Page 7 of Ghosted

“I still fucking won.”

He laughs under his breath, smoke curling from his mouth. “Yeah, barely. Next time you plan on letting some little flash in the crowd make you forget how fists work, give me a warning.”

My jaw tightens.

Johnny leans back against the lockers, all smug mouth and pretty-boy arrogance. “That way I can put my money on the other guy.”

I step closer. “Careful.”

“There he is.” Johnny’s smile cuts sharper. “That’s the look.”

“What look?”

“The one you get when something’s already under your skin and you’re pissed I noticed first.” His eyes flick toward the door, then back to me. “So who is she?”

“Camera girl?” I drag my tongue over the cut inside my cheek and turn back to the sink. “Who gives a fuck who she is?”

Johnny goes quiet for half a second.

That’s worse than him laughing.

I rinse the blood from my mouth and spit pink into the drain. “As long as she doesn’t point that camera at me during a fight again, I couldn’t care less.”

“Couldn’t care less,” Johnny repeats.

“Yeah.”

“Right.”

I cut him a look through the mirror. “You got something to say?”

Johnny taps ash onto the floor, his mouth curved like he’s already enjoying himself. “Just funny, that’s all.”

“What is?”

“You almost let some little camera girl blind you mid-fight, and now you’re standing here pretending you don’t give a shit.”

“I don’t.”

Johnny takes another drag, watching me through the smoke. “Yeah, little brother. You keep saying that like it’s the part I’m interested in.”

My jaw tightens.

His smile spreads.

There it is.

The one he wears right before he ruins something for fun.

“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t.”

Johnny laughs, low and mean, but it doesn’t soften him. Nothing softens Johnny for long. He takes another drag, eyes locked on me like this whole conversation is the best part of his night.

“Relax, little brother. I’m not thinking anything.”

“Bullshit.”

“Fine.” His grin widens around the cigarette. “I’m thinking it’s fucking hilarious that one little flash almost made Wraith eat canvas.”