Page 8 of Ghost

“Touch me?” I turn away from her, hoping the warmth crawling my entire body isn’t obvious. “He got me my coffee mug off the top shelf. That’s it.”

“The man is tall. He could have reached it without feeling up your ass.”

I roll my eyes and pour myself a cup of coffee. “He wasn’t feeling up my ass. He was helping me out.”

“Sure he was.” Reina grins, following me out of the kitchen when I try to escape her interrogation. “So you’re running from the question now?”

“I answered your question. It was nothing.” I shrug. “If it was Venom doing me a favor, then yes, I’d say he’s trying to get some, but this is Ghost we’re talking about.”

“True,” Reina agrees, and part of me hates it. “When do you think he’s gonna drop the whole celibacy thing? It can’t last forever. Did I tell you I wore that red dress around him last week, and he didn’t even look at me?”

“Since when are you interested in Ghost?” And why does the thought of that make my entire body light up with rage?

“I’m not.” She watches me sink into the couch. “I was just curious what he would do about it since none of the other guys can seem to resist a short red skirt.”

Rolling my eyes, I pick up a textbook. “It’s not a game to him, Reina. You can’t break him by teasing him with your ass.”

She smirks. “Clearly, or you’d have done that by now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Come on, Luna. I see how you walk around here in your T-shirts that barely cover your ass.” She narrows her eyes. “I’m not the only one trying to see what will break him.”

“I wear leggings under them… most of the time.”

“Most of the time. Exactly.” She grins. “Who knows, maybe someday it will work.”

“That would require him to notice.”

“Oh, he notices.”

“Says who?”

“You’re kidding, right?” She hitches an eyebrow.

But right as I’m about to ask what she’s seen, Havoc walks into the room, catching her attention.

“Gotta run.” She darts off after Havoc, and I watch her go.

Across the room, Ghost is finishing a conversation with Soul. They clink beers, and then he makes his way outside to the patio. He drops into a chair that is directly in front of me but angled so I can’t see him straight on.

His strong jaw glows with the flicker of flames from the firepit as he pulls out his phone. And I’m not sure how long I’ve been staring when he glances over at me.

Immediately, I look away.

The last thing I need is him thinking I’m obsessed and can’t keep my eyes off him. It’s not true.

At least, not always.

Turning my attention to my textbook, I try to focus on the page and not the tattooed biker sitting across the club. But when Steel steps into the room and the guys all cheer for him, it draws my attention.

I watch Steel say hello as he walks through the crowd, meeting Ghost outside and sitting in the chair beside him. They fall into conversation, and I watch as it slowly turns from friendly to tense.

Something is wrong.

I think I’m imagining it until Ghost hands Steel his phone, and they both glance over at me. For the first time in a year, I feel seen by Ghost, and something tells me that right now, it’s not a good thing.

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