Ghosted (Team Zero #3) by Rina Kent

I yank my hand free. “Stop touching me, dammit! Can’t you talk without touching me?”

His lips purse and he shoves the hand in his pocket. If I weren’t reading too much into it, I would say he’s... surprised? Hurt?

“I know you’re hiding something,” he says in a no-nonsense tone. The rumble of his voice is calm but threatening. “You’re free to lie all you want, but I will find out your ulterior motive. Whatever it is. You better not betray us. The consequences won’t be pretty.”

I gulp. By that, he means death. That’s the only way out of his world. Julian must be a killer. Mist’s killer. Did she send him after Zoe, too? Am I now staring at the man who took my one family away?

“Is that clear?” he asks in an authoritative tone.

I nod.

“Say it with words.”

“Yes, Julian.” I can’t help the bite of sarcasm, even if the threat is still jiggling some stupid fear inside me. I cross my arms. “Now, let me do my job. Why are you keeping me here?”

“You’ve become Johnny’s target. It’s safer here.”

“But I need to work.”

“Not for now.” He tilts his head, watching me with neutrality. “With that face, you won’t be able to work anyway.”

Heat smothers my cheeks. I must look like a monster. Not that I care how Julian sees me. I’m not here to be Julian’s exclusive model.

There’s no way I’m going to be stuck in this storehouse when all information is at Le Salon. All my stuff is in there, too.

“Wait.” My cheeks heat, and I clutch my bracelet. My voice is a notch above a murmur. “Did you change my clothes?”

The thought mortifies me, but a small part, a stupid part, is thrilled for no clear reason.

“Scar did.”

Oh.

I’m not disappointed. I’m not.

“Then I want to go to my room with Scar.” I fold my arms. “As for protection, Kyle will do that.”

One of Julian’s eyes squint, and if I weren’t imagining it, a muscle ticks in his jaw. His tone is calm and composed, but a hint of darkness whirls underneath. “I thought you don’t need protection.”

“Since you say I do, I would rather Kyle provides it.”

This time, a muscle does clench in his jaw. “You’re staying here and that’s final.”

The door clicks shut behind him. I throw a punch in the air.

He’s such an infuriating bastard. Why does he believe it’s fine to lock me up?

Well, think again, mate.

The door is locked from the outside. I kick it and check the window. I peer down, and my heart falls. It’s the second storey. How the hell did Shadow jump from here? Even if he climbs, it’s dead dangerous. There’s nothing to hold onto. Except for a tree, and it’s too far away. I would have to leap, and risk falling, to reach it.

I go back to the room, searching for something to use and climb out. There is a first aid box and ointments on the ground beside the door. They weren’t here earlier. Julian must’ve brought them.

Well, look at that. Someone has some decency.

A phone vibrates on the nightstand. Mine. I run towards it. I thought I turned it off so Liam wouldn’t find me. Does that mean Julian and the others snooped into it?

The device is locked. Should be fine, right? Besides, Liam gave me an app that erases all call and texting messages automatically in case I forget.

I head to the window, sit on the edge and dial Liam. Julian wouldn’t have cameras or listening devices in his room.

“Rage Ball, you fucking...” He breathes on the other side, harsh and deep. “Is that you?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Bollocks! You scared the fuck out of me. I was going to ambush Le Salon and to bloody hell if they did something about it.”

“Everything is well. Don’t worry.” I glance around, making sure no one is in earshot. “Do you know President Joe and Johnny?”

“Yeah. They’re rivals of the ex-chairman Owen. They continue being Ghost’s rivals.” His voice drops, and a door clicks shut on his end. “What about them?”

“I think they’ll go against each other. A war or something.” I continue staring below, counting the distance. “Mist thought I was a spy for President Joe, that’s why she sent me. Things went bad.”

“What do you mean by bad?” The bite in his tone causes me to wince.

If Liam finds out about what Johnny did, he would barge in here and take me back. I can’t allow that.

“Just Johnny being an arsehole.”

“Bollocks. What did he do, Rage Ball?” Liam’s voice becomes even more clipped.

“Oh, please. As if he can hurt me. I’m Rage Ball, remember? I kicked his arse. Then, Julian came along, so it’s totally fine.”

My fingers strangle the bracelet. I’m so ashamed to tell Liam what happened. That I let someone else save me.

He releases a breath, apparently satisfied with my response. “Who’s Julian?”

I nibble on my bottom lip. “One of Mist’s closest men. Her lover or something.”

The thought twists my stomach. Why the hell should I care? Besides, why would Mist allow me to stay with her lover? Is it so he can to watch me closely? It must take a lot of trust between them so she’d do this.