Ghosted (Team Zero #3) by Rina Kent

The tears I’ve held the entire night threaten to spill. Just seeing him fills me with all these fuzzy emotions. He shouldn’t belong in my world.

Or I in his.

Then, the realisation hits me. He’s taking me back to Ghost. He’s only here because of Mist and Ghost’s orders.

I’m now looking at a member of the mafia. My grim reaper.

A bitter taste of betrayal explodes in my veins. I can’t help thinking about how I came apart in his arms an hour ago.

Now, he’s come to kill me.

My spine jerks upright. I swallow my tears and tuck my fists under my chin. If he thinks I’m going down without a fight, then he has another thing coming.

“Good punch, Firefly.” His lips twitch in the closest thing to a smile Julian can offer.

“You want another one?” I pull my fists in front of my face and don’t wait for his response. The hurt and betrayal gnawing through me translate into a punch. This time, Julian catches it mid-air. I try to duck, but he twists my arm behind my back and turns me around so his chest is glued to my back. His strong hand locks my other arm over my breast.

I struggle to wiggle free, but his hold is steel-like. Add his overwhelming heat, and I’m a frustrated ball of emotions.

“Enough punching for one day,” he whispers the hot words against my ears, and a shiver runs through me. “Let’s go back.”

“So you would deliver me to Johnny on a golden platter?” Hurt and anger shoot through my words. “Didn’t take you long to toss me aside after claiming I’m yours.”

“Elle...” He trails off, voice hardened.

“Go back to your Mist.” I can’t believe I’m bringing up my jealousy at a moment like this. “The flavour of the week will be shipped off to Johnny.”

Julian whirls me around so fast, I go dizzy. He crashes his lips to mine and pries them open. His kiss is ravenous and angry and passionate all at once. I whimper as similar emotions whirl inside me. This man will be the death of me, and despite knowing that, I can only kiss him back. My fingers weave through his hair as we claw at each other, teeth biting and tongues swirling.

When we finally break for air, Julian surrounds my waist with strong hands and rests his forehead against mine. Those intense eyes stare straight into my soul. In return, he offers me a view of his as well.

He... he doesn’t want to hurt me. It’s as clear as his presence.

My chest nears exploding.

Our breathing is harsh. My lips are swollen and my heart is entangled in a foolish knot.

“What did I tell you, Firefly?” He keeps one arm around my waist and reaches the other to clasp a hand around my neck. His thumb caresses the pulse point. “I told you that you’re screwed because I’m not letting you go. Not for Johnny or anyone else.”

Stupid hope springs in my chest as I ask, “Not even for Mist?”

“Not even for Mist.”

My lips tremble. “Not even for Ghost?”

His mouth twitches like he’s biting back a smile. “Not even for that fucking Ghost.”

This time I can’t fight the tears, I punch his chest over and over again. One punch after the other. As if that will ease the chaotic feelings wreaking havoc in my heart. Julian takes every one of them even when I give it my all. I want to hurt him, to push him away so I will regain myself. Because I’m turning into someone I can’t recognise around him.

He’s reshaping my world, my heart, and I don’t like it. I don’t like how I want to jump him and kiss him and punch him all at the same time. No human should make another feel this way.

I’m strong. I can do this. Those words are starting to lose meaning when I’m around Julian. He shows me that perhaps I’m not that strong. Perhaps my strength is only hiding a deep weakness.

And I loathe him for that.

“I didn’t want this!” I shout, still hitting his chest and fighting the flowing tears and the emotions trying to sweep me south. “I didn’t want any of this! I hate you, Julian! I hate you so fucking much.”

He imprisons my wrists in a strong hand and flings them behind my back. His lips brush against mine and he says against my lips in a rumble, “Then you’re going to hate me a lot more after I make you properly mine.”





Chapter Seventeen





My heart and head are twisted in knots.

Worse, both of them are led by my stupid body that’s completely enchanted with Julian’s.

He cages my hand in his and drags me into the storehouse. There’s no way I will be able to untangle myself from his hold or to run the other way.

A stupid part of me doesn’t even want to run away. A stupid part is blazing in foolish fireworks of thrill and excitement I’ve never felt. Not even in the fighting ring.

Julian has been strangely quiet all the way here. He hasn’t said a word in the car or even looked at me. There’s been so much tension in his shoulders that I’ve been tempted to reach out and massage them.

What’s wrong with him now? If it’s because of my angry episode in the park, then he didn’t show it earlier. Now, it’s like he’s come to an unpleasant realisation.

Or perhaps, he was playing along with my anger earlier and it’s time for his own anger.

My stomach drops. Does he think I actually hate him? It was a stupid ruse of the moment. If only I could bring myself to hate him. If I did, I wouldn’t be having these inexplicable feelings. I think I’m going insane because my fingers itch to console him. Even if he might still hand me over to Johnny.