Except, the couple in front of me didn’t look dangerous. They looked young and beautiful and totally in love.
“Why would you help me?”
Keeley smiled, a wide flash of teeth in her pretty face. “My cousin is a Son over in America, and I owe the London chapter a favour.” Her grin grew wider. “I can see you want to ask why, so I’ll tell you. A few years ago, I got a rather lovely one shot.”
My eyes widened. “You did?” I risked a glance at Ghost. He didn’t open his eyes, but I knew he was listening. “Domino,” he said quietly. “She got Domino shot. Now tell her what happened to those men. Tell her what happens to anyone who moves against you.”
“They died.” Gio’s voice was emotionless, the opposite of Keeley’s. “They all died and so will the men who—”
“Look, Chloe.” With difficulty, Ghost straightened. His breath was laboured. Even sitting up and talking was too much for him. He needed to be in the hospital, or at least somewhere he could rest properly.
Falling to my knees, I reached for his hand. “We can talk about this another time. You need to be in the hospital. This can wait.”
“No, it can’t,” he ground out. “I need you to leave, Chloe, and this time you can’t come back. Gio and Keeley will find you somewhere to settle where you can be safe, but you can’t come back.”
My chest tightened. “But—”
“No. I am dying, Chloe, and when that happens, I won’t be able to look after you, so I have to make arrangements now. I have a check in my pocket for you that will get you started and when I am gone…” Again, he cleared his throat with that disgusting wet sound and I grimaced. “When I am gone,” he finally managed to say around the wracking sounds coming from his throat, “there will be more. I have made sure you are going to be looked after, Chloe, but that’s all I can do for you now. It’s time we said goodbye and this time it will be forever, ok?” Reaching out, he ran his hand down my cheek. “You have to be brave now.”
“But—” Tears made my voice as thick as his. “I can’t just leave you now. What am I meant to do if you….” I broke down into sobs and he gathered me up into his arms, stroking his hand down my back.
“There’s no other choice, Chloe. So you wipe those tears and be brave. Live your damn life and forget all about me, ok? That’s what I want.” His voice was firm. “Can you do that for an old dying man and make him happy?” He lifted his eyes to Gio and there was fire in them. “You look after her now.”
“I will Ghost. You have my word. Is there anything you need to pack?”
Standing back, I stared around. I didn’t own a thing. Everything I had was back in my employer's house and we hadn’t grabbed any of it. “No, there’s nothing.”
“There’s this.” Twisting a ring on his finger, Ghost passed it to me. “Something to remember me by. Be happy, beautiful girl.You have brought so much joy to my life, you know.” Absently he wiped at his cheek, even though I hadn’t seen any tears fall. “Now kiss this old man goodbye, and go and start your life.”
“You mean now?” Surprised, I looked around. Everyone was looking at me like they felt sorry for me. Everyone but Duke, who wasn’t looking at me at all.
“Yes, now. There’s a car waiting outside,” Gio said softly. “A few days with Keeley and the kids and then we can find you somewhere. You don’t mind children, do you?”
I shook my head. “I love kids. But I wanted to—” I fell silent. If Ghost thought this was for the best, then it was. “Ok.” Wrapping my arms around myself, I shuddered. This was all happening so quickly. Just like it did every other time, but this time it felt different. This time when I left, I would never see Ghost again.
Sobbing, I threw myself into his arms, crying into his shoulder. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“I know and I wish we had more time, but this has to be goodbye.”
After several more seconds of crying, I stopped abruptly. It was like someone had flipped a switch.
“Ok.” Slowly I straightened. “Ok, I am ready, but can you make sure Sy is safe? She’s been having some problems the last few days since I came here, and I don’t want anything to happen to her.”
Keeley and Gio exchanged a glance.
“Duke?”
“I’ll keep an eye on her, Prez.” Duke stepped forward. “Aren’t you going to say goodbye to Pocket?” A muscle in his jaw throbbed with anger.
“Pocket. Yeah, of course.” It wasn’t that I had forgotten about him. It was just that I was trying not to think about him. I knew I had to say goodbye and that one might just be the hardest goodbye I had ever said.
“Is something going on between you and Pocket?” There was a flash of anger in Ghost's voice and for a second, he sounded like his old self.
“No,” I said quickly. “Of course not.” Digging my hand into my pocket, I pulled out a key and handed it over to Duke, imploring him with my eyes to understand. Rule number one was to not get involved with the Savage Sons. And I had given one my virginity. I had half given him my heart, or maybe I had already given him all of it. I couldn’t be sure anymore.
I just knew I had to leave Pocket behind as well. If I didn’t, then I would get him killed.
“Can you give this back to him please, Duke?” I slid the key into his hand. “And tell Pocket…thank you for everything.”
