Page 3 of Ghost

His mind worked at warp speed, already replaying his bugout plan.But first he needed her out of his room.

How the fuck did she get inside?

That burning question nearly blotted out his ability to think.He moved her through his dark halls.He didn’t turn on a light for two reasons.One, she could have backup waiting.If that was the case, they’d probably be moving in right fucking now since he’d turned on the lamp in the bedroom.Two, he wanted her scared.

Reaching the basement door, he gripped her elbow and then hauled her down next to him.She resisted.Twisting and turning, she tried to root her feet to the steps but he propelled her downward.Reaching the bottom, he pulled the string dangling from the ceiling.A single bulb illuminated the musty space.

He shoved her toward the wall.“Strip.”

That made her cold stare falter.“Fuck you.”

“Take off your clothes or I’ll do it for you.”First things first.He needed to remove any weapons on her person or devices she could be using to communicate with someone on the outside.

She didn’t comply.

He advanced, ready to rip that second skin off her lithe form and shove it down her throat.She turned out of his reach and grabbed the zipper beneath her neck.He stopped short and waited.

She kept her gaze—a silent “Fuck you”—fastened on him as she peeled the material from her arms then shimmied it down her legs.After pushing off her soft-soled running shoes, she pulled the suit over her bare feet.

A black sports bra and fitted black athletic shorts covered her.As he’d guessed, she was slim and toned.She balled up the bodysuit and threw it at him.He caught it with one hand, tossed it toward the steps, then moved closer to her.

Anger shot from her eyes and her breath hissed through her nose.Without touching her, he brought his chest into her space until her back pressed against the wall.Her watchful orbs raked over his face.He reached forward and moved his fingers into the center of her bra.

She slapped at his hands, fear striking her eyes for the first time.

“Relax,” he said.“I wouldn’t fuck you if you begged.”

Satisfied she didn’t have a hidden mic on her, he seized her wrist and spun her around.After setting his gun on the tool bench against the wall, he grabbed a zip tie and then secured her hands together.

He crossed the room, picked up a plastic folding chair, and slammed it against the wall with more force than necessary.“Sit.”

Picking up his gun and pointing it toward the ground, he fixed her with his focus.“Who hired you?”

Long, dark lashes blinked slowly.Lazily.As if she was annoyed by his presence.His temper racked up a notch as her lips stayed sealed.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

She worked her mouth as if holding back words.He fought to keep his eyes off her slim abdomen and the tiny indent of her navel.Raising his gaze only brought his eyes to her chest, where full breasts hid beneath black material.

There were a few ways he could start an interrogation.Once upon a time, he’d done this for a living.He could waterboard her, remove her fingernails.Shit like that would get her talking.But the idea of torturing her made hesitation worm around his spine.

Take the easy way.

He didn’t want to give attention to the voice in his head not wanting to inflict pain on her.“Last chance,” he warned.

Her blue eyes zeroed in on him.So clear and damn pretty but also...detached.He recognized disassociation.Thing he didn’t get was why someone who looked like her—beautiful in a raw, challenging way—carried the trait so well.

She hiked up her chin.The light caught her high, slanted cheekbones and part of him wondered about her heritage.“I don’t know who hired me.There’s a middleman—my handler—who sends me jobs.For this very reason.”

He locked his jaw.She could be telling the truth.He’d also had a handler when he took lives in exchange for cash, but there’d been times when a job was a personal request.Either way, he’d find out the truth.

And this woman was the key.

CHAPTER 2

Twenty Years Earlier

Her cheeks werestiff with dried tears.Mila sucked in a ragged breath, her mouth so parched it ached.She sat in a barn of some sort stocked with gym equipment.