Chapter 5: The Ghost

Vic remained silent as Max opened the door to a sleek black sedan and ushered her into the backseat before climbing in next to her. Through her peripheral she kept an eye on Rowan as he hauled her two moderately sized bags down the stairs and tossed them into the trunk like they didn't weigh at least fifty pounds each. Vic sucked in a breath as Max’s sweater brushed over her shoulders while he moved himself closer to her. “Sorry about the backseat cuddles sweetness.” he smiled and tipped his head to the side playfully. “Rocco doesn't like it when Rowan sits up front, says he drives from the passenger seat,” Max finished and as Vic’s eyes snapped to the front of the car, she caught Rocco’s deep brown eyes almost boring straight through her. “You could sit up front and give the woman some room to breathe.” Rocco grumbled and Max only squeezed Vic’s shoulders tighter against himself. “She likes cuddling with me. We are gonna be besties, right love?” Vic sat with her head and shoulders scrunched together, her mouth open and trembling as she attempted to speak. “Looks like the stutter was hereditary.” Rowan barked from next to Max and Vic simply sat up straight in her seat and tried not to roll her eyes as she simply licked her lips and pressed them closed.  “You good back there?” Rocco asked again and Vic huffed an exasperated breath through her nose. “Yes, can we get moving please?” she mumbled and was rewarded when Rocco simply hummed and began pulling the car out onto the street. 

Vic looked out the window as the city she knew began to pass her by. Just as she was starting to settle into some semblance of comfort, the man next to her began to fidget and move. Vic glanced at Max and sat forward slightly as he began to pull his arm from behind her head. Instead of finding a more appropriate place for his appendage, the handsome human golden retriever pulled his powder blue sweater off to reveal a simple white sleeveless tank top. Vic snapped her head back toward the window and tried her best to ignore the tight athletic muscles rippling through Max’s shoulders and back as he twisted and turned to wrap his sweater around Rowan’s still bleeding arm. She tried not to fidget in her seat as Max’s hips pressed against hers and when his elbow snapped back, catching her in the chest, she gasped from the sudden lack of oxygen. “You clumsy shit, don’t kill her before we get her to Volkov.” Rocco snapped. She tried to wave him away as Max turned and began to apologize, running his warm soft fingers over the exposed skin of her arms. She tried to push herself against the door, or away from Max, but there wasn't enough room. As her body finally figured out it could once again inhale, she squealed as Rowan shoved Max behind him and scooped Vic up into his lap. 

Vic shook her head and started to climb off Rowan’s legs when his python of an arm shot up and wrapped her pigtail braids around his fist, tugging lightly. “Sit still, or Max’s elbow won't be the last thing to make you breathless.” he growled through clenched teeth, and although his words were vulgar and suggestive, Vic felt her heart rate spike as the idea of what his words might imply twisted her stomach in a delicious and primal promise.

The effect this behemoth was having on Vic’s body made her ashamed of herself. Rowan seemed to be the type of muscle-bound meat head she had spent her life fending off because they either wanted to fight or fuck her into submission. She hated nothing more than a man who believed he could best her in any way just because she happened to be born female.  Vic turned her head to face Rowan, dislodging her hair from his hand and although he wasn't smiling, she could see the smug expression in his eyes. “The ghost, huh?” he said, and she answered by rolling her eyes and crossing her arms. “Is this part of my training?” Vic asked as she addressed the driver and Rocco simply laughed as he patted the passenger seat. “More than welcome to park that ass up here.” and as Vic moved to slither between the seats, Rowan grabbed her hips and slammed her back down onto his lap. “Oops, I slipped.” he said with a sly smirk. Vic remained as stone faced as possible before turning and grabbing both Rocco’s seat and the passenger seat. Vic pulled herself forward and then quickly planted one of her feet in the center of the seat and pressed down as she shoved herself forward. The unharmonious grunt that came from Rowan let Vic know that her foot had landed right in the center of his growing crotch but had also caused her to end up in the seat with her head facing the floor. Reaching over to unroll the window, she swung her feet out and turned her torso until she was able to sit upright with her feet on the floor and hit the button, letting the window right itself.

Rocco barely glanced her way as he drove up the highway. “You really the ghost?” he asked, and Vic sat back in the seat with her arms crossed. “Yes, I really am the ghost. Yes, I really am a woman. Yes, most of the stupid shit you hear about me is true.” she finished and although Max took to chuckling behind her, Rocco’s knuckles tightened on the wheel. Without warning, Rowan’s arm shot forward from the back seat. He wrapped his enormous hand around her neck applying just enough pressure to make Vic sit up but not enough that she couldn’t breathe. “Careful how you talk to fuckers who outrank you.” he growled in her ear. Vic tried not to choke on her laugh as she peeled his fingers away from her throat. “Or what, pretty boy? You gonna choke me out in the backseat?” she taunted and watched in the rearview as Max’s face lit up with a jovial smile as he jabbed Rowan in the ribs. “Yeah, leave the girl, take the cannoli.” he joked. Although Rocco let a small chuckle escape while a smile played at his lips, neither Vic nor Rowan joined in the festive feeling.

From there, the four of them drove in silence until the sun started to set and suddenly Rocco pulled the car off the highway and into a small almost deserted-looking Motel parking lot. “We bed down for the night and should reach the boss’s estate by afternoon tomorrow.” For the first time all day, Rocco turned to look at Vic head on and the stern look almost stole her breath. “If you run, I have to chase you.” he tipped his head to the side like he might be considering if she understood him or not. “My legs are cramped from sitting in this car all day, so when I catch you, I will take every article of clothing you have on and march you through the gates of the Volkov compound naked as a baby bird, we clear?” he finished and Vic only scoffed before pushing her door open and climbing out. 

Max immediately popped up in front of her and as she tried to take a step back, Rowan’s chest bumped the back of her head. “You can sleep with me.” Max cooed just before Rocco grabbed her by the arm and yanked her out from between the two of them. “She sleeps on the floor, now move it.” he barked and was rewarded with silence by all three of his counterparts.

Vic sat in an old flimsy chair in front of the window on the ground floor watching Max and Rowan bicker over how much he needed to bring inside. A small, lonely smile crept over her face as she watched the two of them go back and forth. “They have been like that as long as they been with Volkova, longer from what I understand.” Rocco said, and Vic’s head snapped to the other side of the room in time to see Rocco’s dripping hair and torso emerge from the steamy bathroom. Vic had seen plenty of half-dressed muscular men in her life but for some reason this man had her tied in knots as she shamelessly gawked. “Shower is all yours.” he purred with a grin before Vic managed to catch herself and shook her head. Rocco sauntered over to her and squatted down in front of Vic. More gently than anyone had ever approached her before, Rocco placed the palms of his hands on her knees, “Just tell me who is responsible for the myth of The Ghost and I can make sure you get home safe, sweetheart. A pretty girl like you doesn't belong with the underground. You should be married with fat round babies terrorizing-.”  Rocco did not finish his statement, as Vic lifted her leg and shoved him back onto his ass, effectively dislodging the towel around his waist and exposing the man in all his glory, just as Max and Rowan came through the door.