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R eaching behind me to grab my shirt, I yanked it over my head leaving my tattooed body on display.

Covered in tattoos from my neck to my feet, I flexed, the anticipation of what I was doing settling in. I needed to keep my head to play a little bit. At this rate I was going to shove her back onto one of her pretty displays and fuck her senseless. That was a part of the plan though.

Taking the mask from my bag that I’d placed by the signing table, I pulled it over my head, making sure it was in place.

Waverly was going to be in for the shock of her life when she realized G. Barlowe wasn’t just the dark romance author she’d come to know and love, but also the masked content creator, Callsign GhostX as well.

Tucking my gun back into the waistband of my pants, for aesthetic purposes of course, I swiped on my phone to watch her in her office, typing out some emails, oblivious to what was happening in her store. Smirking under the cloth covering my face, thrill raced through me.

She’d fight it at first. Deny she wanted this. But I knew her. I was in her head. I had created her darkest fantasies on paper to gauge what she wanted and desired. Now I was going to give it to her.

I watched her close her laptop, rubbing her hands over her face before she glanced at the book I’d signed earlier today. She’d been a good girl. She hadn’t read what I’d written. I would’ve definitely known if she had.

She was done waiting though.

And so was I.

I watched her eyes find the doorway to her office as she grabbed the book, my pulse suddenly thundering in my ears at the anticipation as she opened it. Flipping the few pages to where I’d signed it, I watched her start reading. I saw the second she got to the revelation. Her body tensing, her eyes scanning the words, reading them again and again.

I watched her stand, pushing her chair back as she flipped a few pages ahead and behind. But nothing else was written. Waverly read the words I’d written three more times, tracing the words with her fingers like it would change what laid on the page.

“Come on, little muse.” I growled out loud to myself, my body tense and ready to play. “Make the right decision.”

Watching her chest rise and fall with a deep breath, her shaky hands placed the book back on the desk. She seemed to be muttering something to herself. Probably psyching herself up. Trying to take in the second surprise of the day.

Little muse, I’d written.

Finally meeting you in person is amazing. I know it was surprising to find G. Barlowe was a man, but I feel like we’ve connected this last year. You, Waverly, inspire me. You are the muse for my book from the time we first spoke onward. I know what you want. I know what you need. And if you make the right decision, I can give it all to you. I knew it from the first time I saw you that we were meant to be together.

Come out, come out, wherever you are, little muse.

G. Barlowe/GhostX

My girl knew I wasn’t just G. Barlowe now. I was GhostX as well. I was the man she flirted with every single day. Brave behind her keyboard she would say the naughtiest things to me.

Now it was time to back it up.

Moving into a darkened corner of the store where she couldn’t see me, I watched her exiting the office. Being a good girl and making the right choice, coming to me, answering my unspoken call. Turning the phone off and sliding it in my pocket, I stood against the wall, my body wrought with need and anticipation. The thrill of the chase.

I heard her footsteps nearing the store front, and saw the minute she came into view. The way her breath came in pants. Sure, she was a little scared, caught off guard, but I knew she wanted this. Craved and needed it. I watched her eyes scan the store, brows furrowing at my disappearance as she let out a shaky breath.

Her eyes closed, hands clenching at her sides, and I growled softly. She was my prey, walking right into my trap, hesitant but willing.

“Garrett…” she whispered softly, shakily. But her voice was huskier than it had been all day. This was turning her on. I tilted my head, trying to decide how I wanted to play this. Moving behind the bookshelves close to the corner I was hiding in, I knew she still couldn’t see me in the darkened room.

“Little muse…” I taunted, watching her body tense at the sound, head jerking to where my voice was coming from.

“What are you doing? Is this some kind of joke? Are you filming this?” she huffed out a laugh, trying to play this off, even as her eyes darted around searching. I watched them catch on the door, watched her contemplate running, then saw the moment she fucking gave in to the game we were playing. My body roared in triumph.

“I think you know what I’m doing, Waverly.” I growled again. “I’m giving you what you crave. What you need. What you inspire me to provide you. Each page of that book I wrote was you and me.” I’m practically panting with need, trying to keep my voice steady. “I’m going to bring it to life for you, little muse. If I get my hands on you…”

I watch her breathing pick up as I walk around the end of the bookshelf and she finally takes me in as GhostX. Live in the flesh. Not on screen. Not able to hide behind her keyboard, sassing, talking a big game.

Her eyes drank me in like I was water and she was in a desert, her pulse was pounding in her throat.

“If I get my hands on you…I’m going to fuck you.” I finish, tilting my head predatorily.

She scoffed, like I was joking.

The brat .

“Garrett…”

“Ghost…” I interrupted.

Her eyes flashed to mine and I briefly saw defiance in them. Craved her to push it.

“Ghost,” she corrected herself, rolling her eyes.

She’d be rolling them for an entirely different reason in a minute.

“We just met.” She finished, like that ended everything here and now. I barked out a laugh.

“We’ve known each other for over a year and I know the things that make you wet.” I snapped, my control breaking. “I know your darkest fantasies. I know what you crave. Things that I know no one has ever given you. I’ve created this for you. I won’t stop until I show you it’s real. This is real. I want you, little muse. And I’m going to have you. You’re going to try to fight it, but you want it. You and I both know that.”

Her breathing was audible now, as I took a step forward and she automatically stepped back. I smirked although she couldn’t see it. I watched her eyes scan me from top to bottom, taking every inch of me in, as they darkened with a heat she couldn’t deny.

“Are you going to play nice?” I growled.

“Are you?” she quipped, cocking her head sassily with her hand on her hip.

“No.”

Her pupils dilated and I saw her move before she thought about it. Turning to duck away and take off towards the back of the store.

My strides were longer, and I covered the distance before she’d taken a handful, my tattooed hand shot out, grabbing the back of her dress and yanking her back into me as she gasped. Her back hit my chest as my arm banded around her waist in a firm, unyielding grip.

Reaching behind me, I pulled my gun out, making sure she saw it as I laid it on the display table behind her. She knew I wasn’t going to hurt her, but she did know that I knew that the thought of it, the uncertainty, turned her on. I felt her breathing pick up under my arm and she started shaking.

I moved my cloth covered face up her neck to her jaw, deeply breathing in her scent. Her arousal and the slight trepidation. The curvy body I held in my hands was trembling, but my girl wasn’t scared.

My other hand found her neck, tilting her head up until her eyes found mine, her pupils blown wide.

“You look so pretty when you’re trying to tell yourself you don’t want this.” I growled. “I had to spend my day watching you flit around this store talking to everyone, even other fucking men. All I wanted to do was kick everyone the fuck out and throw you on that signing table. Fuck signing and marking your book. I wanted to mark you. Permanently. Mine.”

Waverly whimpered at my words as I continued teasing her skin with my lips through the mask, my hand flexing on her throat as my other one drifted lower, seeking the heat between her legs. Even through her dress and panties I could feel her heat.

“Don’t act like you don’t want this.” I spoke against her neck. “You and I both know what makes you wet.”

Watching her cheeks and neck flush with a combination of desire and embarrassment was intoxicating. Tugging her dress up and kicking her legs apart, my hand finally met her with less barrier.

Fucking soaked. Even through her panties, she was dripping. Pressing in I used the damp fabric as friction rubbing as her hips jerked to meet my touch.

“We just met,” I growled mockingly against her ear as my other hand still held her throat, “but your body knows me. Wants me. Needs me.” I pressed my fingers harder, rubbing her clit in fast circles.

“Fuck,” her voice was shaking as her eyes fluttered shut and I tightened my grip on her throat.

“Open those pretty fucking eyes and look at me when I’m touching you.” I ordered.

Her brown eyes opened, meeting mine, begging.

“Tell me what you want,” I panted as I continued my assault on her clit, where she was throbbing for me. I was going to make her say it, even if I knew what she fucking liked.

I watched Waverly fight it, even as her hips were rocking against my fingers, and I stilled my motions. Simply pressing into her with a firm grip instead of providing the friction she needed.

I jerked her head up at a sharper angle and squeezed her neck harder.

“Tell. Me. What. You. Fucking. Want .” I ordered her.

“I want you to fuck me.” she admitted, before her mind caught up to the words, her eyes widening.

“Yeah, you fucking do.” I said, pulling at the wet fabric between her legs until it gave, ripping open and exposing her flesh to my fingers. The calloused tips of them finally met her soaked center and I groaned at the contact. The evidence of how much she wanted this.

I zeroed in on her swollen clit again, pinching it as she cried out and bucked against me.

Turning her to face me as she whimpered in protest, I picked her up under her thighs, slamming her down onto the display table, the metal sound of my gun rattling, books rustling and merchandise flying, everything crashing to the floor in the silence of the store. I yanked the top of her dress down exposing her heaving chest.

Sliding my mask up beneath my nose I bent forward placing open-mouthed kisses down her neck to her cleavage, biting and sucking, marking and claiming. I reached up, yanking the lace covering her breasts down below them using the cups to keep them lifted.

My lips found one of her hardened nipples, my teeth clamping down as she bucked up into me.