Misted (Team Zero #5) by Rina Kent

He brushes a hand over his man bun as if in deep thoughts. “Do you ever levitate, Scar?”

“I meditate.”

“It’s not the same. Levitating is when you’re floating off the ground and into the air.”

“Sounds fun!”

“It isn’t when you walk in the streets and see everyone levitating naked.” He retrieves a joint and rolls it between both hands. “Omega’s withdrawal is a nasty business like that.”

Scar lifts a shoulder as if she couldn’t care less. “You gonna do a cover-up tattoo for me?”

“On that porcelain skin? Call.” He grins and motions at his three minions who nod and scatter in the bushes.

As long as he’s here, his little band of psychos will never leave.

“But first.” He faces Mist with a suggestive look. “I’m here for business, Misty.”

“Stop calling her that,” I grit out.

“What?” He feigns innocence. “Misty?”

I begin to remove Hellion so I can fuck up his pretty-boy features, but she tightens her hold around my arm and stops me with a pleading glance.

She knows I would do anything if she looks at me like that.

With one last nod at me, she tells Ink, “Let’s talk in private.”

“Fuck no,” I growl the words. “There will be no private time with this fucker.”

“Hawk, mate.” Ink wipes the corner of his bloodied mouth with the tip of his thumb and stuffs the joint between his lips. “If you keep her away from her friends, it’s called a toxic relationship.”

“Hawk, please.” Mist clutches my arm harder with pure desperation in her hazel gaze. “I’ll tell you everything.”

I stare at her, dumbfounded. There’s more to tell? She has secrets with Ink?

“Wait. You didn’t tell him about the stalker?” Ink quips.

My jaw clenches. He knew all along while I didn’t. One more reason to butcher him and throw him to the sharks.

Mist must feel my rigidness since she says, “Shut up, Ink.”

“No, go on!” Scar holds on to his arm and stares at him with big, starry, and mischievous eyes. “Tell us more, Inky.”

“Hmmm,” he gazes at the distance. “I suppose she didn’t tell you she made a deal with Hades to have me out?”

“Ink!” Mist shouts.

“Oh, and I just found out she offered herself on my behalf.” He places a hand on his heart. “I’m so touched, Misty.”

I feel like someone reached inside my chest, ripped my fucking heart out, and chopped it to pieces. I don’t have the energy to go after Ink. I just stare down at Mist with what I’m sure looks like a dumb as fuck expression.

Her lips tremble and she grips me tighter. “I can explain.”

“Got to wait,” Ink continues, oblivious to the rippling tension in the air. “About the stalker. I have the perfect trap…”

His voice drifts in the background as I turn and head inside. Mist tries to stop me, but I yank her arm free.

I’m fuming by the time I arrive upstairs. I want to smash everything in sight and bring the whole fucking place down. Then I recall I bought the house for her just a few days ago. I wanted this to be our home and I hid the deed to surprise her with it.

I wanted to finally make our dream come true. Because even though we lost our child and almost lost each other, we found our paths back to one another.

How could I be so fucking blind?

All this time, she was planning to offer herself to Hades’ hell on Ink’s behalf.

I jam my fist at the wall and a growl spills from my throat.

My punches halt when I see Mist at the stairs. She’s approaching me with careful steps as if I’m a wounded, volatile animal. “I didn’t do it for him. I did it for you.”

I laugh with a bitter edge. “Is that your excuse?”

“Ink is the only one who can catch the stalker. Their methods and gaming systems are similar.”

“Never occurred to you that he’s the fucking stalker?”

She shakes her head. “No. Ink doesn’t waste his energy on something that doesn’t benefit him. You don’t know him as well as I do.”

“Fucking obviously.” I turn to leave.

“Listen to the very end, dammit.” She grips my arm hard and swings me back. “Ink has been studying the stalker’s patterns for a while. That’s why I needed him out. If the only way to do that is to offer myself to Hades, then I’d do it all over again.” Her shoulders hunch. “I don’t think you understand when I say that I’ll do anything it takes to keep you safe.”

I clutch her wrist, drag her to the room and slam the door shut. I pin her against the bed and crush my lips to hers. She opens for me with a whimper. I thrust my tongue inside and kiss her like this is the last day on earth and she’s the only thing keeping me fucking alive.

“You’re not going anywhere,” I grunt against her lips as I pull down the sorry excuses of straps holding her dress.

“No, you don’t understand. I…oh...”

She arches her back when my mouth finds one of her tight pink nipples. I bite on it hard and pinch the other just as hard. Mist screams and when I trail my hand inside her knickers, she’s soaking wet.