Page 104 of Ghost

Wes sputtered and dropped to his knees in a coughing fit.When the other man lunged for her, she leapt to the side and kicked him in the junk.He buckled, but his hand swept around her calf.Her body slammed hard into the earth, and her head smacked off the side of the barn.

Stars blipped in front of her vision.Rough fingers sank into her hair, hauling her to her feet.Before she could swing at Wes, the other man pulled out a gun and aimed it at her face.

“Move,” he snarled.

Wes jerked back her head.“Give us a reason to shoot you.I dare ya.”

She didn’t give any indication she’d fight.

Wes spun her toward the open door.Each step was like a nail in her coffin.Boris would be here soon, and that idea terrified her more than that of a bullet driving through the back of her head.

“Don’t tell Irinia about this, Paul,” Wes grumbled over the music.“She’ll be pissed the bitch almost got away.”

Paul grunted.“Don’t mark her up more and we won’t have anything to explain.”

They got closer to the far side of the barn.The bass vibrated the ground.The bright lights were waiting to torture her.

While still holding her hair with one hand, Wes dug his other hand into her bicep.She’d dropped the hammer, but she still had the screwdriver at the back of her pants.The handle dug into her spine, promising retribution.

Mila inched her hand around her back as sharp determination recharged her senses.

“Grab the chains,” Wes shouted, over the raging instruments.

***

A sense ofdoom covered Ghost like a soaked fleece blanket.“Pull over,” he told Rami.

They’d reached the area where the cell tower had picked up Nick’s phone.By now, they should’ve heard from Taschen with an update.

Rami coasted to the side of the road, stopped, and shifted into park.“What’s up?”

Ghost pushed open the door and stomped onto the gravel.The sun would rise in the next hour or so.The cold air whipped against his skin, but he welcomed the brutal wind.

Needed the harsh slap to ground him because right now, he was on the verge of losing his damn mind.He stalked along the shoulder of the road, dragging both hands over his face.He heard the guys get out of the vehicle but didn’t slow down.

Mila.

Christ.He’d let her down.Endangered her.He should’ve fucking taken care of Irinia immediately.He hadn’t expected they’d come for her, especially so soon.

Ring,ring

Ghost spun around to see Rami pulling his phone from his pocket.He looked up at Ghost.“It’s Taschen.”

Ghost retraced his steps as Rami answered.“Hey.You’re on speaker.”

Ghost stopped next to his friends.Rami held the phone between them.Zain stood close with his arms crossed.

“I’ve got a lead,” Taschen said.

“What is it?”Ghost barked.Anticipation fissured through him like a termite through wood.

“Not concrete.But there’s a property not far from Carnation that was recently for rent.Looks like it’s occupied now.A small farmhouse on twenty acres with a barn.I dunno though.Seems like a weird place to hold someone.”

A barn.

“That’s it,” Ghost said.

Zain’s eyebrows bounced.“How do you know?”