Page 43 of Ghost

“They took me to a barn and chained me to a table.”She sniffed.

Realization hit him like a bat to the head.He’d chained her up.Not once, but twice.Guilt pulled at his chest.

“I was so scared.They left me like that for hours.All I could think about was my mom...how worried she’d be when I didn’t show up at the diner.When they started looking for me.”Her voice became soft, pained.Her eyes watered.

He placed his hand on her knee.“Take your time, Mila.”

She inhaled a sharp breath through her lips.“It’s weird.I blocked out so many things.Just did what I had to do to survive.But since I’ve been here, it’s all come back to me.”

“You mean your kidnappers?You remember them?”

She tucked in a corner of her mouth.“Oh, I never forgot them.”Disdain clung to her statement.“I meant my mother.My family.I was forced to forget about them.They told me—” Tears rushed down her cheeks.“After I tried to run away, they told me they’d kill my family if I attempted to escape again.”

Fury made his vision flicker.He swiped his thumb over her cheek, shuffling closer.

“I ran away one night a year after my kidnapping.I flagged down a car, and they killed the old people who pulled over to help me.Shot them both.Right in front of me.”

Ghost smothered the inferno blazing inside him.It’d been years since he yearned to kill.Since he fucking craved it.But now the desire roared within him with a vengeance.

“I’m so sorry, Mila.You never should have seen that.”

She nodded slowly.“I know.”

“Who did it, honey?Who took you?”He didn’t hide the strain in his voice.Couldn’t if he tried.

She met his gaze.“My dance teacher.”

CHAPTER 13

Ghost jerked backhis head.“What?”

She smirked wryly.“Usually when children are kidnapped it’s by someone close to them and their family.Did you know that?”

Saying the words made her want to spit them out.The evil lurking in the world, the grooming of children—it was sick.As a dancer, she’d never once felt unsafe near Irinia.Wouldn’t have believed the truth about her until she’d been taken.

Ghost leaned forward, disbelief etched in his face.“Holy shit.I can’t believe they got away with it.”

“I can.”

His long, brawny fingers reached for her hand.“What do you mean?”

She’d told him so much.Probably more than she was ready for.How could she tell him that she’d been a child spy?That they’d taught her to kill?He looked at her with pity now.What would he think if he knew she’d murdered a man when she was only thirteen years old?

He’d think exactly what he should.That she was a monster.Soulless.

Tears misted her eyes.She pulled her hand out from beneath his and picked up her tea.Using the spoon sitting in the mug, she stirred.“I should call Neo now,” she said, ignoring his question.

She glanced toward the window that overlooked the side of the yard.The snow was coming down fast and hard.“Maybe I can call him in the car.If we leave too late, we might get stranded.”

Ghost moved into her space, his elbow on his knee and his face so close to hers she had no choice but to look into his bottomless gray eyes.“We’re not going anywhere.”

Her eyes widened.“You said you’d take me home.”

“That’s right,” he said, nodding.“I will.But we’re getting a huge storm, and it’s already started.There’s no way we’ll make it through the mountains.”

A panicky sensation made her skin prickle.Earlier, she’d wanted to stay in this blissful piece of paradise so far from reality and the choices she’d soon have to make.Now, she felt as though the walls were closing in.

Ghost had been nothing but kind and gentle since asking about her kidnapping, but that didn’t mean he’d be satisfied with ending the conversation here.“Will it let up by morning?”