Crowed (Team Zero #2) by Rina Kent

“What do I get in return?”

“My eternal gratitude?” When I keep glaring at him without saying a word, he gives me the ‘you-are-boring look’. “I won’t kill your nurse.”

My blood boils just hearing him utter those words. I’m very tempted to pull the trigger and paint the wall with his brains. Only, well, Eloise spent a lot of time cleaning them. “When did you find out that she was Dr fucking Johnson’s daughter?”

“When I received her file.”

“You mean when you sent the file.” I’m going to fucking kill him for putting her life in danger. Unless I can convince him to cancel the Joker card. It’s never happened before, but there’s a first time for everything.

Ghost raises an eyebrow. “I didn’t send the file.”

“What the fuck are you talking about? You’re the one who placed the Joker card on her.”

“Not me, mate.” He retreats to the shadows, waving a hand. “I suggest you start digging.”

I stare at the window and the curtain flipping inside. My shoulders turn more rigid than when Ghost came in.

He has no reason to lie. Since he asked for assistance, he wouldn’t have glued a Joker to Eloise.

If it isn’t Ghost, then who the fuck is it?





Eloise


Crow has been on edge for the past week. Every day, he tries to take me away, but I’ve refused.

He spent the entire time building fences around the house, planting traps on the perimeters and what looked like bombs and other things I don’t want to know about. He only gave me the map of where all these traps were. He said that Charlotte is fine since her weight wouldn’t trigger them.

Not that he allows me outside so I’d be caught by traps. The only time we go out is so he can teach me how to shoot in the front garden. I never expected to like it, but shooting is fun. Especially since I have Crow as a teacher, and he might have done a few lessons half-naked. Needless to say, I missed the target those times.

Other than that, we stay inside. All the curtains are pulled down until no light comes through.

Every hour or so, he’d suggest kidnapping me to God knows where.

I dislike seeing him antsy, but I also won’t live on the run for the rest of my life. Deep down, I think a side of him knows this, too, but the other controlling side – the killer side – is pushing him to act. To do something about the danger.

He’s currently watching from beneath the curtains of my bedroom’s window that overlooks the front of the house. He’s only wearing black boxers. His back muscles and hard thighs are outlined by the little light slipping through the opening.

My bottom lip rolls behind my teeth. I try to concentrate on an old locked room mystery novel I found in Papa’s library. Not that I’ve been able to read anything. I’ve been rereading the same paragraph without registering a word.

It’s impossible to concentrate when there’s such an irresistible view in front of me.

All those muscles and hardness and tattoos make it so difficult not to jump him.

No matter how rigid he is.

It’s not that I’m not scared, but with Crow next to me, the danger doesn’t feel as imminent. Besides, he said he called his closest colleagues and asked them to back off. No one has shown up for a week, so either they don’t care about revenge or they respect Crow enough not to come near me.

Even if there’s still a risk of someone showing up, I won’t cower in fear waiting to die.

I’ve been numb for so long that when life hit me in the face, I’d rather live the moment instead of worrying about tomorrow or what-ifs.

And at the moment, life is filled with this man. A smothering heat courses through me while I just watch him.

Oh la la.

I shift, trying to rein in whatever is happening in my body. It’s become completely foreign ever since Crow touched me.

Charlotte whines in her sleep as if reprimanding me for moving while she’s lying on my lap.

I can’t help it, ma petite.

“This is fucking crazy. I can’t believe I’m waiting for death with folded arms.” Crow groans, finally leaving the window to shoot daggers at my face. “We’re leaving.”

“No, we’re not.” I smile. As much as his bossiness is sometimes over the top, he kind of looks like a kid when he’s grumpy.

“What are you smiling for?” He stalks towards me with a dark gleam in his bottomless blue eyes.

“Nothing.” I try to focus on the novel for the thousandth time.

“Nothing, huh?” He pulls both my legs in a single yank.

I yelp as I lie on my back. The novel drops by the side of the bed. My pulse skyrockets, and as usual, my skin grows a mind of its own under his touch.

Charlotte whines aloud as she hops from the bed to avoid falling over.

“Shut it, Cheerio.” He doesn’t even look at her, his fingers sliding up my leg and underneath my satin gown. “This is my place now.”

Shivers break on my skin, and my stomach throbs. I don’t have a way to stop this flow of energy coursing through me even if I want to.

And I don’t want to.

Crow digs his fingers in my thighs until I whimper. “Are you going to stop this nonsense and leave with me?” He’s growling, trying to scare me, but he can’t hide the lust blazing in his eyes.