap my arms tightly around his neck once more. His hands knead my tingling ass, fuelling me on and it feels amazing.
My stomach flutters.
Using his shoulders as leverage, I jump a little and wrap my legs around him. Ghost groans against my lips, “Fuck me! You’re sweet as honey, pretty girl.” He holds under my ass with one hand and slowly slides the other hand under the elastic of my pajama pants. I tear my mouth from his and gasp, “No!”
Ghost’s body stiffens. He stills awhile before slowly letting me down to my feet. His hold on me loosens and he steps back. I search his face, not quite understanding his sudden withdrawal. He won’t look at me but his eyes are full of remorse. He almost looks ashamed.
My head swims while my lips throb deliciously.
Whoa! That kiss has left me in a daze.
Forgetting the phone books, I take a step back into air and stumble. My shaky legs wobble for a moment before I straighten. I adjust my tank and clear my throat before walking backwards to the door. “So, yeah. Um, thanks again.” Still in a kiss coma, I ramble. “But I already said thank you. So you know that I, um, thank, uh, you. And you’re good at hugging too, so thanks for that also. You are very warm. Like a person blanket.” I walk back into a wall with a thump. Annoyed at my failed exit, I turn around and glower at the wall. Looking back at Ghost who watches me through furrowed brows, I point my thumb back and whisper, “There’s a wall there so, um, be careful.”
His lip twitches and he nods once.
Having finally located the door, I turn the handle and step out. I turn to face him and say, “Good night, Asher.” Without waiting for a reply, I close the door behind me and go back to my apartment. Once inside, I tiptoe back to my room and get back into bed.
I don’t really understand what just happened, but I know one thing.
Ghost can kiss the fuck out of a woman.
I fall asleep with a huge smile pasted on my face.