24. Ghost

We get off our bikes immediately and go barreling into the coffee shop. I'm in the lead and it feels like I can't get air into my lungs. The minute E-Z came out of Ivan's office yelling that Lennox had left the club with Iron as her bodyguard, panic seized me. I spilled my guts to this bastard and practically fed her to him. I'm going to tear him apart piece by piece. I manage to lock down my emotions and pull out my phone. I have a tracker on all my rides. If they get stolen, I want to know where they are. In this case it's going to help me get to my woman sooner, and I plan to get E-Z to agree to do it to all club vehicles in the future.

We make it to the coffee shop in record time, but I still know they had a head start. I find myself hoping like hell that my woman has been able to stall Iron. I look around the shop, fear clawing me up inside. I see the owner by the counter.

"Where's Lennox?" I shout, not giving a fuck that it hurts my throat or that my voice cracks like a kid in the middle of his voice change, singing to the top of his lungs.

"She's up at her old apartment. The guy that was with her wanted to look at it. He was interested in renting it," Mrs. M answers immediately.

I don't explain anything, I just turn and head to the alley. E-Z and the boys follow as I take the stairs two at a time. I can hear Lennox yelling the minute we get to the door. It's locked, so I bring my foot back and kick it so hard that it swings inward and breaks off the bottom hinge.

My gaze moves through the room quickly. Iron jerks around to look at me. He's holding a gun, standing over my woman. It's obvious that he's been kicking her. My poor Lennox is curled in a fetal position. Her hands are holding her ankles. I can see cuts and bruises already beginning to form.

I start to move when Iron screams, "You stupid bitch! You've ruined everything!"

I'm frozen for a second. My hand goes inside my cut to pull out my gun, but I know there's no way I'm going to make it in time. I yank it out, my gaze going to Lennox one last time, but I see she's got her hand on a gun that she's apparently withdrawn from the open holster around her ankle. She's aimed it at Iron and before he can level his aim on her, she begins firing. She shoots repeatedly, emptying the chamber with round after round. Iron falls back. Every fucking shot that Lennox discharge has hit him right between the eyes. His body drops to the floor, complete with lifeless eyes devoid of emotion or much color, stares back up at me. I hear Lennox's gun hit the floor and I watch as she flops back, letting out a brutal pain-filled scream.

I finally find enough rational thought to go to her, dropping to the floor, carefully pulling her into me. "Shh…" I hum.

That's when my beautiful, strong, brave woman lets out her tears. "He killed my brother, Ghost. He killed my Teddy." Sobs rack her beautiful body as she clings to me, and I wish I could absorb every ounce of her pain.

"It's okay, Tiger. You're okay," I croon as Ivan and his brothers appear at the doorway, taking everything in. They all three look at me and I nod slightly before burying my head in the curve of my woman's neck. "I love you, Lennox. You're okay. I love you. I'm never letting you go."

"Promise," she hiccups.

"I promise. I'm right here with you. I'm never leaving."

"I love you, Ghost. I love you."

"I love you, too," she responds, her tears slowing some as she holds onto me. I rock her back and forth even as I hear sirens in the background. Trusting E-Z to handle that, I do not let go of my woman.

Not now. Not ever.