Shadowed (Team Zero #4) by Rina Kent

I whirl around and re-check him from head to toe. Maybe I missed something earlier. On a closer look, he has a faded bruise on the side of his cheek. “Are you… all right?”

His face falls and so does my heart. “No.” His devilish grin peeks again. “But I'll be if you say you missed me.”

“You brute.” A sob tears from my throat. “Of course I missed you. Even when I should hate you, I missed you.”

Shadow gathers me in his arms. My face buries in his hard, wet chest. My fingers cling to his T-shirt as I hold on to him for dear life.

“You were the only reason I remained alive, Zoe.” His words drift in a long pained whisper.

I pull back and search his deep sincere eyes. “You won’t leave again?

He grins, showcasing that genuine-heart stopping smile. “Never, beautiful.”

“My monster?”

“Your monster.”





Epilogue





Three months later,

“Are we there yet?” I huff a breath, taking my millionth swig from the bottle of water.

The T-shirt sticks to my back with sweat and although I’m wearing trainers, my feet beg to be put out of their misery.

“A bit more, beautiful.” Shadow’s fingers tighten around mine as he drags me along the dirt path, leading to the top of the hill near the house in York. He suggested we take a holiday here and I couldn’t be happier. Aside from the lake house, this place is where our story actually began and I love returning to check out on Mark, Lisbeth, and the women shelter.

I place a hand behind my back in a helpless try to balance my pregnant belly. The more it grows, the harder it becomes to walk without back pain.

At situations like these, Shadow usually carries me, so I’m not sure why he’s making me hike all this way. In fact, he knows more about pregnant woman care more than I do, and at this rate, he’ll learn baby care more than I will ever do. He researches a subject, reads everything he can find about it and puts it to practice. No wonder why he’s a fast learner.

“I’m done. Seriously.” I breathe heavily, stopping in my tracks and bending over.

“You’re losing stamina. Come on.”

“Who do you think made me lose stamina since yesterday night?” I make a face like a child.

He chuckles and it’s the most carefree sound I’ve ever heard. I love hearing him laugh and knowing I’m the reason behind it.

“If we’re talking about that, then you also didn’t want to stop.”

“It’s not me, it’s the hormones.”

“Sure thing, beautiful.” He scoops me up in his arms as if I weigh nothing and kisses the tip of my nose.

No matter how much I bloat up, Shadow still looks at me as if I’m the most beautiful, sexy thing he’s ever seen. It’s at moments like these that I lose all doubts about his background and only focus on the man in him.

Shadow’s love isn’t beautiful or safe. It’s full of surprises and bottomless passion. Mine isn’t so pure either. I engrave myself in him as much as he consumes me.

Our story never was and never will be conventional, but it’s ours. We saw each other’s wounds and decided to stay instead of running away.

We finally arrive at the top of the hill and my lips part. Fields of colourful flowers stretch in the distance as far as the eye can see. As if the mesmerising view isn’t enough, there’s also a built-in, high swing at the top.

“I was only kidding when I suggested to have a swing near the fields.” I stare at the clear grey in Shadow’s eyes. “I also meant a normal swing by a tree.”

“I don’t do normal.” He winks and walks me to the swing before lowering me to it. “Besides, this is an important place.”

“Important how?” My gaze strays ahead, still mesmerised by the view. From this position, it’s as if I’m at the top of the world.

Shadow starts pushing me. With each swing, I dangle at the edge of the world. Shadow is all about excitement and thrill even when it comes to swings.

God. I love that about him. There’s never a dull moment in my life.

His voice drifts from behind me as he continues pushing. “Lisbeth said that couples who climb to the top of this hill together are bound to stay together forever.”

A laughter bubbles free from me. “I didn’t think you believed in such things.”

“I believe in anything that says I get to stay with you for infinity.” His arms wrap around my waist, pulling me to him and stopping the swinging. “Like this one.”

My lips form in a wordless ‘O’ as I perceive the ring he’s holding in his fingers. The huge rock glints under the sun, catching a gem the colour of my eyes.

I stare between it and Shadow, unable to utter a word. It’s like I lost my voice.

A charming grin curves his sculpted lips as he slips the perfect-sized ring into my finger. “Marry me.”

“Aren’t you supposed to ask that?” My voice is a breathless whisper as if I’m still hiking.

He shakes his head, stroking my finger with the ring. “If I ask, that means you can say no and you can’t say no, Zoe. Not to this.”

“And why is that?”

With his hand curled around my finger, he wraps the other one on my belly. “We created life together and I hit the jackpot without penetration.”