Page 21 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost (Nightfall Syndicate #1)

My annoyance flares, but I push it aside. I'm too close to answers about Jenny to let pride get in the way.

"Alright," I square my shoulders. "But that still leaves one question. Kade, why were you at the warehouse? What does it have to do with your missing friend?"

Kade's jaw tightens as he meets my gaze. "I was at the warehouse retracing Roman's footsteps."

"Roman?" I lean forward, eager for any new information. "Your missing friend?"

He nods, his expression guarded. "Roman Thorne, Shadow. CEO of Centurion Protection Group."

My eyebrows shoot up. "Wait, the Roman Thorne? The golden boy of Silicon Valley security?"

"That's his public image, yes."

I narrow my eyes. "But there's more to it, isn't there?"

Kade sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Roman and I... we started Centurion Protection Group and Nightfall Syndicate together. With help from some…wealthy connections in San Francisco."

My mind races, trying to piece this new information together. "So the CEO of a major security firm is secretly running a mercenary operation on the side? That's... quite a story."

"It's more complicated than that," Kade's voice is low. "Roman isn't just some corporate suit playing at being a badass. He's ex-Navy SEAL, with years of covert ops experience."

I let out a low whistle. "Okay, that changes things. But why disappear now? What was he working on?"

Kade's expression darkens. "Roman suspected one of our clients was involved in human trafficking. But he was being careful, gathering evidence before making any accusations."

My heart races. Human trafficking. The same thing I suspected at the warehouse. "And then he vanished?"

"A few weeks ago," Kade confirms. "No trace, no message. Just... gone."

I lean back, processing this information. "So you went to the warehouse hoping to find some clue about what happened to him?"

Kade nods. "It was the last place we know he visited before disappearing. I was hoping to find something, anything, that might point us in the right direction."

"Instead, you found me," I muse.

A hint of a smile flickers across his face. "Instead, I found you."

I tap my fingers on the arm of the chair, my mind whirling. "Kade, this can't be a coincidence. Roman investigating trafficking, Jenny's death, now this warehouse... "

"I know," his voice is heavy with unspoken concerns. "That's why we need your help, Alina. Your knowledge of Jenny's case... it could be the key to unraveling all of this."

I meet his gaze, seeing the determination—and maybe a hint of desperation—in those piercing blue eyes.

"I'm in, whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this."

Kade nods, a look of relief passing over his features. "Thank you," he says softly.

Then his expression hardens, all business once again. "But Alina, you need to understand something. This isn't just another story. These people we're up against—they're dangerous, ruthless, and it seems they have resources we can only guess at."

"I know the risks," my voice is steady despite the flutter of fear in my stomach.

"Do you?" Kade leans forward, his eyes intense. "Because once we start down this path, there's no going back. Your life will never be the same."

I think of Jenny, of her passion for justice, of the life cut tragically short. I think of all the other potential victims out there, trapped in a nightmare they can't escape.

"I understand," meeting Kade's gaze unflinchingly. "But some stories are worth risking everything for. This is one of them."

Kade's bright blue eyes narrow, searching my face. "You might witness things that'll haunt you forever. You think you can handle what's behind all this darkness?"

Without hesitation I meet his challenge head-on. "Fucking absolutely."

Kade locks eyes with his teammates, their silent exchange excluding me. A wordless dialogue unfolds before me, leaving me feeling like an outsider looking in .

Finally, Kade turns to me. "We're moving to CPG headquarters. We'll have everything we need there to start digging into this properly."

My eyebrows shoot up. "Wait, we're going to your actual base of operations?"

He nods. "It's the safest place for you right now, and we need access to all our resources."

A thrill of excitement washes over me, mixed with nervousness. This is really happening.

"Alina," Kade's voice pulls me from my thoughts. "Is there anything you need from your apartment? It might be a while before you can go home."

The reality of not seeing my family hits me like a punch to the gut. I'm not just tagging along for a story anymore. I'm diving headfirst into something that could change my entire life.

"I... yeah, I guess I should grab some clothes and my laptop," I try to keep my voice steady. "And maybe my external hard drive. It has all my research on it."

Kade nods. "We'll send someone to pick up your things. It's not safe for you to go back there yourself."

I want to argue, to insist that I can take care of myself, but I know he's right. If these people are as dangerous as they say, my apartment might already be compromised.

"Okay," I agree reluctantly. "But please be careful with my stuff."

"Don't worry," Jax chimes in with a grin. "We're professionals at this sort of thing."

I smile back, even as my mind races with all the implications of what's happening. I'm about to step into a world I've only ever written about from the outside. It's thrilling and terrifying all at once.

"So," I look around at the team. "When do we leave?"