Page 18 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost (Nightfall Syndicate #1)

fifteen

Kade

I stand in the living room of our Oakland Hills safe house. Damian leans against the wall, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

Asher, despite his bandaged wounds, maintains the alertness of a seasoned operator while sitting on the couch.

Jax perches restlessly on the arm of a chair while Xander keeps watch near the window. Remy and Cole flank the doorway, completing our circle of lethal capability.

The tension in the room is palpable. I can feel their eyes on me, questioning. I know what they're thinking—I've been acting different since Alina came into the picture.

I clear my throat. "We need to talk about our next steps. And about Alina Bennett."

Jax raises an eyebrow, a hint of amusement crossing his face. "The journalist? What about her? Besides the fact that she's got you breaking your own protocols left and right."

"I think we should bring her in. Her investigative skills could be an asset."

Xander snorts, pushing away from the window. "An asset? Or are we talking about other assets that have you distracted?" He makes an hourglass shape with his hands.

"Careful, Chaos," Damian warns, his voice low but carrying an unmistakable edge. "If you want to keep those hands attached to your wrists."

I level a look at Xander that immediately straightens his posture. "If you're finished, I'd like to discuss the tactical advantages of having an investigative journalist with connections throughout the city on our team."

The room falls silent and I continue. "She's already neck-deep in this. Her friend's death is connected to what we're investigating. Her mind works differently than ours. And she's proven she can handle herself in a fight."

Cole steps forward, tablet in hand. "While I appreciate your sudden interest in recruiting, Ghost, I've run the numbers. Bringing a civilian into our operation increases our operational risk by approximately 65%. Those aren't odds I'd bet on."

Asher leans forward, wincing slightly. "Ghost, you and I have seen plenty of civilians with potential wash out in Echo. Remember that diplomat's daughter in Kabul? Thought she was ready for field work until the first gunshot."

"This isn't Kabul," I counter. "And Bennett isn't some diplomatic brat playing spy. I saw her in action at the dim sum palace. She analyzed the situation, created a diversion, and neutralized a threat without hesitation. Those aren't skills you pick up writing newspaper articles."

Jax spins a throwing knife between his fingers, a habit when he's thinking. He grins. "Got to give it to the lady—she's got balls. Metaphorically speaking."

"She's resourceful," Remy adds thoughtfully. "During the extraction, her breathing barely elevated despite the circumstances. That kind of stress response is unusual for civilians. Either she's unnaturally calm or she's had training we don't know about."

Damian pushes off from the wall, his movements predatory even in the confined space. "Or she's playing us. Have we considered that? Her convenient appearance at the warehouse, her connection to a case that overlaps with ours. Seems like a hell of a coincidence."

"I've considered it," I acknowledge. "But my instincts say she's genuine. And Roman always said—"

"Trust your gut, but verify with your brain," Cole finishes for me. "I've run background on her three times. Everything checks out. Her history, her credentials, her connection to the Martinez girl. If she's an op, she's the deepest cover I've ever seen."

Xander paces the room. "So what's the plan? We just bring her into the fold, show her all our secrets, and hope she doesn't write a Pulitzer-winning exposé that sends us all to prison? Cause I gotta tell you, prison orange clashes with my complexion."

"We control the information flow," I explain. "She gets what she needs to help us find Roman, nothing more."

"And what about her? What does she get out of this arrangement?" Damian asks, ever suspicious .

"Justice for her friend. Exclusive rights to the story when it's all over, with our approval on the final draft. And our protection." I move to the operations board where Roman's last known location is marked.

"Roman wouldn't have gone dark without good reason. Whatever he found was worth the risk of going solo. We need every resource available to find him."

Asher shifts, adjusting his bandaged arm. "Ghost you and I go way back. If you thinks she's an asset, I'll trust your judgment." He gives me a look that communicates volumes. We've saved each other too many times to count.

"Your trust is touching, Frost, since she was watching over you," Jax teases, then raises his hands when Asher's cold stare cuts into him. "Hey, having a pretty reporter show concern when you're bleeding might sway anyone's opinion."

Asher

"My judgment is fine," Asher replies icily. "Unlike some people, I can think with my brain."

"I vote yes," Cole interjects, bringing us back on track. "But with conditions. Segregated access to our systems. Monitored communications. And a contingency plan if things go sideways."

"Agreed," I nod. "Any other concerns?"

Remy, ever the observer, speaks up. "She'll need training. Not just self-defense, but protocols, communications, the works. If she's going to be part of this operation, she needs to be prepared."

"I can handle her training," I say, perhaps too quickly.

Jax's eyebrows shoot up. "Bet you can," he mutters, just loud enough for me to hear .

I ignore him. "Remy, you'll handle medical training. Jax, evasive driving. Asher, weapons basics. Cole, communications protocols. Damian and Xander, surveillance countermeasures. We cover all bases."

I look around the room, meeting each man's eyes. "I'm not asking for a democracy here. But I want to know where everyone stands. All in favor of bringing Alina into the fold?"

To my surprise, Asher raises his hand first. "I say we do it. Ghost has gotten us this far. I trust him to take us the rest of the way."

One by one, the others signal their agreement. Even Damian, though he gives me a look that says he'll be watching closely.

"It's settled then. Tomorrow morning, we brief Alina on everything we know about Roman's disappearance and the trafficking operation. But for now, get some rest. We've got a long road ahead."

As the team disperses, I hear Xander mutter to Jax, "Hundred bucks says Ghost is sleeping with her before the week's out."

"No bet," Jax replies. "I've seen the way he looks at her. Like a man who's been in the desert suddenly finding water."

They don't realize I can hear them. Or maybe they do and just don't care. Either way, their words hit closer to home than I'd like to admit.

Asher hangs back, waiting until the others have left.

"Be careful, Ghost," he says quietly. "I've never seen you like this with anyone. Just make sure whatever's happening doesn't compromise what we're trying to do here. "

I nod, but his words echo in my mind as I head to my room. What am I doing? Am I letting my emotions cloud my judgment? Or is this the right call?

One thing's for sure—bringing Alina into our world is going to change everything.

I make my way to my room, Asher's warning still ringing in my ears as I shut the door. My team trusts me, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm leading them into uncharted territory.

I sit on the edge of my bed, the earlier discussions with my team echoing like gunfire in my mind.

But all that fades as I think of Alina—how she looked in my shirt, her legs bare, her beauty so raw it nearly blinds me.

The memory of her, all soft curves and defiance, ignites a smoldering fire deep within me.

The way she gasped when I burst into that room, ready to take her pleasure into my own hands, cuts through my thoughts like a knife.

I can still picture her, eyes widened in surprise, her breath hitching. I had taken control, pinning her on the bed, tasting her sweetness, pushing her to heights of ecstasy that left her trembling.

I remember it all—the heat, the urgency—her body writhing against me as I coaxed every moan from her lips. I had worshipped her completely, claiming her as she begged for it. That moment, her cries echoing in my ears as I gave her everything, is etched into my memory.

But that was then, and now, I'm alone in my room, pent up and filled with desire. The absence of anything but memories is overwhelming.

I move into the shower, hot water streaming over my body, but all I can feel is her—the way she exuded passion, how she fit perfectly in my arms. It's like a fever that burns through me, insatiable and relentless.

My fingers slide across my skin, and my palm wraps around my cock, pulling a deep moan from my throat as I picture her beside me, so vivid I can almost feel her heat. Alina in that shirt, spark in her eyes, the fire she ignited stirring within us—it's all I can think of.

Suddenly, it's not enough to just imagine her. I want to feel her again, taste her again.

I stroke myself slowly, desperate breaths spilling from my lips as memories of her swirl through my mind. I picture bending her over in front of me, plunging deep inside her as she cries out my name, her urgency matching my own as she writhes beneath me, urging me to take her.

"Fuck, Alina," I breathe out, quickening my pace, the heat pooling low in my belly.

Each stroke brings me closer to the edge, and my thoughts spiral to the way she answered my touch, the sweetness of her skin, the heat of her body. Memories of her gasps, her pleas—it's a collision of desire I can't resist.

With a hard thrust of my hips, I let go, spiraling into pleasure as I spill over my hand, the warmth and release washing over me in steamy waves. I lean against the tiles, breathless, and the memories of her linger, tantalizing and undeniable.

As the steam swirls around me, I shake my head, clearing the fog but knowing it won't be easy. This can't be distraction. This has to be about the mission.

I finish washing up quickly, trying to push away the lingering arousal. I have to get my head back in the game. There's too much at stake to let myself get distracted by a pair of green eyes and a sharp tongue .

But as I step out of the shower, I can't quite shake the feeling that Alina Bennett has awakened something in me, and I'm not sure I'll be able to put it back to sleep.