Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 38381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38381 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 154(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
I finally find enough rational thought to go to her, dropping to the floor, carefully pulling her into me. “Shh…” I hum.
That’s when my beautiful, strong, brave woman lets out her tears. “He killed my brother, Ghost. He killed my Teddy.” Sobs rack her beautiful body as she clings to me, and I wish I could absorb every ounce of her pain.
“It’s okay, Tiger. You’re okay,” I croon as Ivan and his brothers appear at the doorway, taking everything in. They all three look at me and I nod slightly before burying my head in the curve of my woman’s neck. “I love you, Lennox. You’re okay. I love you. I’m never letting you go.”
“Promise,” she hiccups.
“I promise. I’m right here with you. I’m never leaving.”
“I love you, Ghost. I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she responds, her tears slowing some as she holds onto me. I rock her back and forth even as I hear sirens in the background. Trusting E-Z to handle that, I do not let go of my woman.
Not now. Not ever.
Chapter 25
Ghost
I look up to see Lennox coming out of the bedroom wearing nothing but my T-shirt. My gut clenches. I came too close to losing her. Without her, I wouldn't be able to survive. I love this woman with everything in me. I thought I had been in love with Toi. My feelings for her ran deep. It might have grown into what I’m feeling now, but it was nowhere close at the time. Millie wasn’t even a blip on the radar. Lennox owns every single piece of me—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Babe, why are you out of bed?”
“I’m bored,” she huffs. “You had me spend all day yesterday in bed and you didn’t even give me dick.”
“Because you need to rest and take it easy. Having sex wouldn’t have let your body heal.”
“It would have made it feel better,” she grumbles. “I’m fine already. It has been two days since everything happened. I’m just a little sore—”
“That’s why I need you to rest.”
“I refuse to stay in bed any longer. You’ll just have to get over it, Ghosty.”
She walks to me and slides into my lap. I take her in my arms and hold her close, breathing in her sweet scent. “I just want to take care of you, Tiger,” I mumble into her ear.
“You already do that,” she replies, leaning on me as I pull back to kiss the top of her head.
“I’m not very good at my job, then. I came too fucking close to losing you and it’s because of a man I trusted to watch out for you,” I growl, still disgusted with myself. Hell, as it is, she still had to give a statement to the police. E-Z lied and said he was present during all of it and had been trying to get Iron to hand over the gun. E-Z even had the forethought to wipe the knife down that was in the other guy’s forehead and put his prints on them. He told the cops he was able to throw his knife and take the second gunman out. He went further, explaining that left him vulnerable and Lennox shot Iron because Iron was going to kill him. In this scenario, Lennox supposedly saved E-Z’s life. She’s a hero.
I owe the man. Because of his story, Lennox will have very little to do with the police investigation—especially since her gun was legally registered, and she had a license to carry. One of these days, I’ll ask her about that. In the grand scheme of things, however, it’s not that important right now.
“Hey! Stop beating yourself up. I’m no damsel in distress. I can take care of myself,” she responds, bringing my attention back to the here and now.
“Don’t I know it,” I laugh, though not of humor. Truth be told, I’m pissed that I didn’t realize Rage was a fucking liar. If it is any consolation, E-Z isn’t dealing with it much better. “Since you’re up, we do need to discuss what we’re going to do.”
“What we’re going to do? What do you mean?”
“I need to know where you’d like to move to?”
“Move?”
Her face is scrunched up adorably and I kiss her forehead. I don’t want her to worry. I’d prefer she not worry about anything ever again. “Yeah, Babe. We need to make some decisions. I know the club here holds to many bad memories for you. I’m not going to ask you to stay here. We can go anywhere you want. I do need to work. I have money saved up that will tide us over, but I don’t want you worrying about shit. Plus, I actually like working.”
“Ghost…”
“We could go back to Miami. Marcum already extended an offer. I spoke to him last night.”