Misted (Team Zero #5) by Rina Kent

The more the crowd goes rampant with Shadow’s name, the more the need to kill mixes with Omega and crawls inside me.

I’ll always protect you, Hellion, he told me once upon a time.

I’ll always protect you, too! I’m your right-wing, Hawk. I promised him back.

It’s been decades and I don’t think he even remembers those childish promises, but I do.

Every word he told me is engraved in bold, capital letters deep in my soul. There were times where I forgot myself, but I never forgot him.

“Get up.” The words fall from my mouth in a whisper. “Get up, get up, get up…”

As if hearing me, Hawk staggers to his feet. Shadow doesn’t stop his onslaught like an uncontrollable champion. They lock in a close-range embrace and I hold my breath, waiting for Shadow’s next move.

He whispers something in Hawk’s ear. He remains motionless, but his face tightens. When Shadow pulls back with a bloody grin, it’s as if a demon took over Hawk.

He lunges at him with his shoulder and tackles him to the ground. Stunned silence overtakes the spectators, none of them believing their mighty Shadow can be brought down. Some erupt in cheers again while others boo.

Hawk’s perfect, successive punches don’t give Shadow the opening to retaliate. I’m smiling, feeling the adrenaline and Hawk’s raw power straight to my bones.

“We have a new beast in the ring, ladies and gent,” the announcer’s voice is half-stunned, half-enthusiastic. “Shadow goes down for the first time against Hawk!”

He did it. He defeated a perfect-record champion. Pride fills me in an unexpected wave.

Both Hawk and Shadow stand to their feet, glaring at each other. Blood drips from their cut lips and noses to paint their tattoos in a gruesome image.

“Told you to let him do his thing.” Flame’s voice drifts from behind me, appearing bored with the whole thing.

My gaze zeros on the bloodied bandages curled around Hawk’s knuckles.

I don’t even know what I’m thinking as I descend down the stairs and head to the ring. Maybe I want to make sure he didn’t so foolishly handicap himself. Or I just want to be closer to him.

I halt in my tracks when Scar jumps him as soon as he’s out of the ring. Her throaty laughter carries through the air and stabs me in the chest. Or more like, it’s the way he offers her his almost-smile that used to be only mine.

“New champion, hell to the yeah!” She throws Shadow a nasty look. “You suck, loser.”

“Shut it, psycho doll.” Shadow staggers out of the ring, leaning on Zoe.

They continue their back and forth. My phone rings just in time when I turn to leave, my chest aching.

Hawk doesn’t need me. Not that he ever did.

That fact shrinks my already twisted heart.

Molly’s name flashes on the screen alongside a picture of her pulling her pink hair on either side of her face and sticking out her tongue.

She changed it behind my back. Again.

“Hey,” I answer with a voice devoid of the bitterness I feel. “Did you get any messages from Ink?”

“No.” There’s an urgency in her voice. “But we got trouble.”

“What?”

“The police are here for you.”





12





Mist





I thought I felt no regrets until you barged back into my life like a raging storm.



We all return, although separately.

I go first and sneak into Le Salon from the back-entrance. The front is jammed with police cars, and if I stepped in front of them, they would’ve arrested me on the spot.

On the way here, I called Hades non-stop, but there was no response. I need his ‘get out of jail free’ card and only his connection with the higher-ups can give me that.

Molly paces my office as I search through my safe. I doubt they have a warrant for a thorough search — since it can implicate Hades’ partners, but I make sure nothing can be found and used to hurt the girls.

The office door swings open and Shadow barges inside, his curls falling in chaos across his forehead and his white T-shirt is all cramped as if he just got out of the shower. The fight from earlier left him with a cut bottom lip and half-swollen left eye.

Zoe walks beside him with a slight bob to her wavy blonde hair. Her darkish eyeshadow brings out the bright green of her eyes.

I pause placing the documents back in the safe as I stare at her growing belly and radiating face. My chest tightens as an old ache squeezes my insides.

“It’s that ‘I told you fucking so’ moment.” Shadow snaps, bringing me back to reality. “We have police with bloody warrants downstairs.”

“I’ll take care of it.” I shut the safe and enter the combination until a beep sounds. “Just take Zoe out of here. It’s not safe for her or the baby.”

“I tried talking to Liam, but the mule wouldn’t listen. He has a strong prejudice against criminals.” Zoe touches my arm. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help.”

I pat her hand. “Don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself.”

“How in fuck will you take care of this?” Shadow runs a tense hand through his hair. “Hades said he won’t help.”

My smile drops and I spin towards him so fast, Zoe flinches. “What?”