“So, how do we do this, then?”
“There’s a man in there, who I want to speak to before we kill them all,” I explain.
“Who is it?” Cove piques in from behind.
“The boss.”
“Do you have his name?” Keith asks, his voice getting closer as he moves quicker.
I hum. “Blake Williams. Trust me, you’ll know who he is the moment you spot him. He has that arrogance around him, it’s impossible to miss.”
“Alright,” Aria cracks her knuckles, then straightens her posture. Her hand rests on her pocket, right where the small gun is hidden. “Let’s get this over with, I want to return to the hospital.”
“Be safe, and don’t die. If you die, I’ll seriously kill you.”
Aria laughs.
It’s the first time I’ve heard her laugh in weeks. It’s a genuine kind of laugh, that merely slipped her lips before she even realized it. Something in my chest warms at the sight, her eyes twinkling underneath the moonlight. This is when I realize that no matter what happens to Mom, the two of us will be okay.
We have to be.
The establishment in front of us is an old bar. From the research I’ve done, it was built back in the 1920s, and it’s been passed down to a singular family — the very same Blake has managed to scare off. I push the door open, taking a step inside. Immediately, I’m hit with the smell of cigarettes, and whiskey. The lights are dimmed, and I can barely see people from the massive cloud of smoke that fills the interior of the bar. It’s not massive, but it’s definitely not small, either. There are at least ten tables, with a spot reserved for dancing. The bar is to my right, and immediately, a frown etches on my face.
The girl working behind the bar is wearing barely anything, a shirt that doesn’t cover her properly, and a pair of shorts that could easily be mistaken for underwear. The biggest issue is that she definitely doesn’t look old enough to be working here. In fact, she barely looks over fifteen, if that.
“Aria,” I mutter, and her attention snaps to me. “Figure out how old that girl is. If she’s underage, get her the hell out of here before we start this.”
Aria nods. “Got it.”
Immediately, she strides toward the bar, taking a seat on the high stool. If my little sister is good at anything, it’s befriending people. She throws on a wide smile, and there’s an instant spark between her and the bartender. She’s keeping her engaged in the conversation, and that’s the perfect start. My eyes move from Aria, glancing around. There’s one table at the far end of the bar, in the corner. There are a couple of girls there, all giggling and laughing, with one, buff man sitting in the middle of them all.
Blake.
He’s in his late thirties, and although the bastard isn’t terrible to look at, the way he’s glancing at those girls makes my stomach churn in disgust. He definitely deserves whatever happens to him tonight.
“You two go scout everything out. The moment Aria takes the girl out, we make our move.”
Cove and Keith nod, and that’s the last time I glance at them. I make my way through the bar, approaching the booth where Blake is with measured, careful steps. As I suspected, there are no cameras inside, meaning, I have no reason to hide. He’ll be one of the rare people who will see the Ghost’s face before he dies.
How fantastic.
“Blake Williams,” I greet, keeping my voice loud enough so he can hear me over the music.
His eyes drift from the girl on his arm to me, his brow raising. He takes a big drag of the cigarette between his fingers, blowing it out, before putting the cigarette in the ashtray. Hisgaze is scrutinizing, he tries to assert dominance with his gaze, too bad it doesn’t work on me.
“And who might you be?”
“Haven’t you heard?” I chuckle, then slowly take the hood off. “I’m the nightmare that’s been terrorizing New York.”
“You’re the Ghost.”
“And I’m about to haunt you.”
He chuckles, but there’s no humor in the sound. His eyes are filled with unease, and it’s not quite fear. However, the unease is enough for him to focus entirely on me. With a flick of his wrist, he dismisses all the girls around him, and in a blink of an eye, we’re left all alone, and his eyes don’t leave mine.
“I don’t think I’ve done anything to warrant a visit from you, have I?”
I chuckle. “You know that you sent your men to my part of the city?? You know what makes matters even worse? Those drugs you had them try to steal aren’t mine. They’re Tsar’s.”
