1. Luna

1

Luna

Las Vegas

Present Day

People are messy. I play the part for them, but it doesn’t mean I understand them. I’ve always been better with a computer screen between me and whoever I’m dealing with. Which is probably why I’m standing outside Ghost’s office door like a frozen, pathetic girl, dreading knocking on it.

This man makes me stupid.

Closing my eyes, I tip my head back and let out a breath.

A little over a year ago, when Ghost offered me a job with the Twisted Kings and I moved to Las Vegas with them, things seemed simpler than they are now.

I underestimated what it would be like working for the tall, tattooed man on the other side of the door. Because any friendliness he showed when we met stopped the moment we started working together.

Now, he acts like I’m more of a nuisance than anything.

Finally finding the courage to knock, I hold my breath and wait for him to invite me in. I close my eyes and pretend he doesn’t affect me when I clearly don’t affect him. Knowing the moment I step inside, he’ll make my insides spin around.

His gaze is trouble.

His tattoos are a path of temptation.

Everything about Ghost screams danger and emotional unavailability. So, of course, my reckless little heart chases after him.

“Come in.” His deep voice sends a shiver through my core.

I swing the door open, and I’m met with the familiar, comforting scent of soap and leather.

Ghost is sitting at his desk, but he doesn’t look up at me when I step inside. His fingers fly across the keys as he works, and he’s so tall, he dwarfs everything in the room in comparison. His eyes are steely cold and focused, and I wish he’d let me help him with whatever he’s struggling with instead of sending me on errands and tasking me with boring, simple things like replacing cameras and staring at surveillance footage .

He doesn’t trust me.

I might live in the clubhouse and work for the Twisted Kings, but it doesn’t make me one of them. They are careful who they let in on their secrets, which is why I’m always tasked with mind-numbing clean-up work and secretarial bullshit.

“You asked for this?” I hold up the flash drive, and Ghost glances up from his screen.

His chilling blue eyes meet mine, and it sends a shiver through my entire body.

“Is that the surveillance from Sapphire Rise?”

“No, it’s the footage from Kings Auto right before the fire started. I went back three days leading up to it, and there’s nothing useful.”

He frowns. “Did you double-check the camera at the main garage? Sometimes the footage is a little pixelated, so you have to refocus it.”

“Contrary to popular belief, I know what I’m doing, Ghost.” I roll my eyes. “So yes, I tried that and still… nothing. I can handle more complicated jobs than surveillance if you give me a chance.”

Ghost leans back in his chair, tapping his thumb on his keyboard. “I don’t need your help with anything else.”

“Of course not.” I breathe out an unamused chuckle and slap the flash drive down on the desk.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I stand up tall.

It wasn’t always this infuriating working for Ghost. When I first came to Vegas, Ghost was distant and quiet, but at least civil. He would give me a task, and I’d get it done. Ignoring the electricity sparking between us .

I had a home, a steady stream of income, and a place to finish my degree while I figured out what I wanted. And it was more than enough.

Every city I’ve lived in before Vegas had been so small and suffocating. But in the desert, possibility was wide and endless.

When I first came here, I had hope, and Ghost was part of making that happen.

But lately, things are changing. Ghost shuts down more every day, and the deterioration is starting to eat away at me. Any little flirtations we shared the first time we met have faded, and I’m lucky if he looks me in the eyes when we talk.

I don’t know what I did wrong or why I expect things to get better when all he does is shut me down, but the tension in the room is nearly debilitating.

Staring at Ghost now, I wait for him to reassure me this is all in my head, but he won’t.

“Did you need something else?” Ghost hitches an eyebrow.

“Apparently not.” Turning, I leave the room, shutting the door a little too hard behind me.

He can’t even be bothered with a Thanks, Luna or a You’re not imagining we used to have something between us, Luna.

Nothing.

I do my job without appreciation and pretend I can keep my eyes off the man who brought me here in the first place .

Making my way into the den, a few of the guys have already started drinking. I should probably study in my bedroom, but instead, I’ve set my books up on the couch in the corner. While the noise and rowdiness might bother some people, the madness of the clubhouse soothes me. It gives me something to listen to other than the doubts running circles in my head.

I pile my books on a cushion and then head into the kitchen to get something to drink that isn’t alcohol. I have an online test due tomorrow, and I need to pass it to move on to the next module.

Reina is sitting on a stool at the counter, talking on the phone. She twirls a white-blonde strand of hair around her finger, smiling at me as I walk in.

Opening the cabinet, I reach for my favorite mug on the top shelf, but it’s just out of reach. My fingers graze the handle, but I can’t quite get it. Planting my palm on the counter to gain some leverage, I silently curse Stevie’s height, knowing he must have put away the dishes.

I can almost snag the handle with my middle finger, but it’s not enough, so I plant my feet down and sigh.

Right as I’m about to give up and pick a different mug, a body closes in behind me.

Warmth seeps through my T-shirt, and I breathe him in.

Leather.

Soap.

I look up over my shoulder to see Ghost reaching up for the mug, pressing my body into the counter as he does. He was just working in his office, but somehow, he manages to be nowhere and everywhere at once.

Once he has the mug, he steps back, handing it to me, and I wonder if he felt all the air leave my chest just now. Our eyes connect, and I can’t help wishing this was different.

“Thanks.” I take the mug, trying to ignore that my cheeks feel like they’re being eaten up by flames.

He nods, breaking my stare, and leaves the kitchen as Reina hangs up the phone.

No water.

No food.

Did Ghost follow me in here just to get me a mug and leave?

“What in the world was that?” Reina’s eyes widen. “Did Ghost just touch you?”

“Touch me?” I turn away from her, hoping the warmth crawling my entire body isn’t obvious. “He got me my coffee mug off the top shelf. That’s it.”

“The man is tall. He could have reached it without feeling up your ass.”

I roll my eyes and pour myself a cup of coffee. “He wasn’t feeling up my ass. He was helping me out.”

“Sure he was.” Reina grins, following me out of the kitchen when I try to escape her interrogation. “So you’re running from the question now?”

“I answered your question. It was nothing.” I shrug. “If it was Venom doing me a favor, then yes, I’d say he’s trying to get some, but this is Ghost we’re talking about. ”

“True,” Reina agrees, and part of me hates it. “When do you think he’s gonna drop the whole celibacy thing? It can’t last forever. Did I tell you I wore that red dress around him last week, and he didn’t even look at me?”

“Since when are you interested in Ghost?” And why does the thought of that make my entire body light up with rage?

“I’m not.” She watches me sink into the couch. “I was just curious what he would do about it since none of the other guys can seem to resist a short red skirt.”

Rolling my eyes, I pick up a textbook. “It’s not a game to him, Reina. You can’t break him by teasing him with your ass.”

She smirks. “Clearly, or you’d have done that by now.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Come on, Luna. I see how you walk around here in your T-shirts that barely cover your ass.” She narrows her eyes. “I’m not the only one trying to see what will break him.”

“I wear leggings under them… most of the time.”

“Most of the time. Exactly.” She grins. “Who knows, maybe someday it will work.”

“That would require him to notice.”

“Oh, he notices.”

“Says who?”

“You’re kidding, right?” She hitches an eyebrow.

But right as I’m about to ask what she’s seen, Havoc walks into the room, catching her attention.

“Gotta run.” She darts off after Havoc, and I watch her go .

Across the room, Ghost is finishing a conversation with Soul. They clink beers, and then he makes his way outside to the patio. He drops into a chair that is directly in front of me but angled so I can’t see him straight on.

His strong jaw glows with the flicker of flames from the firepit as he pulls out his phone. And I’m not sure how long I’ve been staring when he glances over at me.

Immediately, I look away.

The last thing I need is him thinking I’m obsessed and can’t keep my eyes off him. It’s not true.

At least, not always.

Turning my attention to my textbook, I try to focus on the page and not the tattooed biker sitting across the club. But when Steel steps into the room and the guys all cheer for him, it draws my attention.

I watch Steel say hello as he walks through the crowd, meeting Ghost outside and sitting in the chair beside him. They fall into conversation, and I watch as it slowly turns from friendly to tense.

Something is wrong.

I think I’m imagining it until Ghost hands Steel his phone, and they both glance over at me. For the first time in a year, I feel seen by Ghost, and something tells me that right now, it’s not a good thing.