Ghosted (Team Zero #3) by Rina Kent

Her stance widens as if ready to snap my neck.

Bring it on, bitch.

Strong arms wrap around my waist, and my legs dangle mid-air. I’m hauled off the ground before I can reach Mist. I try to squirm free from Julian’s hold, but he carries me kicking and yelling profanities in her direction.

It’s only after the door of the room closes behind us and Julian drops me on the bed that I fall limp. Adrenaline causes a tremor to course down my arms.

Without Mist to convert this shame into anger, I’m all alone with a cold Julian and a tomb’s silence. It ripples between us in an unwanted tension.

I grab a fistful of my hood as I stand. “Julian, say something. Would you?”

Yelling or punching is a lot better than the unbearable silence.

“Julian...” I reach out a tentative hand towards him. “I’m sorry.”

He grabs my wrist in his hand, his eyes a blazing fire. “So you know how to be sorry but you don’t know how to fucking stay in a safe place? I only asked you one thing. One fucking thing.”

“I know.” Tears spring to my eyes. I can’t believe how easy it is for Julian to make me this weak. “I am sorry. I really am.”

His scowl meets me. Eerie, frightening darkness laces his words. “I should throw you out there. Or better yet, I should call Johnny to come take you. Why does he have to look for you in the streets when he can pick you up? You would want that, won’t you?”

A pang hits my chest, but I manage to say, “You don’t mean that. You’re just angry.”

“Fuck right, I’m angry. What the fuck were you thinking, Elle? What in the bloody hell was going through your head?”

“I’m sorry. I promise not to do it again.” I try to coax him, using the sentence I know he loves the most – and I’m beginning to think I love it the most, too. “I’m yours, Julian.”

“Mine?” He barks a laughter and before I know it, he pushes me backwards. I stumble and fall onto the bed. He imprisons both my wrists and yanks them over my head. His body hovers over mine. His thighs cage my waist as he hisses in hot sultry words. “If you were mine, you wouldn’t put yourself in fucking danger, now would you, Elle?”

I whimper but say nothing.

“Answer me!”

“No, Julian.” I croak.

The raw anger swirling in his eyes turns into blankness. The disappearance of any trace of the Julian I know scares the hell out of me. It’s like he’s morphing into that robotic version I witnessed in Mist’s office. I don’t want that.

I hate that.

I try to wriggle free, but he digs his fingers into my flesh. “Julian, p-please. You’re hurting me.”

Not only physically. It’s the deep indifference on his face that’s gnawing at me.

He lets go with a jerk as if electrocuted and pushes back, shaking his head. Deep pain covers his features as he turns to leave.

I clutch his hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Don’t go.”

Julian doesn’t move, whether to leave or to stay, so I stand up and wrap my arms around his waist from behind. My cheek rests against his rigid back muscles as I whisper, “I’m sorry. I really mean it. Don’t leave this way.”

He turns around so my arms are surrounding his waist from the front. His fingertips tilt my chin, and I stare into his eyes. They’re clearer now. Intense but human, I want to cry tears of joy.

“Don’t you ever do that again,” he enunciates. “Ever.”

I nod. “Don’t be angry with me again. It was scary.”

“You know what’s scary? Imagining that you fell in Johnny’s hands or were taken to who knows where. That’s fucking scary, Firefly.” His lips part in unison with mine as if surprised by his confession as much as I am.

“I won’t do it again,” I say softly. He’s calling me Firefly. Meaning, I’m on his good side.

“Fuck right you won’t.” His grip on my chin tightens. “There’s nothing I won’t do to protect those I care about. All I demand in return is loyalty.”

I bury my face in his chest half to hide my stupid tears and half to hide from his scrutinising gaze. Or else, he will be able to figure out my secrets.

If Julian finds out I’m undercover or that I’m working with Liam, this tale will be over.

So to make him and myself forget about this whole mess, I tiptoe and seal my lips to his. My fingers thread in his hair, and I lick and nip on his bottom lip. Julian grunts and grabs a handful of my hips as he kisses me back, but he’s still tense.

I gently push him back until he’s sitting on the bed. I slowly climb atop of him until I’m straddling his lap. Julian raises an eyebrow but says nothing. In fact, he places both hands on the mattress and leans back as if looking forward to what I will do.

I don’t know what I’m doing, but Julian makes me feel so confident. There’s this look in his eyes, darkened and fierce, but also affectionate. I want to drown in those browns indefinitely.

My fingers clasp his jacket, and I slowly, too slowly, push it off his shoulder. My lips find his neck and I nibble on the hot skin.

Julian’s erection pokes into the inside of my thighs. I take the encouragement and roll my hips against him. My body heats, and the friction shoots sparks of pleasure through me.