17. Ghost

The club goes quiet with Lennox's screech. "You what?"

I need my stupid ass kicked—or my head examined. I got pissed when I saw her sitting at the bar talking with Iron. I watched how he looked at her and didn't like it at all. When she said she was with me because she liked my dick, I got even more upset. Fuck, Millie seemed to like my dick just fine after I recovered and look where that went. The last thing I want is for Lennox to follow in her footsteps. I felt stupid all over again. I trusted Millie, and that backfired. What happens if my trust in Lennox is misplaced? I already know that she's keeping things from me. Memories of Toi and Millie all blurred in my head, and I wanted to test Lennox. That was the wrong thing to do. I know because I can read body language, and Lennox's hurt and upset demeanor shows it.

"Hate to disappoint you, but that's not happening."

She pushes outside and Iron laughs, coming over and slapping me on the back. "Can't say I'm not disappointed. That's a fine piece of ass you got walking out that door. Then again, as mad as she is, I'm thinking she might be free and up for grabs."

I shove the bastard away. "She's not. Stay away from her."

"But you just said you were going to invite me to join the party."

I don't think, I just bring my fist back and slam it into his jaw. He stumbles back, holding the side of his face, and I see the surprise cross it. There might also be some anger there, but not much. "She's mine and I don't share what belongs to me," I growl, then I go outside to try to track down my woman.

She's nowhere to be found, so I start walking toward the garage and our apartment. Entering the apartment, I don't see her right away, but I hear her. Lennox is muttering and calling me an asshole—among other things. When I stand in the doorway of our bedroom, I see her loading up her suitcase. She's pulling things out of the drawers and just throwing them in, without rhyme or reason. My heart constricts painfully in my chest.

"I'm an asshole," I admit.

She turns to look at me and I immediately wish she hadn't, because there are unshed tears in her eyes. She narrows her eyes. "I'm not going to argue. I have nothing against people who choose to do that when they're in a relationship. I won't even deny that as a woman I've always wondered what it would be like?—"

"Well, you're never going to find out."

She rolls her eyes. "You know what upsets me the most?"

"Tiger—"

"You didn't say you were going to ask me. Nope. You were going to ask Iron. I guess you were so sure that I'd agree you didn't think to ask my opinion, or hell, who I'd even choose to have joined us."

"Lennox—"

"I'm actually a little disappointed. I would have thought you'd pick another girl. Isn't that supposed to be every man's fantasy? What's wrong, Ghost? Afraid you couldn't please two women at once?"

"Damn it?—"

"You should be worried you couldn't live up to the competition," she huffs, and that pushes me over the edge.

Moving quickly to the bed, I push her suitcase—clothes and all—off the bed. They scatter on the floor, but I ignore them. I grab my woman with a hand around her neck and back her up against the wall. I know I've shocked the hell out of her because she doesn't even fight my hold. That's probably a good thing because she could easily hand me my balls. I've seen her in action. I keep my hand on her, pinning her against the wall. Wedging my leg between hers, I press my body against hers.

"I fucked up."

"No shit."

"Women have fucked me over a lot in my life."

"Poor, poor, Ghosty. I'd feel sorry for you, but I can't seem to find it in me. Maybe they wouldn't have screwed you over if you consulted them before you farmed them out for your brothers to play with."

"I saw you talking with Iron, and I got jealous."

"What the hell for? I don't even like him."

"I didn't say it was logical. I just didn't like it. Then, you said you liked my dick," I growl, shoving a hand in my hair and pushing it away from my face in frustration.

"I said I liked your … Should I have said it was tiny, and I hated having sex with you? What the fuck is going on in that head of yours, Ghost? You seemed so normal. I should have known there was something seriously wrong with you."

She pushes against me, trying to break free, but I refuse to let her go. I know if I let her get away, I'll lose her. Lennox isn't the type of woman to just hand out second chances. I refuse to admit that I feel panicked, but I know I want to keep her in my life. With my kind of history, that's huge. Now, if I could just find a way to make her understand.

"I've let a woman fully in my life twice, Lennox. Just twice."

She goes still. I see mistrust in her eyes, but she stops fighting to get free. "I'm listening," she says grudgingly.

"The first time, she fell in love with the president of my club."

"Liberty?"

I shake my head no. "My old club in Miami, Babe. Her name was Toi."

"Toy. That sounds like your kind of woman."

If I wasn't worried that I was about to lose my shot with this woman, I'd laugh. "You'd like her."

"Doubtful," she mutters. "Unlike you, I'm possessive."

She has no idea. "The second was my nurse after I was shot and left for dead. That's the reason I have issues with my voice. It works decently if I talk with a lower volume, but it sounds completely different from how it used to. She helped nurse me back to health. Until her, I'm not sure I wanted to survive. We began working together and planning for what I thought was our future. In the end, she was with me out of pity and wrote me a Dear John letter when she deemed I was well enough to survive without her."

"Don't tell me I'd like her, because right now, I want to kill her."

"You're the first woman since that fucking mess that I've ever looked at, Lennox. I have issues, and I let them get the best of me."

"I—"

"I'm sorry, Lennox. You deserve better. I don't want to share you. The thought of it almost kills me. I want you to stay with me—me and only me."

"Ghost …"

"Give us a chance, Lennox. I know you have your own secrets. I'm asking you to put everything away for a bit and concentrate on the two of us. I think, if you do, I could prove to you we're meant to be together."

"What if you find out my secrets and hate them? What if your club hates me?"

"Are you ready to tell me what you're hiding?"

"I need to speak with someone first. Can you give me some more time?" she asks, looking torn.

"Are you going to stay here with me?" I counter.

"If I stay, are you going to try not to be an asshole again?"

"If you promise to stay, I'll promise you anything you want, Lennox."

"I'm staying. The longer I'm with you, the more I find that I don't want to leave."

I drop my forehead against hers. "Thank fuck."

"Ghosty?"

I let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, Babe?"

"What's the chances of you reminding me of all the reasons I love your dick?"

"Oh, I'd say your chances are very, very good," I groan.

"Goodie," she whispers as I take her mouth.

My hand slides down to palm her ass cheek and squeezes it. This woman is everything I'd given up on ever having. She owns me. I could tell her I know who her father is and that she's kin to the Levkin brothers. I don't for the simple reason that I want her to trust me and tell me herself, not wanting to force her hand. I need her to let her guard down and come to me of her own free will. It's going to happen.

I won't allow any other outcome.