by Rina Kent
She’s out the door. I stand there, mulling her words over.
Julian wants me to choose him?
How?
My mind snaps back to the note he’s given me. His world isn’t for me. Like I said before I fell asleep. But I told him that I want us to be together. Wait. Maybe he didn’t hear that part? Maybe I didn’t say it aloud?
Oh. Shit.
Julian wants me to return on my own.
How come I never thought about that? He wants me to choose him and his world out of my own will.
I’m running after Scar before I know it.
Liam clutches my arm and brings me to a screeching halt. “Where are you going? Don’t tell me you’re listening to whatever that crazy woman just said.”
I face him and smooth my voice. “You’ve been the best big bro anyone can ask for, Liam, and you’re a brilliant man. You are. But there are good men on the other side of the law, too.” I grin. “And I’ve found mine.”
Zoe offers me a smile, and she seems genuinely happy for me. “Go for it, Rage Ball!”
I give her a quick hug. “We still need to talk.”
Then I run after Scar.
She’s standing by her car and waiting for me with a smile.
Scar and I arrive at Le Salon late at night. Needless to say, she made me listen to Oasis’ whole discography on the way here.
Although my decision was made, my feet falter near the entrance of the safe house. What if I read the entire thing wrong and Julian doesn’t want me anymore? If he throws me away this time, I won’t be able to put myself back together again.
Not that I have.
I take a deep breath and step inside the safe house. Scar said he only spends time either punching Shadow or the bag. Judging from the successive thwacks coming from behind the house, he must be with the bag.
Nerves start wrecking me again. I glance down at the simple sweater and jeans Zoe lent me. Jeez. I didn’t even change into something appropriate or had Scar perform her magic on my face.
Well, there’s nothing I can do about it now.
I round the corner and take my millionth breath. Then, I stop breathing altogether. Julian is battling with the bag, half-naked. The rigid lines of his back and the warrior tattoo shine with sweat. He’s always been so beautiful. Both inside and out.
The need to run and hug him overwhelms me. So I do just that. The first part at least. I run at him in full speed, then instead of hugging him. I punch him in the back. Hard. My knuckles ache but he hardly budges. He stops moving, though.
I’m sure he sensed my attack but chose to do nothing. He’s Ghost after all. The one who does the creeping, no one creeps up on him.
He turns around, slowly, and my heartbeat pounds with every passing second. When he’s fully facing me, a lump forms at the back of my throat.
His intense, dark eyes rake over me with relief but also surprise. As if he didn’t expect to ever see me again. All I want to do is hug him and tell him how much I miss him.
My lips tremble. “You didn’t keep your word.”
He secures the bandages on his hands. “My word?”
“That you wouldn’t leave me.”
“You’re the one who left,” he says in that calm tone.
“After you made me!” My fist slams in his chest over and over.
He takes every one of my punches with a pained expression, but I doubt it has anything to do with how much I physically hurt him.
“Why, Julian?” Tears form in my eyes. “Why did you kick me out?”
He clutches both my wrists in his hand, but doesn’t remove them from his chest. A deep sense of longing lodges in those golden rings. “You said it yourself. My world isn’t for you. I can’t force you into this.”
“I’m not scared of this world.” I puff my chest forward. “I’m not a delicate flower in case you haven’t noticed. All I want is to be with you.”
His fingers stroke my cheek, and I lean into his touch. “And I want to be with you. You drive me fucking crazy, Firefly. I can’t imagine my world without you.”
My heart does a somersault and happy tears fill my eyes.
“I promise to protect you until my last breath,” he continues. “You’ll be my friend, my lover, and my everything. I just want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
This time, I can’t hold it anymore. I lunge forward and wrap my arms around his waist in a steel-hug. “I love you so much, Julian.”
He strokes my hair and lifts my chin so I’m staring at those dark eyes. “Mine?”
I smile up at him. “Yours.”
Deleted Scene
After the reunion
* * *
Julian tugs on my hand as he leads me up the stairs to our room.
It’s our room now. No one can take that away.
I can’t stop staring – and drooling – at his half-naked glory. His muscles and the warrior tattoo flex with every movement.
My life was incomplete without that warrior.
Julian stops in front of the door and his hand hesitates at the doorknob. His dark gaze falls on me. “I couldn’t get inside the room the whole time you weren’t here.”
My chest twists with a halo of happiness. My palm finds his stubbled cheek, and I murmur. “I couldn’t sleep without you next to me.”
His lips crash to mine. I gasp into his mouth then moan. He’s kissing me like a starved man. Like he was hollow without me as I was without him.
My nails dig into the hard muscles of his back as his arm surrounds my waist. My feet dangle against his legs as he pushes the door open.
We’re inside the room when he pulls away. Both of us are panting. His harsh breaths almost turn into growls while he stares at me with those inquisitive dark eyes that I fell in love with.
“I thought you were never coming back.” His arm tightens around my waist, and my feet are still not touching the ground. His free hand wraps around my throat. Tears spring to my eyes. Now, I feel like home.
Julian is the best home I’ve ever had.
I clutch his arm, caressing the tattoos running along his bicep. “I can’t live without you, Julian.”
“And I can’t live without you, Firefly.”
This time, I’m the one who captures his lips. I moan into his mouth and Julian groans in mine.
I missed him. I miss him so freaking much.
My hand reach out between us to undo his shorts, but Julian walks with me all tangled around him towards the bed. Our bed.
It smells like him; cedar and head-turning masculine scent. This has become my drug, and I never want to be away from it again. His heated eyes never leave mine as he yanks my jeans down my legs.
I’m about to ask him if he’s given up ripping my clothes when his hands shred my sweater and T-shirt open.
Pleasure shoots straight to my core. This side of him always turns me on.
Julian yanks his shorts down as if he has a problem with them. He’s all lithe and so damn beautiful. My fingers trace the hard ridges of his chest and the intricate tattoos. He clutches my hand in his and crawls atop of me, his knees caging my thighs. He lifts my hand and his lips brush along my open palm. A shudder runs through my spine.
The affection and love written all over his face are enough to turn me into the happiest, giddiest person on earth.
He lowers his body to mine. His rock hardness nudges my slick folds. I’m more than ready. I’m aching. It’s been so long. His absence destroyed me. It shred me apart. I need him to put me back together again.
From the desperation in his eyes, it seems he needs me to put him back together again, too.
Julian slides inside me. Slow. Too slow. It causes goosebumps to break over my skin and shivers to run down my spine. He’s letting me know how much he waited for this, too.
“Fuck, Firefly.” He places a hand behind my back and lifts me in his hold. The position gives him more depth and shoots pleasure to my core.
I cling to his arms; they’
ve been always the warmest, strongest embrace.
Julian starts moving at a slow pace that drives me nuts. He hits my sweet spot with every thrust of his hips.
“I fucking missed you.” He rasps against my ear as his tempo increases.
“I miss you.” I breathe against his ear. “I love you. I need you. You’re the only man I want with everything in me. I will never look at the world the same after you. I don’t care if you’re Julian or Ghost. I’m yours. Only yours.”
As if my words are some sort of aphrodisiac, Julian’s thrusts turn maddening and feral. It’s like every word is a shot of ecstasy. It’s like he’s answering with his body instead of words. His hand wraps around my throat, and I’m a goner.
My body trembles as I cry out his name. He swallows the scream with his ravenous mouth. The waves don’t stop until Julian’s body turn rigid and he comes long and hard with a deep-throated grunt.
My cheek rests on his shoulder as we catch our breaths.
I smile against his face and plant a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
“What are you smiling for?” He pushes back so he can stare at me with an arched brow and an amused gleam.
I stroke his dark strands back, feeling so utterly elated and happy in his arms. “Just the thought that I can have this for the rest of my life.”
“This?”
“You. Us.” I scowl. “Try throwing me away again and I will haunt you and punch you until I break your nose.”
His head tips back with laughter. The carefree sound almost bursts my heart open. I love seeing him happy. I love being the source of that happiness just like he’s the reason for mine.
“Believe me, Firefly. Life is not worth living without you.” His dark eyes shine with amusement and love as he stares down at me. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re in for a lifetime.”
I nudge him despite the huge grin on my face. “Some would think you’re proposing to me with the whole lifetime talk.”
He looks thoughtful for a second, and I swallow. Maybe I shouldn’t have joked that way.
“I’d marry you tonight if it were up to me.” Julian sounds the most serious I’ve heard him.
My lips part. “You… mean that? You will marry me.”
“Fuck right I will,” Julian growls and brushes his lips along my forehead. “You’re the only one for me, Firefly. I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me.”
I’m crying and laughing with so much happiness as I answer his proposal – or the lack thereof – with a deep kiss.
Epilogue 1
Elle
* * *
Three years later,
* * *
I rub my eyes as I stand by the doorframe. I’m a mess. My hair is dishevelled and my face must look so tired. I’m sure I crashed in my workout clothes after the gym, but I woke up wearing a satin gown.
My eyes stray to the source of all of this. To the reason why I always feel beautiful even when I’m exhausted to death.
Julian perches on our youngest son’s crib, Jason. He’s dressed in black trousers and a white shirt. The cuffs are rolled to his elbows, revealing strong veiny arms and those intricate tattoos that still get me on my toes.
Jason is such a loud little demon. Sleep is a no-go with this one. Julian says Jason inherited his stubbornness from me, but I think he takes after Scar – and she’s unexplainably proud of that.
I want to murder her for encouraging Jason’s wildness.
Or not. When I’m in the mood to murder people, it means I’m pregnant, and I’m not ready for a third one now. The two boys are already too challenging. Two in less than three years. Sometimes, I think it’s Julian’s mission to impregnate me.
Not that I’m complaining. I get to punch him all day whenever the hormones possess my body.
Jason’s soft snore reaches me, and I release a sigh. Hopefully, he’s out for the night because I’m not into sharing Julian tonight.
My husband turns towards Jared who’s also snoring on his bed. He takes his time to cover him and presses an affectionate kiss on his forehead.
I nearly melt against the doorframe. I try, I really try to be there for the boys and be a good mother, but I don’t have Julian’s miraculous patience. It’s like he was born for this.
Maybe that’s why I want to give him as many children as possible.
We both deserve this after the childhood we had. We deserve a family of our own. Even if they drive me crazy sometimes.
“Fatherhood looks so hot on you,” I whisper so Julian would pay me attention.
I’m jealous of my own children sometimes. Sue me.
Julian casts one last look at the boys before he silently exits the room and closes the door behind him. As usual, he doesn’t make a sound. It’s so much different from my attempts to tiptoe out of the room. I always knock a toy and bump my toes against something.
His arms surround my waist. It’s automatic and natural. Even after all this time, Julian can’t and never keeps his hands off me. It still makes my heart flutter with so much love and adoration for this man.
“I thought you were asleep.” He smiles down at me, those dark brown eyes are shining with so much happiness and peace, it knots my heart.
I stroke the slight stubble on his cheek. “You know I can’t sleep when you’re not there.”
“Well, we need to do something about that, Wife.” His strong arms swift me off my feet. I break into a fit of laughter and try to suppress it into his shoulder so I don’t wake the boys.
I’ve never been so happy.
Epilogue 2
Ghost
* * *
Two years later,
* * *
Crow was never a wise person; he’s crude and all over the place. However, he told me a wise thing once.
“I always watch my wife asleep and think I don’t deserve this woman. Maybe one day, Eloise will wake up and realise I’m a mistake and leaves. So I decided to put as many babies in her as possible so she won’t be able to leave.”
It’s crazy, and Elle never made me feel like she’d leave me. In fact, she goes crazy punching thing and the bag whenever I’m not around. But like Crow, I have that side. The ‘I’m not good enough for her’ side. So I adapted his method.
Marrying Elle has been the best decision I took in my whole fucking life. I love having children with her. Taking care of them and her makes me feel like a whole person. Not Ghost. Not a killer. Not a Team Zero member. Not even the Julian abandoned by his mother. In this house, I feel only like a loved husband and a father.
It’s the most fulfilling feeling in the world.
I close the door after the three boys. Each has his own room, but they like to snuggle together sometimes. Especially after a bedtime story. I sigh. I had to listen to Shadow tell them his real adventures. He somehow made himself a superhero who kills the villains and forgot to mention he’s the most dangerous of them all.
I head to the bedroom, but Elle isn’t there. She’s not in the bathroom either.
“Firefly?”
I find her in the gym, sitting on a stool in front of the bag. She must’ve just finished punching because her brows are sweaty. Her silky hair falls loose to the middle of her back. Tight short cover her toned thighs and her sports bra outlines full, round breasts.
I hope she’s not too attached to those clothes because I’m going to rip them off her body. I reach her in two strides. My chest glues against her back. I love how she sucks in a stuttering breath whenever I touch her.
It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been together, there’s no satiating how much I want to bend her over and fuck her senseless.
I suck on her earlobe, and she leans into me. “It’s been sometimes since the last time in the gym. What do you say?”
She chuckles and shakes her head while standing up.
I stare at those bright blue eyes, my fingers pulling her close by the shorts. “How about giving the boys a sister?”
/> She leans over, presses her lips against my neck, and whispers, “Already done.”
I pull back, searching her face. “Really?”
“I don’t know if it’s a girl, but,” she takes my hand, and like every time, tears stream down her cheeks as she places my palm over her flat stomach, “We’re pregnant.”
“Fuck,” I say, incredulous and then I’m carrying her in my arms. She squeals and laughs so happily, it makes me feel like the luckiest bloody man alive.
I was a nobody. I had this woman and became somebody.
“We should celebrate.” She’s already pulling on my T-shirt. Another perk of Elle’s pregnancies? She never gets enough of me.
“Fuck right we should.” My hand goes to fulfil my promise of ripping her clothes.
“I love you, Julian,” she murmurs against my neck.
“And I love you, Firefly.”
I prove it with my ravenous lips against hers.
* * *
The End
1-Click Shadowed.
1-Click Misted.
Team Zero’s History
***This is only the history revealed in the first three books as of August 2019
* * *
Once upon a time, there was a big bad guy whom no one knows his name. He goes by Hades.
Like a shitty play on the Greek mythology, he chose to be the keeper of hell and that’s exactly what he did.
No one knows what Hades actually wants, aside from destroying the world – duh. It was however revealed briefly that Hades is hungry for power because of something that happened in his past.
Looks-wise, Hades has aristocratic features and a calm expression that betrays his dark heart.