by Nicole James
“Ghost is hurt. We need help.”
“Who the fuck is this?” came the reply.
“It’s Jessie.”
“Where is he?”
Jessie pulled the phone away from her mouth and asked the clerk. “Where am I?”
“Gip’s. Fifty-Third Street. Fairfield.”
She repeated the information into the phone.
“Okay. Hang tight, girly.” With that nickname, she realized this must be Griz.
“Hurry, Griz, please.”
The phone went dead. She shoved it back at the man with a mumbled thank you and dashed out the door. Terrified the entire run back across the street that Ghost would be gone, that they would have doubled back and found him. She reached the gangway, and he stepped out of the shadows.
She flung her arms around him, “Thank God.”
“You find a phone?” he asked, his head dipping next to hers as she held him. “You okay?”
She nodded against him, knowing her reaction must be scaring him. Everything was starting to catch up with her. She’d been running on pure adrenaline, but now she was starting to fade fast. “They’re coming, Ghost.”
“Good, baby doll. You did good.” He kissed the top of her head.
They waited in the gangway, the whole time she couldn’t keep her hands off him. She needed to touch him.
About fifteen minutes later they heard the distant roar of several bikes approaching. They staggered out together into the street, and three bikes came to a stop, followed by a panel van. Hammer, Griz and JJ were on the bikes, and Heavy was in the van.
Griz was off his bike in a flash, grabbing Ghost to him. “You scared the shit outta me, bro. What the fuck happened? We found Yammer by the gate. He’s not sure what hit him.”
“Death Heads. They’re after Jessie. Get us the fuck out of here, before they come back.”
Griz put his arm around Ghost and led him to the van. Hammer approached Jessie.
“You okay, darlin’?” he asked softly, studying her face.
“I’m fine.”
Hammer put a hand on her back and guided her to the van.
***
It was late that night when Ghost finally rode them back to his place, escorted by two of his brothers who stuck around long enough to check the place over, then left with a nod, their bikes roaring off down the road.
As Jessie’s eyes followed their fading taillights, Ghost grunted, “You don’t feel safe, I can get them back.”
She turned to look at him, and shook her head. “It’s fine.”
“Is it, Jess? Cause tonight changed everything. They know you’re here in town. They came for you. It’s a whole new ballgame now.”
She nodded. “I suppose it is.”
He stared at her a moment as if trying to come to a decision, then jerked his head. “Come on. I want to show you something.”
He moved around the side of the building, and she followed. Instead of moving toward the terrace, like she’d expected, he moved off toward the adjacent vacant land. It was part field, part wild bushes, and part overgrown underbrush. They walked through the knee-high grass some distance until they got to a tree line where he stopped beside a fallen log.
“See this?”
She nodded, wondering why in the world he’d bring her out here to show her a log.
He knelt down, dug around under some brush, and came up with what looked like a canvas backpack. Flipping it open, he pulled out a 9mm.
“Its got a full magazine. All you have to do is take the safety off. Aim and shoot.”
She glanced around. “You think they’ll come here?”
“Maybe.”
She knew he was being honest with her, giving it to her straight, but that honesty was doing nothing to reassure her.
“They do, and something happens…in a way where I can’t help you, you get out and get here.”
She understood what that hesitation in his explanation meant. That ‘something’ being something happening to him, as in them killing him.
“Ghost—”
“They come, they’ll have to go through me, Jess. But I want you prepared. Just in case you’re on your own.”
She looked down at the gun in his hand and hugged herself. She couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to him.
“Blood already taught you how to shoot it, right?”
She nodded.
“I wasn’t too happy about that. Now, I’m glad. He’s a smart man. Guess he saw this coming.”
She glanced around as the wind whipped her hair in her face. She didn’t want to talk about Blood, or her shooting lesson, or how smart the man was. She wanted to know about a gun in a bag in a field. “Why is it hidden out here?”
“Rally point.”
“What?”
“We get separated and you make it out, you come here, get the gun and run if you can. If you can’t, you shoot the shit out of whatever comes after you.”
“Please stop talking.” She closed her eyes.
“Not sayin’ this shit to panic you. Sayin’ it cause it might come to that. If it does, you’ve got a plan.” He was silent for a moment. “Jess, look at me.”
She shook her head.
“Jess.”
She opened her eyes.
“You understand?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“Good.” He put the gun back, stood and strode the three steps that separated them.
She looked up at him. “I’m sorry about before, about not trusting you enough to tell you everything. I was ashamed, Ghost. And now I’ve brought all this trouble.”
His hand came up and cupped the side of her face, his thumb stroking over her cheekbone. “We done fighting?”
She nodded, and his head dipped down for a kiss. She went up on her toes, meeting him half way. And then suddenly they were clinging to each other, standing in the scrub, crickets sounding all around them, and none of it existed, nothing but this man. This man who’d always been there for her when she needed him most, and it scared her to death to think of the possibility that that may not always be the case.
She broke from the kiss and hugged him tight. “I’m scared, Ghost.”
He rubbed her back, murmuring in her ear, “I know you are, baby. Couple more days, this’ll all be over. I promise.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Undertaker stood in Ghost’s living room and shoved a white dress shirt at Shades. “Here, put this on.”
“Why the fuck would I put this on, old man?”
“Cause he fucking told you to,” Blood said, stepping forward.
Shades’ eyes moved between Skylar’s father, and his right hand man. “What, is it picture day or something?”
Ghost fought a grin at Shades’ joke, and he took in Undertaker’s expression. The man looked like he was about to crack. He’d told the men what they were all there for, and warned them all that they’d better not do anything to fuck this up. Now he looked like he was the one they had to worry about blowing it.
Ghost knew he had to think of something quick, so he blurted out the only thing he could think of.
“I’m gonna marry Jessie.”
The men all turned to stare at him. Undertaker finally broke the dead silence that followed that announcement, as he played along, apparently grateful to be off the hook for an explanation in this play act they were all putting on.
“Yeah, he’s marrying Jessie, and you’re the best man, so shut up and put this on,” Undertaker insisted.
“Damn, bro. You serious?” Shades turned, frowning at Ghost.
“Yeah, I am.”
“Well, why didn’t you say so you big secretive bastard!” Shades shrugged out of his cut and slipped the white shirt on, then put his cut back on.
Ghost dragged him to the courtyard, where he watched Shades’ eyes take in the decorations.
“Damn, when’d you do all this?”
“Never mind that now, just shut up and stand here with me,” Gh
ost grumbled, pulling Shades to the altar. They waited while everyone took their seats.
Ghost’s eyes connected with Tink’s at the back of the aisle, and he gave her a slight nod. She nodded back, and disappeared out of sight.
***
Shades glanced at the minister standing at the altar as some recorded music began to play, and he leaned to Ghost’s ear. “Think it through, bro. You sure you want to do this? Last chance to run for the hills.”
“I’m sure.”
Shades tried one last attempt. “Call me old fashioned, but what’s wrong with living in sin?”
“Remind me later today that you said that,” Ghost tried to hold back his grin.
“Maybe there’s a very small chance you aren’t about to make the biggest mistake of your life,” Shades continued teasing.
“You’re right. I changed my mind.” Ghost changed places with Shades, shoving him forward.
“Dude, I was just giving you hell,” Shades tried to apologize. “I like Jessie. Hell, marry the girl if that’s what you want.”
The strains of The Wedding March began to play and everyone stood. Shades turned to look and saw Skylar standing at the end of the aisle. She was dressed in a long white wedding gown, a small bouquet of flowers in one hand and the other tucked in Undertakers arm. She looked beautiful, and his mouth dropped open.
“Close your mouth, bro,” Ghost said under his breath to him.
“You know about this, asshole?” Shades whispered back, his stomach dropping to the floor.
“Found out about fifteen minutes ago.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“Just breathe, buddy. You got this.”
She came down the aisle on Undertaker’s arm. And Goddamn if she wasn’t the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. She practically floated with the most radiant smile on her face.
“Surprise, baby,” she whispered as they stopped in front of him.
He nodded, huffing out a laugh. “Yeah, I’ll say.” Then he sobered. “You look gorgeous, Sky.”
“Gorgeous enough to marry me, Shades?”
Undertaker glared at him. “Only one acceptable answer to that, son.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The ceremony was a blur. He remembered the minister asking him for a ring, and he’d looked at the man stupidly, with the panicked thought running through his head that crap, he had no wedding band to put on her finger, until Ghost had tapped his shoulder and extended a plain gold band to him.
Fuck, they’d thought of everything.
He took it, turning to smile at his best friend.
“Thanks, Brother.”
Ghost grinned big. “Anytime.”
After their first kiss, they pulled apart and Skylar stared up at him, grinning big. He’d do anything to make her happy, and apparently he’d just made her very happy. The woman was just full of surprises. Then she pulled his head down and surprised him even more when she whispered in his ear.
“Husband?”
“Yes, wife?” he whispered back, grinning.
“I’m pregnant.”
He pulled back staring at her with what he was sure was a stupid expression on his face.
“Are you shittin’ me?”
That was about as uncouth as he could get, but he was kind of at a loss and couldn’t be held responsible for anything that came out of his mouth right now.
She nodded, grinning.
Jesus Christ, could this life get any better? Then he hugged her, lifting her clear off the ground and whispered back, “I love you, wife.”
When he set her down, he turned to the crowd and hollered, “We’re havin’ a baby.”
A resounding cheer went up, and then Ghost was there, pounding him on the back. But the best part of all of it was the way Undertaker’s face turned white as a sheet at his announcement.
Shades burst out laughing, happier than he’d ever been.
***
Ghost was leaning his elbows on the railing of the porch that overlooked the terrace, watching the party below. The girls were dancing together, while his brothers were all drinking. Several prospects were posted around the edge of the property, standing guard.
His eyes lifted to a plane landing in the distance, the horizon a gorgeous midnight blue in the background as the last streaks of sunset faded.
He turned his head as Skylar stepped next to him.
“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered, taking in the view.
He smiled at her. “It’s you who’s beautiful tonight, Hotrod.”
She grinned at the nickname he’d always teased her with. Then her eyes fell to Jessie, and Ghost’s eyes followed.
“You two work everything out?”
He took a sip of his drink. “For the most part.”
She frowned, apparently not satisfied with that answer. “Which part’s not worked out yet?”
He shook his head.
“I’m not going to push you to tell me what it is, but whatever it is, you need to have a conversation with her about it.”
He turned his head to glance over at her. “When I do, it’ll all go to shit.”
“And if you don’t tell her, it’ll all go to shit.”
Fuck.
His eyes returned to the horizon.
“Ghost, you once had a conversation with me about what it took to be an ol’ lady, remember? Back when Shades and I were struggling to work things out.”
He smiled. “Yeah, I remember, Hotrod.”
“Is that what this is about? That you don’t think she has what it takes.”
He shook his head. “No, that’s not it at all.”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
She stayed silent, which made him eventually fill the silence. “There’s something from my past. Something she doesn’t know about. Once I tell her…I’m afraid she’ll never look at me the same.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But you owe it to her to come clean. Only way this works, right?”
He turned to her, bumping her shoulder with his. “When did you get so smart?”
She bumped his shoulder back. “I had a good mentor.”
“Is that what I was?”
“Friend?”
“Always.” He pulled her into his arms. “Come here, girl.”
She went, her head resting against his chest as his arms enfolded her.
“Have some faith, Ghost,” she whispered. When he didn’t respond, she said, “Promise me you’ll tell her.”
He replied, his voice soft at her temple. “I promise.”
“Hey, you tryin’ to steal my woman again?” Shades asked, coming up the stairs.
“Always,” Ghost replied winking down at her.
Skylar laughed, pressed a kiss to his cheek, and then went smiling into her husband’s arms.
***
As the party wound down, and the cake was cut, and the garter thrown, Skylar took one last minute to speak with Jessie before she and Shades made their exit.
She found her in the courtyard, alone and looking up at the pretty lights.
Skylar walked up and hugged her, looking up at all the work that had gone into the decorations. “Thank you so much for doing all this for us. Everything was so beautiful.”
Jessie hugged her back. “You’re welcome. You were a beautiful bride.”
Skylar grinned. “Thank you.” Then she studied Jessie’s eyes. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.”
Skylar reached up and brushed a lock of hair back from Jessie’s face. “Everything between you and Ghost okay? You work everything out?”
Jessie shrugged. “It will take some time for him to trust me again. I’m working on it.”
Skylar nodded, searching her eyes. “Can I tell you something? A little advice about Ghost?”
Jessie smiled. “Sure. Apparently, I could use all the help I can get.”
Skylar laughed. “Funny how we see others problems so clearly, and yet we can’t see our own, isn’t it?”
“I suppose.”
Skylar put her hand on her arm. “Ghost is a good man.”
“I know that.”
She nodded. “I know you do. I just want you to remember that. With this life these men we love lead, things come up, things happen. Sometimes they want to talk about it, sometimes they don’t. But I just want you to remember, if there ever comes a time where he needs to confess something to you, something he’s done, just remember the man he is. He loves you. If he makes a mistake, if he pisses you off, just remember to give him the chance to explain. Hear him out before you make any snap decisions. Okay?”
Jessie frowned at her, not quite sure if there was something specific that Skylar knew about and was trying to warn her, or if she was just speaking in general about being a woman in love with a man in the life of an MC.
“I will,” Jessie promised.
Skylar smiled. “Good. Now its time for me to go find my husband and take him home to bed.”
Jessie grinned. “I’m sure it won’t take too much convincing on your part.”
Skylar waggled her brows. “I’ll probably just have to look at him that certain way, if you know what I mean.”
Both girls giggled.
***
Ghost’s brothers partied until the wee hours, but eventually he and Jessie said goodbye to the last of their guests.
They walked back out onto the terrace, and Ghost collapsed into a lawn chair. When Jessie began picking up discarded plastic cups, he caught her wrist and pulled her down onto his lap.
“Ghost, the mess—”
“Leave it, brat. I’ll have the prospects come clean it up tomorrow.” He reached up and brushed the hair back from her face. “Did I tell you how beautiful you are tonight?”
She grinned. “Once or twice.”
His hand moved to her hip, squeezing, his gaze on the cleavage he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off all night. “Where’d you get the dress?”
She looked down, fingering the flounce. “Tink loaned it to me.”
He nodded. “I need to buy you some of your own.”
She shrugged. “I don’t really have a place to wear them.”