Ghosted (Team Zero #3) by Rina Kent

No idea if it’s to keep Kyle away or for something else.

I rip my gaze away and focus on drinking with Mist in silence. Alcohol help in numbing the withdrawal symptoms. Mist isn’t touching her glass. She’s been lost in thought too often lately.

After a while, Kyle saunters our way, carrying two shots. His eyes are starting to get bloodshot. “One shot for me, Godfather!”

I take the drink and down it.

Mist doesn’t accept hers. “My space is already dizzy. I need no alcohol to add to the chaos.”

I stand, take the second shot, and clasp Kyle’s shoulder. “Happy birthday, brat.”

“I’m not a brat anymore, stop treating me like a kid.” He smiles. His nose scrunches just like when he was a crybaby. “Wanna drink one-on-one later?”

“Can’t. I have to sleep properly to chase Omega.”

His face darkens, but then he grins. His eyes gleam with mischievousness. “Then, do ye wanna share my birthday presents?”

I fall back next to Mist.

“Come on.” Kyle hooks his thumb behind him. “Not even the new girl?”

My gaze strays to Firefly who’s mixing drinks for Scar. “No.”

Kyle waggles his eyebrows. “Why are you watching her, then?”

“Because she’s suspicious.” I meet his stare. “Stay away from her.”

He smiles, and the devil peeks from his eyes. “What if I don’t want to?”

“Kyle.” My voice holds a warning. Trust issues aren’t a game for me.

“I’ll only back off if she’s yours.” His lips curve in that playful, devil’s advocate smile. “Other than that, she’s game.”

He saunters back to a group of girls who cheer him on.

I gulp down the rest of the glass and clench my fists to my side. Kyle knows full well I would never claim any woman under my fucking protection.

He’s just provoking me.

It’s not working.

My phone vibrates. A message from Flame.

Come over. Hades sent a video.

My muscles lock, and Mist stiffens beside me. She must’ve seen the text.

We spring to our feet at the same time. I practically drag Shadow by the neck. Kyle is too busy and drunk to be bothered.

Shadow, Mist, and I jog to the office. Shadow closes the door behind us.

Mist and I freeze in place. Even Flame isn’t lying around as usual. He stands beside me, an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips. On the screen, there’s a video of a white room. One of the rooms in The Pit.

Inside it, Hawk is going berserk. He’s roaring and clawing at his shirt until it rips open. His nails dig into his bare skin and scratch it. Blood drips from his chest and fingers as he hits his head on the wall over and over. Guttural grunts fall from his lips. The sound is haunting and holds so much fucking pain.

Hawk is the silent, broody type. Even when he’s shot, he hardly utters a sound. To see him writhing in pain and hitting his head like a crazed animal tightens my chest.

After what seems like forever, Hawk falls limp on the floor. His bloodied chest rises and falls, but he’s unconscious.

Withdrawal. Severe Omega withdrawal.

If the drug is taken away abruptly, the withdrawal can cause us to go out of our fucking minds. Just like Hawk.

We’re slowly detoxing and it already hurts like hell. I can’t even imagine the amount of pain Hawk is going through.

Mist is shaking, but she folds her arms under her chest and clenches her fists.

Hades appears on the screen. His aristocratic nose is held high as he lights a cigar.

Body wise, he’s on the lean side. He’s never been physical, and that’s his strength. Brains and schemes are all it took to build The Pit.

Patches of white colour the side of his hair while the rest is black. His eyes are a deep shade of green, mossy and calculative. The angular lines on his face give him an authoritative look.

A foam of smoke leaves his lips. “Hawk will be put under systematic withdrawal sessions until I see double revenue. If I don’t, all Team Zero will encounter the same fate.”

The screen goes black. Shadow curses.

The urge to murder Hades with my bare hands takes over my vision. Blood red covers my sight.

Mist tightens her fist with so much force, her nails draw blood. Her eyes shine. Tears? I haven’t seen her cry since we were kids. “Let’s do as he says.”

“And flood the streets with drugs?” I raise my voice.

“I don’t usually agree with her,” Shadow points at Mist. “But coke is far different from Omega, mate. Hawk is fucking dying in there.”

“If we don’t comply...” Mist trails off. “Not only Hawk, but the rest of Team Zero will be put through torture.”

Flame is still staring at the black screen, rolling the cigarette between his thumb and forefinger. “He will kill them.”

Fuck.

I can either sacrifice my family or fill the streets with drugs.

Unless I can make that factory go away without being obvious.

Perhaps President Joe and his firefly spy could help.





Chapter Six





A few days pass and I still have nothing. The staff is standoffish and the girls are giving me death glares.

I realised, too late, that it had to do with how much Kyle preferred me at his birthday party. I made potential information sources hate me.