Page 23 of Ghost

Seeing her out of it, barely conscious and with tear-soaked cheeks, had fucking paralyzed him.Her state had been his doing.

Mila.

Her eyes had gone soft and doe-like when he said the name.But surely it was also fake.She was a master manipulator.He’d offered an olive branch and she’d spat on it.She wouldn’t work with him.Wouldn’t even attempt to prove her story.

He yanked his phone from his pocket and dialed Zain.He couldn’t deal with Taschen’s and Brick’s ribbing right now, and Rami would probably press him for shit he wasn’t ready to talk about—like why the hell he was letting this conniving vixen beneath his skin.

Zain answered on the third ring.“Hello?”

“Hey.I need a favor.”

“Nope,” Zain ground out.It sounded as if he were in a bar or restaurant.“I’m not doing your dirty work.”

“I’ve got it handled.”Okay, that was a blatant lie, but Zain didn’t need to know how royally he’d screwed shit up.

“Then what?’Cause Dana and I are out for dinner.”Zain and Dana, Taschen’s sister, had recently become engaged.While that was a little fucking weird considering Dana also worked for Backcountry, the two of them had been inseparable since Dana brought him—and a lot more drama—home from Afghanistan.But Dana was sweet as hell, and as much as he hated to admit it, Zain deserved some happiness.Even if Ghost wanted to deck him several times a week.

Ghost rocked his jaw.“Never mind.I’ll call Rami.”

“Nah, it’s fine.Just make it quick.What do you need?”

Sighing, he paced the kitchen.“The woman mentioned a vehicle near my place.She said a block, but could be more.I need you to find it.”

He chuckled.“Okay.Got any more information on that vehicle?There’s probably a hundred in that vicinity.”

“Her alias is Anna Yorke.I’m sure it wouldn’t take long to find any vehicles registered under her name.Find the car, get her personal items out of it, and search for any other signs of who she is.”

“You still don’t know her real name?”Zain asked incredulously.

“If you want a go at it, come on over.”

Zain guffawed.“No, thanks.I’ll let you have all the fun.All right.We’ll look for the car when dinner’s done.Check in with you later.”

“’Kay.”He disconnected and dropped his phone to the table.

What the hell was he going to do now?It was too early to go to bed, and he’d already told Anna or Mila or whatever her name was that he’d see her tomorrow.He couldn’t go back without looking like the goddamn marshmallow he was turning into.

Earlier, he’d gone out for groceries.All he could do was eat and try not to think about her...while also monitoring her so she didn’t attempt another escape.Now that he’d stupidly given her hydration and something for pain, she’d have more stamina.

The wind howled.He glanced outside to see big snowflakes falling from the sky.He pulled up the weather app.Great.Snow was expected throughout the evening, and then the temperature would drop.As if it weren’t cold enough.

Guilt fissured through him.

No, he had to follow through.A little chill and a hungry stomach could go a long way.He’d rather that than picking off her fingernails or other twisted shit to get her to talk.And if he could buy some time, then maybe Rami’s or Zain’s search would come through.

Once he knew more about her, he’d have leverage.

He grabbed a frying pan and took out a pack of steaks from the freezer.He threw a baked potato in the oven before cooking the meat.

Normally he’d save the second steak for another time, but god help him, he cooked it too.As if he planned to feed another mouth.

Fuck.

***

Nineteen Years Earlier

Mila sat atthe same table.The one she’d sat at one year ago.The day she’d been taken.She hadn’t slept the previous night.All she could think about was that poor old couple Boris had shot.