Crowed (Team Zero #2) by Rina Kent

Crow freezes, slowly releasing the vest and turning to face Xavier. “What the fuck do you want, Storm?”

“How about another game?” He taps his temple as if in deep thought. “Precision.”

Crow’s body tenses as his arms cage my waist. “You and I can both go at a shooting competition for hours and no one would win.”

“Who said it’d be you and me?” He points the device in his hand at me. “She’ll be your target.”

Huh?

“Go stand at the cliff, Eloise.” Xavier – or Storm or whatever the hell his name is – orders. “We will place something on your head and see if Crow’s precision skills are still any good.”

“She’s not going anywhere!” Crow shouts, his fingers digging into my skin so harshly, it hurts.

“I’m tired of repeating this, but I have the boom option here.” Xavier shakes the device of what I suppose is the remote.

Trembles don’t leave my body. My teeth go back to chattering, but I attempt to peel myself from Crow’s hold. He can’t be near me or the bomb will kill him.

I’ll run to the bastard Xavier and blow him up with me. If he made a terrorist bomb, then I’ll be a kamikaze.

Despite my logical, brave thoughts, sweat breaks all over my skin, forming a thick sheen. Terror of losing my life now that I finally want to live draws at my spine. But I have to do something. I can’t lose Crow.

“Let me go,” I tell him.

“Shh.” Crow’s fingers dig deeper into my side, his attention on Xavier.

“Please.” I’m a sobbing mess now. I don’t want to leave him. I don’t want to commit suicide, but I will if that will keep him safe.

“I love it when you beg, Nurse Betty.” He throws me a warning look. “But not now.”

“Just leave me, damn you!” I hit his chest, pouring all my anger on him. He’s making the whole kamikaze mission a lot harder. “Why can’t you leave me alone?”

He brushes his lips against mine. It’s short and tender and tastes like sweet surrender. When he pulls away, his eyes drip with affection. “Because that would mean abandoning myself.”

“If you’re done being disgusting.” Storm strolls to the cliff’s edge. He picks out a branch and draws an X mark. “Stand here, Eloise.”

My teeth clatter no matter how much I tighten my lips.

Crow’s arms wrap around me, and for a second, I feel safe, like nothing will ever happen to me.

God. Why didn’t he come into my life any sooner so I’d get my fill of him?

I heave, burying my face in his chest. If there’s a resurrection, I wish to meet him again for all lives to come.

“You had nothing to do with your mother’s death,” Crow murmurs in my ear. “It was all on Storm. Don’t blame yourself for it.”

I’m baffled by his statement, but a sense of guilt pushes off my chest. I try to look at him, but his arms wrap around me tighter.

“Do you trust me?” he whispers in my ear.

I nod in his chest, sniffling. But he won’t have to test my trust with his precision skills. I’ll take Xavier down with me before the game even starts.

“When I push you, stay down.” It’s then I realise that he wasn’t only digging his fingers in my side, he was fiddling something with the vest. It’s so discreet, even I haven’t noticed it.

I open my mouth to ask, but he shakes his head.

What is he planning?

Doesn’t matter. My plan is a lot easier and logical.

“Are you coming or not?” Xavier is wiggling that remote again.

Crow takes my hand in his bigger one and leads me to where Xavier is standing, stance wide, with a stupid grin on his face. But there’s a glassy look in the depth of his eyes, robotic, unhuman. I can’t help thinking that maybe all he’s doing is because of the drug he’s been taking for decades.

I would’ve felt bad for what my father had inflicted upon him if he weren’t so bent on hurting Crow and me.

Crow puts me on the cross Storm marked at the edge of the cliff. Pebbles escape from under my feet and fall to the dark water below. Wild waves hit the gigantic, fragmented rocks. Even if the bomb doesn’t kill me, the fall will.

My limbs start trembling again, and it takes everything in me not to break into tears.

“Don’t look down,” Crow murmurs, standing between me and Xavier. “Focus on me.”

I do, and the softness in his tame blue eyes soothes me. He considers me with a deep sense of longing as if he’s regretting nothing and everything all at once.

When I had wished for death the first time I met him, I never thought we would end up here. Or that he’d be fighting death with me.

“Je t’aime,” I whisper. If I don’t tell him this now, I doubt I’ll ever have a chance to.

His brows pinch together and his lips open to say something when Xavier cuts in. “Go to the tree, Crow and – ”

It all happens too fast.

Crow pushes me to the ground. The sting rips a wince from me. Then, the weight is lifted off my chest.

My eyes widen as I make out the vest held in Crow’s hand. Xavier lunges forward, but Crow blocks him, pushing himself and Xavier towards the edge.

“No. No!” I spring to shaky feet, sobbing.