moment to strike.
I’m done lurking in the shadows.
Our secret isn’t scary. I am.
While waiting for Misted, have you read Ghosted? The story goes in parallel with Shadowed.
1-Click Ghosted!
Subscribe to my newsletter for news, giveaways, and exclusive excerpts.
Newsletter
Ghosted Excerpt
I measure him from bottom to top. Black leather shoes. Pressed black trousers. Both of his arms are resting on the chair's armrests. One of his wrists is bandaged. Intricate tattoos seep from underneath his cuffs and cover the back of his hand.
Wait.
Those tattoos are familiar. Way too familiar.
My gaze snaps to his face. My entire body goes rigid.
He's watching me with a tilted head. The darkness of his eyes swallows me like they did earlier today. They're even more frighteningly intense now.
The stranger from the alley.
How...?
No. My top priority is to get accepted in this place and he's my only ticket in.
Now is one of those times to prove my worth. Only this is a lot different from an underground match. Punching, kicking? No problem. Talking to a handsome man and attempting to seduce him? That's an entirely different bag altogether.
The man staring at me with a tilted head is another type of opponent. I just have to impress him instead of picking a fight.
With a deep breath, I stand and saunter to the mini-bar on the side of the room, making sure to take my time. I stop in front of the bottles. The smell of scotch and bourbon brings a wave of familiarity. Now, alcohol is something I can deal with.
"What would you like to drink?" I would guess whiskey. He seems like the whiskey type.
"What makes you think you can offer me a drink?" His deep voice sounds right behind me. His heat radiates down my back.
I flinch. I didn't even hear him approach. He made himself noticeable earlier, but now, it's like he floated through the air or something.
Reining in my reaction, I turn around. I'm struck by the proximity. My chest grazes his, and I swiftly step back against the cabinet to put distance between us. The wood digs into my back, and it takes everything in me not to knee or punch him away.
Instead, I adopt my sweetest tone. "Why can't I offer you a drink?"
I know why, but I don't say it aloud so I won't appear too smart for my own good.
Risk of poisoning, that's why. It demands a level of trust to accept a drink in their world. Especially if he goes higher in rank. Is this Julian perhaps with lots of influence around here?
His piercing eyes are fishing into my soul, and something tells me he's not the type who gives up until he catches what he's searching for.
"Why are you here?" he asks instead of answering my question.
"To work," I say in my coolest tone.
He tilts his head to the side and measures me from the top of my head to the tip of my stilettoes. Unlike the other men around here, he doesn't stop to ogle my chest. He just seems to be weighing me up in a non-sexual manner. Like I would do to an opponent before a fight.
A mixture of pride and fear overwhelm me. Pride because I like that he's taking me seriously. People usually underestimate me. Fear for the same reason. It's not in my best interest if he doubts me.
Unlike with the other men, I'm so self-conscious, it takes effort not to tug on the stupid short dress.
"You want me to believe that someone who kicked Johnny in the crotch needs to work here?"
Think. Think. "He deserved it." I go with the truth instead. Judging from how he twisted that wanker's wrist, he must be on bad terms with him.
Julian's lips twitch again, but he's not smiling. Does he even do smiling?
"That he did." He tilts his head again. "Still doesn't explain why you're here."
"What, a girl can't defend herself? Do we all have to wait for someone else to do it for us?"
"As I was saying, someone like you wouldn't want to work here."
His hand reaches for me. I don't have a warning before his long, lean fingers wrap around my neck. He holds me in place, firm enough to stop me from moving, but he isn't squeezing. His thumb rests on my pulse point, probably trying some human lie detector technique. Liam trained me for this. All I have to do is remain confident.
Easier said than done.
My skin heats, and my hand twitches to punch him away. This position is so vulnerable, and I hate being vulnerable.
I swore to never be vulnerable after Ma's death.
His face turns stone cold. "Why are you here?"
"I told you. It's to work." I clench my fist on the hem of my dress, both to make him believe I'm desperate, and because I am desperate. "I can no longer go back to my house and if I don't find work, I'll be homeless."
A flicker of something crosses the depth of his dark eyes. It's similar to surprise, but not quite. Nostalgia? Pain? Whatever it is, it seems like he feels the meaning behind my words. Perhaps he could? The moment passes as fast as it came, and his face goes back to its impassivity.
"Just give me a chance," I press. "I will do anything."
His thumb glides from my pulse to my lips. I swallow. Tingles shoot down my spine and settle between my legs. The place where he touches me ignites in a thousand fires.
What the hell is this reaction? And why is my mouth itching to open for him?
I don't get to decide. Julian parts my lips with his thumb and traces my lower lip in a slow, sensual touch. My legs weaken like I've just finished a long run. I want his finger inside. Why the hell do I want it inside?
"Anything is a strong word." His low, husky voice drifts around me. "Don't use it idly."
He retrieves his hand and for some foolish reason, my lips feel empty and so does my body.
Julian turns around and heads towards the exit.
As the door shuts behind him, I stagger backwards. What the hell just happened?
Also By Rina Kent
Team Zero Series
Lured
Crowed
Ghosted
Misted (Coming July 25th)
More Team Zero Books to Follow….
The Rhodes Series
Remorse (Free for Newsletter Subscribers)
Ruin
Acknowledgements
As usual, this part always gets me in a frozen state of mind. Writing a book is so much easier than conjuring the right words to thank the people that made it happen.
First of all, I can’t thank Mr K enough for his patience and his endless support. You make me feel strong even in my darkest moments and you’re one of the main reasons I continue writing.
To my best friend, A, you’re an infuriating inspiration source, but your passion and creativity will always fascinate me. Here’s to twenty five more years of friendship.
A million thank yous to my editor Annabelle who works like a machine with my flippant deadlines.
My betas, thank you for loving Shadow and helping out on super short notices.
My proofreader, Nora, you have hawk eyes that I can’t live without.
To Rina’s Gritty Gang and Rina’s Team Zero, you guys make every launch the best launch.
A special shout-out to every blogger, reader, and book enthusiast who showed Shadowed love.
Thank you all!
About the Author
My characters barge in like thieves in the middle of the night.
Uninvited.
Unapologetic.
Intense.
Rina Kent in an English author who's constantly parading between France and North Africa due to her studies and her husband's demanding job.
When she's not packing suitcases or hopping from one plane to the other, she's busy whipping her characters to shape.
Since a young age, Rina has been obsessed with storytelling and flawed, edgy characters. Her heroes are often killers and anti-heroes and her books are always sprinkled with darkness, angst, violence, and lots of heat.
If you’re in the mood to stalk me:
Website
Newsletter
BookBub
Gritty Gang Group
Goodreads