Shadowed (Team Zero #4) by Rina Kent

This time, he flashes me a grin. “I told you that you’re mine now.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I agree while in comatose or something?”

“Keep it up, beautiful.”

Using his grip on my wrist, he yanks me towards him. My breasts crush against his hard chest. I gasp when an unmistakable bulge presses at the bottom of my stomach.

“See what that smart mouth of yours does?” His voice drops an octave.

My breathing deepens until I’m struggling to consume air. I should push him away, but I can’t help soaking in the effect I have on him. He’s so hard and thick, and suddenly, I hate my dress.

I huff, pretending not to be impressed. “Why should I care?”

His tone turns playful. “Because you will take care of it?”

“In your dreams,” I say when all I mean is Make me.

My thighs clench in remembrance of the wrestling we had the other time. My bloodstream pumps in anticipation and thrill.

What type of person craves a wrestling round with a monster?

Me, apparently.

Shadow must’ve caught the double meaning behind my words because a spark gleams in the usually-dead grey of his eyes. I suspect that mine look the same.

He reaches for my dress’s zipper. I shove him away. He lets me, and I know he’s taking it easy on me because his actual grip is steel-like. If he wants, he can break my arm with a single twist, but he isn’t.

Shadow is taking part in the sick game with me.

I am playing with a monster and I couldn’t be more excited.

Adrenaline shoots into my limbs as I rush away from him. Strong arms surround my waist from behind and haul me off the ground. I thrash and wiggle in his hold like a marionette. When he doesn’t let go, I bite his arm. Hard. My teeth almost puncture the skin.

He loosens his hold and I fall. I land on my feet and rear back with a kick. He catches my dominant leg and meets my gaze. His eyes are shining with a hazy lust and energetic fire. I’m sure mine reflect the same.

I didn’t know it was possible to want to ruin someone and kiss them to bloody death. In the past, when I craved more, I thought I wanted the foreplay. I didn’t know that lust and hate would be wrecking my senses like this.

A part of me wants to murder Shadow for all the confliction, but the other part wants me to let him fuck my brains out.

His heated eyes aren’t focused on my face anymore. With my leg suspended mid-air, he has a complete view of my black lace underwear.

He does a deliberate job of licking his lips. “Nice.”

My cheeks warm as I twist and free myself. Shadow tries to get a hold of me while I hit him without any mercy or remorse.

Problem? I don’t think he feels my hits or even cares. He keeps flashing me those infuriating grins as if he’s enjoying my struggle.

I know I shouldn’t let him get under my skin, and that being worked up will be the sure way to lose, but I can’t help it. I charge at him with all my might. He imprisons me from behind, his tattooed arms hugging me tightly.

“Give it up, beautiful.” Hot, sultry words whisper in my ear.

Shivers dance along my skin at the feel of him. All of him. From the broadness of his shoulders, to the slight stubble grazing my cheek, to the bulge at the small of my back.

“Never,” I groan and elbow him, but again, it does nothing. Either his muscles are too hard or he really gives no fucks about pain.

He continues whispering in my ear, “You might change your mind about me, you know.”

I laugh, long and humourless. “What’s there to change about a hollow monster?”

Shadow’s leniency seems to fly out of the window. He spins me around so fast, I turn dizzy. I don’t get to analyse the darkness swirling in his expression.

He slams his lips against mine.

Shadow doesn’t kiss, he devours. His tongue plunges inside and finds mine in an uncontrollable frenzy. I can’t keep up with his bruising, possessive claim. My body sags against his wet chest that smells of cloves and the lake’s water. I’m lightheaded and it feels like drowning and going under. I can see the surface, it’s within the tips of my fingers, but I don’t want to reach out. Even though I can’t breathe, I keep falling into Shadow’s unapologetic claiming.

When he breaks free, both of us are panting. He murmurs against my swollen lips, “You’re kissing the monster.”

His mouth goes back to abusing my lips. He pries them open and thrusts his tongue inside with more maddened urgency. It’s as if he’s punishing me and stripping away every ounce of control I have.

Well, not so easy.

I bite his tongue, not hard enough to draw blood, but it’s enough to push him. Or that’s what I think. Shadow doesn’t pull away. He bites my tongue back until the metallic taste fills my mouth. A zip of pleasure sprouts from the sharp pain.

God. I must be so sick in the head to find this pleasurable.

His hand slips through the slit of my dress.

He takes his sweet arse time roaming the tip of his fingertips on the swell of my breasts, but he doesn’t touch where I’m aching the most. My nipples throb and peak for attention, but Shadow doesn’t do them any favours.

I’m shivering, and it has nothing to do with his wet clothes gluing against me.

He shoves me against the cushions. I fall so hard, I don’t even get a chance to think. My body moulds into the soft cloth, and strange need spirals inside me. Shadow’s strong thighs straddle my stomach. Blood smears his lips. He licks it like some vampire, keeping his overcast eyes on me.