STEAM & SMOKE | 18+

CHAPTER | 24 |

GHOST PULLED OUT his phone and dialed a number as his other hand gripped my thigh possessively. "Hello... Santan, do not involve yourself in the bid... Shut the f*ck up and listen. It's an market manipulation... If you don't believe me call De Vil and ask him. You played into his hands and Lucy is probably ecstatic... Because you don't listen so stop f*cking hiding and come and talk to me."

He hung up and exhaled harshly. I hesitantly spoke, "Market manipulation? What's going on?"

"De Vil made it seem like there was a problem with his company as he's being chased by your people and the fact I stole millions of dollars from him and his investors which means they're backing out and insiders can buy stocks for cheap. But seeing as Sophia knows, someone leaked that there's a bid for them."

"Shouldn't Santan buy stocks?"

"They intentionally leaked it, angel. It's a bid so they'll try to drive the price up so we lose the money we stole," he explained. "But Santan wants to do things his own way."

"Let him. It's not your issue," I said causing him to grin.

"I wish that were true. My sole purpose in life is to look after Santan. Nothing more."

"Why?"

"I'm disposable. No identity means if I suddenly died  no one would notice."

"I would."

Raising an eyebrow, he stared at me. "Don't waste your time on me, angel. It won't end well for you."

"Don't take it the wrong way. I still don't like you."

"That's good to know." Ghost cupped my jaw, pulling me towards him but paused to face a small group of men who came to stand in front of the booth. "Can I help you?" He asked glaring.

"De Vil sent us to send you a message," the leader replied. "He wants the money back or they'll be a hit on your head."

Lazily, Ghost sat back. "He couldn't text me that?"

The leader looked annoyed and frowned. "He's a busy man."

"And so am I. Tell him to f*ck off and cry to Lucy if he's worried about money."

"No can do. We have orders to kill you if you don't."

"You're going to kill me on Sinner territory?" Ghost said incredulously. "That's not going to work for you."

"A lot of the people here wouldn't mind if you were dead, Ghost."

"While that's true, I have no money to give you."

"I guess murder it is."

"Angel," Ghost muttered quickly. "The gun on the table."

I picked it up and shot the man in the leg just as he fired his own bullet causing him to miss. Ghost dragged me out of the booth, not wasting a second before the other men could pull out their own weapons. He barged through people who started panicking from the sound of the gun shots that followed.

"Sh*t," I whispered as Ghost led me to a staircase through a door behind the bar.

"I can't catch a f*cking break," he swore while typing on his phone.

"Are they really going to kill you?"

Despite the situation, he smirked and took the gun from my hands. "They can try but Santan will sort them out before they can find us. We have bigger issues. I need to take De Vil's company."

My eyes widened. "What?"

"Everyone is p*ssing me off."

"You just told Santan not to and isn't De Vil already mad at you?"