Ghosted (Team Zero #3) by Rina Kent

But I already let her go.

I can only wait until she chooses to return on her own.





Chapter Thirty-One





Zoe and I have hugged so many times during the past weeks, I’ve lost count.

Shocking. I know.

Mist witnessed our first teary hug with awkwardness then fled the scene.

After I let Zoe hug me, I yelled at her and punched her for making me believe she died. Then I cried some more when it sank in that she’s alive and well. The whole thing since her disappearance is like a dream. Or a nightmare. Depends on how to look at it.

Both of us are the same. But not really. We’ll never be the Elle and Zoe from the past.

She still hasn’t told me what happened or why she chose isolation on the outskirts of York, but Liam and I agreed to give her time.

She’s a shell of the lively Zoe I knew and she barely talks. Perhaps it’s a lot bigger than we think.

Her house is practically a farmhouse. The surrounding village is so friendly and has the most amazing northern accent. I walk outside near a plum tree, soaking in the rare warm sun. The air is wonderfully clean here. I can definitely get used to this.

Zoe has been doing some gardening out here. Mostly planting flowers. I know how much she likes flowers; that’s why I gave her the lotus bracelet, but I never thought she would give up the police for this.

It’s been her dream. The Academy. The adrenaline. Now, I have no idea where she plans to go. Or where I plan to go for that matter. I don’t think I will go back to underground fighting. Maybe I will teach women and children self-defence.

I have no appetite to do anything at the moment. My broken heart has been sinking more and more since the day Julian threw me away. As if I were nothing. As if what happened in the past couple of months didn’t rock his world like it quaked mine.

Sometimes, I contemplate calling him and yelling until his ears bleed. Or better yet, go there in person and punch him in the bloody face, but I’m too hurt to do that.

The ease with which he gave up on me still hurts too much. I go to sleep with tears in my eyes, knowing he won’t cage me in his comforting embrace. Now, all I have is a load of memories that keep haunting me.

“Elle?”

I stop pacing at Zoe’s voice. She’s standing at the entrance, wearing a baggy sweater and a scarf. The wind flips her blondish strands behind her. She’s smiling, but nothing reaches the bright green of her eyes like before. I still haven’t seen her smile freely like when she was my anchor. It’s time I become hers, no matter what type of demons she’s fighting.

“Liam is here,” she says then twirls a strand of her hair. A nervous habit that she’s been fighting to lose since we were teenagers. “Scar also came.”

Zoe didn’t want to tell Liam, but I made her call him. He deserved to know she’s alive after the hell we’ve been through. No idea if Zoe is hiding from us or herself.

I’ve been waiting for when she’ll crack a joke, like her normal self, but she didn’t even attempt to.

Scar is visiting for the second time. The other day, she came with Mist. Zoe was appalled. She thinks they will tell Shadow where she’s staying. Which both have denied. Scar said, ‘I don’t even like the arsehole.’ and Mist, ‘I’ll only help that filth when he needs a hand to die.’ But apparently, Zoe is still nervous about it.

I walk with her inside, interlinking my arm with hers. A few months ago, I wouldn’t want to be this close to anyone — even with Zoe. But at that time, I was running away from my insecurities. There’s nothing wrong with being close to those I love.

We find Liam and Scarlett in the small sitting area in Zoe’s house. Scar is plopped on the old sofa, sipping a coffee ever so leisurely, but Liam is standing at the threshold. Stance wide. Shoulders tense and arms crossed as if he’s ready to pounce any second.

Needless to say, he doesn’t like Scar.

Not the first time I introduced them, and obviously not now. I haven’t told him, but I think he knows she’s not just an escort, but one of Le Salon’s leaders.

“Hey, Liam,” I say with a light tone and massage his shoulder muscles. “Relax a bit, would you.”

“Not with her here.” He narrows his eyes on Scar. “Why does she keep coming in the first place?”

Zoe places a hand on her hip, and for the first time in the twenty days I’ve been here, a spark of the old Zoe rushes through. “That’s so rude, mister!”

“Ellie!” Scar completely ignores him and jumps me in a tight hug. “I missed you! It’s so dull without you. Come back, Hmm? Come on! I promise to kick Ghost’s arse if you do.”

I give an awkward smile. “Julian wouldn’t want me back.”

“That’s where you’re sooo wrong, Ellie.” She flings her arms around. “Listen, Ghost and I are total besties, so I know what I’m talking about.”

“Are you really besties?” She didn’t strike me as close to Julian at all.

“I am.” She pauses when I keep staring at her, then purses her lips. “At times.”

“Didn’t you warn me to stay away from him?”

“That’s because I thought it was a fling. But that’s not the point! Have you ever thought that he could just... you know...”