Page 33 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost (Nightfall Syndicate #1)

twenty-seven

Alina

I sit at Roman's desk, frowning at my laptop screen as the words blur together. The search results on this case aren't telling me anything useful. I slam the lid down harder than intended, then press my fingertips against my temples.

The pounding headache matches my mood—fucking furious. My mind keeps circling back to Kade and his bullshit. The way he played me, used me, manipulated every interaction between us.

I take a deep breath, trying to concentrate on the task at hand, but Detective Wilson's face flashes through my mind. He's lying in a hospital bed right now because I got sloppy. My stomach twists with guilt, but that quickly morphs back into rage.

"Damn it," I mutter, opening the laptop again .

The bright screen makes me wince. I need to concentrate, but all I can think about is how Kade's hands felt on my skin, and how every touch was calculated to get what he wanted from me. The bastard probably rehearsed his lines in the mirror before feeding me that garbage.

The door opens, and Kade steps inside. His expression is carefully neutral, but tension radiates from his powerful frame.

"Alina, we need to—"

"I want to see Detective Wilson," I interrupt, refusing to meet his eyes.

The anger from our earlier confrontation still burns hot beneath my skin. Finding out he'd been manipulating me from the beginning, inserting himself into my investigation, my life; makes my chest ache with betrayal.

He approaches slowly, like I'm a wounded animal that might bolt. Or attack. "That's not possible right now."

"He took a bullet because of me." My voice cracks despite my best efforts. "I need to see him."

"The hospital is too exposed." Kade's tone is maddeningly reasonable. "Anyone could get to you there."

I whirl to face him, fury bubbling up. "So I'm just supposed to let him think I abandoned him? After everything he's done for me?"

"We can send a message through secure channels. Let him know you're safe."

"That's not good enough." I slam my palm against Roman's desk, the sharp sting grounding me. "And my parents? They must be worried sick by now."

Kade crosses his arms, his blue eyes intense as he studies me. "Your parents have more security than the president right now. We've made sure of that. "

"What?" The reminder momentarily disrupts my anger.

"Did you think we'd leave them exposed in any way?" His jaw tightens. "They've had a protection detail since the moment you walked into this building."

The knowledge that my family is safe loosens something in my chest, but I'm not ready to let go of my anger.

"You should have told me."

"There are a lot of things I should have done differently." His voice drops lower. "But protecting the people you care about wasn't one of them."

I look away, unsure how to process this information. The silence stretches between us until Kade breaks it.

"You're distracted. Unfocused. That's dangerous." He shifts his weight, decision made. "You need more training. Each member of the team will show you the basics of their specialty."

I raise my eyebrows, surprised by the offer. "So I'll be learning from everyone except you?"

"You'll rotate through the team. Cole will handle intelligence gathering, Asher will work with you on situational awareness, Jax on evasive driving." He checks his watch. "Remy's will be in medical to start your basic field first aid."

I blink, processing his words. A strange disappointment settles in my stomach, which makes no sense. Shouldn't I be relieved he won't be the one training me anymore? After what happened between us, the last thing I need is his hands on me again, correcting my form, standing too close...

"And what about you?" The question slips out before I can stop it .

Something flickers across his face—surprise, maybe—before his expression hardens again.

"I'll evaluate your progress once the others are finished with you." His tone is strictly professional now. "Unless you'd rather I oversee your training personally?"

Maybe if I imagine it's his face I'm hitting during combat training, it'll be therapeutic.

"No," I say quickly, confused by my own conflicted feelings. "The team rotation is fine."

He nods once, turning to leave. At the door, he pauses.

"Alina." My name sounds different when he says it. "I know you're angry—."

"Don't." I step back, needing space from his overwhelming presence. "I can't do this right now."

"Fine. Training room. Twenty minutes. Don't be late."

I nod again, throat tight with unspoken words. As he leaves, the door closes with a soft click that somehow feels more final than a slam.

I sink back into the chair, emotions a tangled mess of anger, betrayal, and something else I'm not ready to name. At least hitting something might help clear my head. And if I picture Kade's face while I'm doing it? All the better.

At least that problem is straightforward compared to whatever this is with Kade.