Rook narrows his eyes at Ace, then reaches out and plucks a piece of straw from Ace’s tousled curls.
“What the hell have you been doing?”
“Playing with pussies,” Ace says, before taking a huge bite of his breakfast burrito. “They liked it, too.”
God, he’s so crude. But still, my mind flicks to images of what he might have been up to, and I shift a little in my seat. Whose pussy has he been playing with? He’s clearly been rolling around in the hay, quite literally. Is it dumb that I feel a little twinge of jealousy? If I’d given him different signals last night, it could have been me he was touching. No, what the hell am I thinking? It’s better if I don’t know. I’m the girl who hesitated to link arms with Rook, yet now I’m having fantasies about Ace touching me in a much more intimate way. These men are dangerous in more ways than one. Too many muscles, dimples, and testosterone. They’re far too tempting, and it’s making me lose my mind.
I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t be interested in me, anyway. There are plenty of gorgeous women around this place. Unlike me, they seem to be perfectly at ease around these men. They’re fun and flirty, and I bet theywon’t lie awake at night wondering if their worth has just evaporated all because some asshole decided to take things too far.
Ace leans into Rook again. “Ghost is staring at me,” he says out of the corner of his mouth. “I think he likes me. Don’t be jealous.”
Rook laughs. “He’s not staring at you. He’s staring at Camile.”
“He is?” Ace seems surprised and then annoyed. “Why?”
“Maybe he likes the look of her.”
“Iamhere,” I hiss at them both.
“Seriously, though, it’s most likely that Jack has told Ghost to keep an eye on things. You know he’s good at that.” Rook shrugs.
“Keep an eye on things, or keep an eye onCamile?” Ace raises one brow into a perfect, sardonic arch.
The pair chuckle together, and I glare at them. “Still here,” I point out. “Anyway, why do I need keeping an eye on?” Something occurs to me. “Does Jack still think Ledger is out there? That he might be looking for me?”
Surely Ledger wouldn’t be dumb enough to come onto a motorcycle club compound? And besides, I’m pretty sure that what happened last night was just a heat of the moment thing. He didn’t like that I’d turned him down, and he went way over the top with his reaction. But it isn’t like he actually wants me dead, is it? Like… he wouldn’t track me down to keep me quiet about what happened… would he?
Great, I’ve lost my appetite again.
7
GHOST
Fuck,she’s beautiful.
The canteen is full of people, but it’s as though she’s the only one in the room. Her eyes are so dark, they appear almost black, and her hair is a similar color and falls over her shoulders in an ebony wave. Her face is free of makeup, except for a tiny smudge of mascara beneath each eye. I wonder if she’s aware of it. I fight to stop myself from crossing the room, cupping her face in my palms, and rubbing that smudge away with my thumbs.
Jack told me that some son of a bitch tried to kill her last night. I haven’t even exchanged words with this girl, but I’m already murderous on her behalf. I can see where her arms have been bandaged, and knowing she’s been hurt fills me with rage.
What pathetic little piss-stain excuse for a man would try to hurt her?
My phone buzzes, and I pick it up from thetable. It’s Jack.
Leaving my breakfast where it is and casting one final glance at the girl, I stand and move almost silently through the canteen. People see me coming and get out of my way. Very few dare to make eye contact with me.
I rap my knuckles lightly on the closed door, waiting for the call to enter, then slip inside.
“Prez,” I greet Jack, giving him a small nod.
Jack-the-blood McGrath is one of the few people walking this earth who isn’t intimidated by me. He probably knows I could kill him without him even being aware I was in the room with him, if I so chose, but we have mutual respect. Jack isn’t the kind of man you mess around with either.
“I’ve spoken with the dean at the college, Nataniele Rossi, and there haven’t been any reports of the young man returning there. He says Ledger Fields has only been at Verona Falls for a matter of months.”
“What’s his family background?” I ask.
“They’re new money based out of Texas. Honestly, I can’t find that much on them.”
