Shadowed (Team Zero #4) by Rina Kent

The door opens. Nonna trudges inside followed by a grumpy Shadow. The height difference is ridiculous if not comical. Both his hands are stuffed in his trousers’ pockets. The tiger tattoos are taut with tension and something else I can’t pinpoint.

“Go on.” Nonna stands beside him and pushes him forward so he’s in front of me.

The gloomy grey in his eyes meet mine, and there’s a genuine honesty as he says, “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

My lips part and heat covers my body. I don’t know why those mere words are making me super aware of him. I never imagined a man like Shadow would apologise. Well, he didn’t say he’s actually sorry, but it’s close enough.

Silence stretches between us. I clutch the cup of tea harder, not knowing what to say. He did slice my throat, and I’m sure that look he gave me will haunt me in my nightmares. And yet… I peek at his height, and warmth crawls down my back.

He just tried to kill me, but a few words, and my body is forgetting about it.

I hate him.

I glare, irritated that he has this pull on me. He’s a frightening flashback of the monster my father had been. I should bloody loathe him.

Shadow removes a hand from his pocket and points a finger at me. “But you lunged forward and got in my way – ”

He’s cut off when Nonna smacks his back. “If you’re going to apologise don’t follow it with a ‘but’. That’s not how I taught you, Angelo.”

“Nonna!” He groans then lowers his voice. “Don’t call me that.”

“I said I’ll call you whatever I damn please.”

I watch with slight amusement as they keep bickering. There’s a genuinely playful side to Shadow aside from the dark, fucked up one he keeps taunting around. Perhaps he really cares about his Nonna.

After a few backs and forth, she shuts him up with pure grandma sassiness and faces me. “As a form of apology, my Angelo will take you horse riding in Hyde Park.”

“I will not.” He cuts her with a dirty look. “Don’t go making plans on my behalf, Nonna.”

“Yes, you are.” She widens her stance and taps her foot on the ground.

“It’s okay,” I put the cup on the table and stand up. “I don’t know how to ride a horse. Besides, I should go back.”

“He knows how to ride.” Nonna interlaces her arm with Shadow’s. “When I told him I missed how my Giovanni and I went horse riding, Angelo took me to Hyde Park last week.”

“I still need to –” I don’t get to finish my sentence.

Nonna pushes us both out of her office and down the hallway. We pass by Natalie and Lachlan who are playing with the kids. The latter narrows his eyes on me while Natalie smiles.

Nonna ushers us out of the kindergarten and into a black sports car. The Jaguar appears as frightening as its owner. I’m in the passenger seat before I know it. Nonna whispers something in Shadow’s ear before she shoves him in the driver seat.

She keeps watching from the threshold of the school. I smile awkwardly as I fasten my seatbelt and sink into the leather. It smells like scotch and male and… Shadow.

The engine revs to life. The vibration shoots straight between my thighs. I swallow as the car speeds in the street.

Son of a gun. Of course, someone like Shadow would drive a thrillingly fast car. Everything about him is power and danger.

Once Nonna is out of sight, I face ahead and say in a detached tone, “Take me back to Le Salon.”

He doesn’t even glance at me. “No.”

“Then drop me here and I’ll go back on my own.”

“We’re going to the fucking park.” He grits out.

I turn sideways so I’m facing him. “Well, I don’t want to go to the fucking park.”

He offers me a fleeting irritated glance. “Do I look like I care?”

“That’s called selfishness in case you were wondering.”

He gasps dramatically. “Thanks for the educational tip.”

“You’re welcome. While we’re at it, why don’t you learn to respect other people’s wishes?”

His voice drips with mockery. “Funny coming from you considering that you kissed me without my permission.”

My cheeks heat, but I refuse to back down. “A mistake I'll never repeat. Now, take me back.”

“That would be a no, beautiful.”

I cross my arms. “You don’t want to go as much as me so why force yourself?”

He flashes me a charming grin. “Because Nonna’s smack hurts.”

“Not my problem. Pull over.”

“I don’t take orders.” His voice turns flat as he exits the neighbourhood and speeds in the main road.

“I want out of this car.”

“The answer is still no.” His devil grin is on full display. “I'll give you two choices, though.”

Something tells me I won’t like them. “What?”

“Go obediently or…” His gaze roams over me, and it takes everything in me not to cross my jacket and hide my cleavage.

Tingles erupt over my skin and settle between my legs. I squirm and close my thighs together.

I like how he looks at me.

Whatever he had to say disappears since his devil grin returns, and it’s not playful in the least. “You can open the door and jump out. Your choice, beautiful.”