Shadowed (Team Zero #4) by Rina Kent

He doesn’t fall for the taunt. He never does. Hawk is like that unmovable rock during a hurricane or a volcano or a fucking tsunami. I didn’t miss the fact that he didn’t utter a word thus far.

“Leave him alone, arsehole.” Scar cuts me a glare. Right, the psycho doll has always been close with the big man. He’s too silent for his own good and she’s too loud for hers.

Mist throws her an indecipherable glance, but she soon ignores her and Hawk’s existence altogether. They haven’t exchanged a word since his release. They don’t even fucking look at each other, so I don’t understand all the tension in the tension.

“Are we clear on not going back?” Ghost asks.

I shake my head. “Ink has many disciples. He can always send one after me or Zoe. She’s pregnant, mate.”

“She’s under our protection,” Mist says, “Besides, Ink and I go back. I can ask a favour so he wouldn’t touch Zoe.”

“He won’t spare me even for your pretty face.”

It’s Hawk’s turn to glare at me. Seriously, get a room.

“I can’t risk Ink and his crazy clan.” I can’t risk anything when it comes to Zoe’s safety. I won’t spend the rest of my life looking at my back, waiting for one of Ink’s cockroaches to jump at me. I would rather pay him his due and be over with it.

Fuck. Being responsible is so exhausting.

“Keep your promise to take care of her.” I nod at Mist and then nudge Scar, “And psycho doll, teach her some meditation, I heard it’s good for pregnancy.” Heard. As in studied the shit out of it via Google while Zoe was asleep.

Ghost blocks my path before I can leave. “You might never be the same again, mate.”

I clasp his shoulder. “I’m not worried about that, you know why?”

He shakes his head.

I grin. “I’m not afraid to be Rubbish boy again. That boy fought for what he wanted.”





Chapter Thirty-Seven





One month later,

I smile at the children as they cross the road in a line. Omar, the youngest and the most mischievous, looks back and waves at me.

His dark curls of hair fall against his forehead and he pushes them back with a tiny palm as he continues waving.

I wave back and point ahead so he doesn’t miss the line.

“Would you like a cuppa?” Nonna’s voice drifts from her office. She’s perching on the counter already pouring steaming tea into two cups.

Once I make sure the last of the kids left safely, I take a seat across from Nonna’s old wooden, desk.

The afternoon sun slips through the small window, and it’s surprisingly enough to cast a thick orange hue on the office.

The scent of Jasmine and other herbal ingredients Nonna puts in her tea waft in the air. Who knew I would look forward to tea instead of coffee, but the miracle actually happened.

Nonna places the mismatched saucer and teacup in front of me and settles on the opposite chair. She drapes the blanket on her knees and sighs.

I can’t help but sigh as well. Nonna’s boarding school has been the only reason why I’m not going insane.

Helping children who are like me, tossed out, abused, or growing without parents gives my life a purpose. Being an officer was out of the question. I barely escaped the authorities’ wrath, and by barely, I mean Ghost helped in bribing some of the high authorities – or someone from his side did.

I was even given the chance to take the last exam and officially became a part of the Met Police like Liam. However, being stuffed in an office – or chasing criminals — when I dislike violence is useless.

My place is in somewhere like this with Nonna.

Of course, Liam had a field day with me when I told him everything. He’s been drifting away from Elle and I, but he can’t physically quit being our oldest brother.

I take the cup of tea and breathe in the herbal fragrance.

Silence and the sense of calm causes my heart to shudder and shrivel into its empty shell. I’m supposed to be patient and try and not aggravate my pregnancy, but at times, I can’t help it.

Is it normal that I don’t feel my heart since that day I woke up in a cold and empty bed?

Elle sat beside me with a sad expression and I knew without asking that Shadow was gone.

My life has never been the same since then.

Shadow left me. Even after I begged and pleaded and told him my deepest feelings, he just left.

Now, I hate him and I don’t need him in my life. It’s so easy to hate him.

That’s what I tell myself every night before I fall asleep with tears in my eyes.

Hating him is better than picturing him being tortured or relapsing to the monster he was before. What if he doesn’t come back? Worse, what if he returns and doesn’t recognise me?

Being caught in the maze of those thoughts always put me on the edge, so I shoved them to the back of my mind, focused on my baby, and helping Nonna.

“He’ll return,” Nonna says in a firm tone while sipping from her cup of tea. She always says that, as if she can see the terror and gloom behind my silence.

I wish I had her confidence. Although President Joe helped with the payment and Hades doesn’t need to keep Shadow, he still does anyway.

Scar said it’s because Hades doesn’t like having his hand twisted and Ghost did exactly that when he demanded Hawk’s release, so now, he’ll take revenge by keeping Shadow.