Page 41 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost (Nightfall Syndicate #1)

thirty-three

Alina

" I need to get out of here," I mutter, pushing open the cabin door.

My legs feel like jelly as I stumble outside. The crisp night breeze slaps my cheeks, so different from the stale air in that cramped room where those bastards kept me locked up. My pulse pounds in my ears, my body still buzzing from the rush of escaping.

"Alina, wait—" Saint calls from behind me, his medical bag still in hand. "I need to check you for—"

"Later," I cut him off, gulping in the fresh air. "I just need to breathe."

The door slams open again, and Kade stalks out, his face carved from stone. The thunderous expression he wears makes my whole body tremble. I've seen him angry before, but this—this is different. This is barely controlled fury .

Shit. This can't be good.

I hear the rustle of leaves in the breeze and smell the earthy scent of damp soil and pine needles. The sounds of nature feel jarring against the tension crackling between us.

His shoulders remain rigid, his eyes locked on me with an intensity that makes my skin prickle.

We make our way down a gravel path, Kade doesn't touch me, but his presence is like a physical force at my back, herding me forward. In the distance, I spot Jax leaning against a dark SUV, his posture casual but his eyes sharp.

As we approach, Jax's face breaks into a relieved grin. "Good to see you in one piece, Bennett. You had us worried there for a—"

The look Kade shoots him is lethal enough to make Jax's words die in his throat.

If looks could kill, we'd be planning a funeral right now.

Jax clears his throat, nodding towards the SUV. "Ready to get you both back to base. The surveillance vehicle's all set."

"We're taking my bike," Kade says, his voice deceptively quiet. The calm delivery makes the underlying rage even more terrifying.

I turn to him, crossing my arms defensively. "You're hurt. We should go with Jax."

"That wasn't a suggestion." Each word drops like ice between us. "Jax, helmet."

Is he serious right now? After everything that's happened?

"Kade," I start, my stubbornness flaring up despite my exhaustion. "This is ridiculous. You took a bullet to the chest. Let Jax drive us."

"The vest took the impact." Kade's jaw clenches so tight I'm surprised his teeth don't crack. "And if you think I'm letting you out of my sight for even a second after the stunt you pulled, you're sorely mistaken."

Jax looks between us, clearly sensing the explosive tension. He shrugs and retrieves a helmet from the van, handing it to me with an apologetic glance.

I take the helmet, glaring at Kade. "This is unnecessary. We'd be safer in the van."

Kade steps closer, invading my personal space. His voice drops to a whisper that only I can hear. "You lost the right to an opinion on safety when you decided to meet an informant alone, without backup."

Shit. He's beyond pissed.

"We'll discuss your blatant disregard for protocol later," he continues, his eyes boring into mine. "Right now, you're getting on that bike with me."

My anger deflates slightly as guilt creeps in. He's right—I did put myself in danger. But his overbearing attitude makes me want to dig my heels in just to spite him.

"Fine," I huff, jamming the helmet onto my head. "But if you so much as wince, we're pulling over and calling for backup."

A cold smile touches Kade's lips. "Sweetheart, you're not in a position to be making demands."

Oh, I'm going to make him pay for that one later.

I wrap my arms around Kade's waist as we speed through the winding roads of Sonoma Valley.

The cool night air rushes past us, carrying the scent of lavender and wild sage.

As we crest a hill, the breathtaking view of the valley unfolds before us—a patchwork of vineyards and rolling hills bathed in silvery moonlight.

My body molds against Kade's back, the warmth of his solid frame a welcome contrast to the chilly night. I'm still angry, still bristling at his high-handedness, but I can't deny the relief coursing through my veins. Being pressed against him feels like safety, despite his fury.

What is wrong with me? I should be furious, not... whatever this is.

We wind our way back towards San Francisco, but we're not taking the route I expected. We should be heading towards CPG headquarters, but instead, we're veering off in a different direction. Before I can voice my confusion, Kade's voice crackles through the earpiece in my helmet.

"Change of plans, team. Alina and I are heading back to my place. Double the security at all our homes, just to be safe."

My heart rate picks up. His place? Not headquarters? A spike of anxiety mixes with something else—anticipation?

"Kade," I say into my mic, "What's going on? Why aren't we going back to CPG?"

"Don't question me right now, Alina," he responds, his voice clipped. "You've done enough of that for one day."

I bite my lip, torn between outrage and concern. Part of me wants to demand answers immediately, but the tension radiating from his body tells me now isn't the time to push.

This is going to be bad. Really bad.

The roar of the motorcycle bounces around us as we enter the dark parking area under Kade's apartment. He guides the bike into an empty space, cutting the engine. When he swings his leg over the seat, I hear him let out a quiet groan of discomfort.

I yank off my helmet, my heart racing. "Kade, are my parents okay? Steele knew about their security detail."

Kade removes his own helmet, his movements controlled despite his obvious pain. "They're safe. We added extra precautions as soon as you were taken."

Relief washes over me, but anxiety quickly grips my chest again. "My contact—did they make it out?"

"Damian handled your contact," Kade says, his voice dropping to a near whisper.

My stomach drops. "Handled? What the fuck does that mean exactly?" Heat rushes to my face. "He was an innocent civilian, Kade!"

Kade runs his hand through his hair.

"We tried to locate him after your meeting, but he vanished.

Left his phone in a taxi heading north while he apparently slipped into the subway system.

By the time we reviewed the security footage, he'd changed clothes and disappeared into the crowd.

" A muscle twitches in his jaw. "Guy clearly knows counter-surveillance techniques. "

My stomach drops.

"The man you met wasn't Simon Cohen. Simon Cohen retired three years ago."

The blood drains from my face. My mouth opens but no words come out.

"Whoever met you was an impostor," he continues, jaw tight. "This is precisely why you should have let us manage the meet from the beginning. "

I lean against the cold concrete wall, my legs suddenly weak. My fingers tremble as I run them through my hair. Sweat beads at my temples despite the garage's chill.

"Let's get upstairs," Kade says, placing a firm hand on my lower back. "We need to talk."

Those four words have never meant anything good.

We make our way to the elevator, Kade's steps measured and careful. He's favoring his left side slightly, and I frown. As we step inside, the mirrored walls reflect our tired, disheveled appearances.

"You're in pain," I say, eyeing him in the reflection. "We should have gone to medical."

Kade's jaw tightens. "I've had worse."

Of course he has. Stubborn, infuriating man.

The elevator glides upward, silent and smooth. The doors open directly into Kade's penthouse—an entire floor to himself, because of course it is.

The subtle wealth on display makes my cramped apartment feel like a shoebox. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the sparkling San Francisco skyline—real estate that costs more money than I'll earn in a lifetime of chasing newspaper deadlines.

I follow Kade into the living room, and I can't seem to stop myself from questioning him. "What's the deal with coming to your place instead of HQ? What aren't you telling me, Kade?"

"Because what I have to say to you isn't for team consumption." He turns, his voice dangerously controlled. "And trust me, you don't want an audience for this conversation. "

Outside the massive windows, the city's lights sparkle, which feels so different from the growing tension between us.

I face Kade, ready to defend my actions, but the intensity in his eyes stops me short. There's a vulnerability beneath his anger that I've only seen once before, and it makes my breath catch in my throat.

Before I can speak, he closes the distance between us in two quick strides. His hands cup my face, rough calluses against my skin, and then his mouth crashes into mine with frantic intensity, making my thoughts blur.

His kiss carries a fierce hunger that electrifies every nerve in my body. Without thinking, I press myself against him, my fingers clutching at the fabric of his shirt as I kiss him back just as desperately.

The taste of him is intoxicating. I can feel the solid planes of his chest against me, the rapid beat of his heart matching my own frantic rhythm.

What are we doing? He was just furious with me.

Just as suddenly as it began, Kade pulls away. We're both panting, the sound loud in the quiet room. I blink, trying to clear the fog from my mind.

What just happened?

I stare at Kade, taking in his disheveled appearance—the way his chest heaves with each breath, the slight tremor in his hands as he runs them through his hair. The anger is still there, but now mixed with raw desire.

My mind races, trying to make sense of this sudden shift. The kiss was amazing, but it doesn't explain why we're here or what Kade needs to tell me.

I open my mouth to speak, but Kade beats me to it .

"Don't you ever," he growls, his voice rough with emotion, "put yourself in danger like that again."

Kade tangles his fingers in my hair and gives it a tug. My breath catches as I look up at him. His eyes are dark, the irises barely visible.

I should be pissed. He just manhandled me again. But instead of anger, I feel a rush of heat. My body betrays me as I feel my panties grow damp.

What the hell is wrong with me? This isn't like me at all. I'm not some swooning damsel who gets turned on by caveman behavior.

And yet... the intensity in Kade's gaze makes my heart race. The feeling of his strong fingers in my hair sends tingles straight to my pussy.

He tilts my head, bringing my face close to his. I can feel the warmth of his breath on my lips.

"I can't lose you." Kade's voice is low and rough.

The vulnerability in his tone catches me off guard. This isn't the cool, controlled Ghost I've come to know. This is raw emotion, unfiltered.

"I'm still here," I whisper. My voice comes out breathier than I intended.

"You don't understand," Kade growls. "When they took you, I thought—" He cuts himself off, jaw clenching. "Do you have any idea what they could have done to you?"

He was scared for me. The great Ghost was actually afraid.

Kade releases my hair, his hand on the small of my back as he guides me through the living room. The plush carpet muffles our footsteps. My skin tingles where he touches me, even through my shirt .

We move down a hallway, the walls lined with abstract art in muted tones. A faint scent of sandalwood grows stronger as we approach Kade's bedroom.

He pushes open the door to a spacious bedroom dominated by a large bed with crisp dark sheets. More floor-to-ceiling windows offer a stunning view of the city lights twinkling below.

Kade's hand moves back up to my hair, gripping it tighter this time.

"You should have listened to me. You shouldn't have taken that risk."

A small sound escapes me—something between a gasp and a whimper.

What the hell was that? I don't whimper.

"You're right," I say softly, surprising myself.

Kade's eyes narrow slightly. I can almost see the gears turning in his head, probably because I always argue with him.

"Well, well," he murmurs, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Who knew there was a good girl underneath it all?"

My body reacts instantly to his words, a throb of desire pulsing between my legs. I bite my lip, trying to maintain some semblance of control.

I feel my face burn as my mind goes blank. Kade's voice and fingers are stirring up feelings I've never felt before—raw and intense. I reach for my usual clever comebacks, but they escape me completely. My quick thinking has abandoned me, leaving me flustered and off-balance.

"I'm not... I don't..." I stammer, unable to string a sentence together.

Kade's mouth twists into a cocky grin. His thumb glides across my bottom lip, making my whole body tingle. His other hand slides up my torso, fingers tracing a path that leaves goosebumps in their wake.

When he reaches my neck, his large palm wraps around my throat. The pressure is firm but not painful. My pulse pounds wildly against his skin. A rush of heat floods my body, pooling low in my belly. I gasp, torn between fear and a surge of overwhelming desire.

"What's the matter, little journalist? Cat got your tongue?"

I want to come back with a biting retort, but my brain seems to have short-circuited. All I can focus on is the heat of his body so close to mine, the intensity in his eyes as he looks at me.

"This is... unprofessional," I manage to say, though my body is screaming for more of his touch.

Kade chuckles, a low sound that vibrates through me. "We passed professional a long time ago, Alina."

He's right, of course.

"What do you want from me?" I whisper, searching his face for answers.

Kade's expression grows serious. "Everything," he says simply.

That one word hits me like a ton of bricks. Every instinct screams that I need to get the hell out of here. Kade is seriously bad news—I'm just starting to grasp how risky he really is. But instead of fleeing, I feel myself pulled toward him, unable to resist the dangerous attraction.

"I don't know if I can give you that," I admit, my voice barely audible.

Kade's fingers tighten in my hair, not painfully, but enough to remind me of his strength .

"You can," he says with absolute certainty. "And you will."

My breath catches in my throat. Part of me wants to argue, to assert my independence. But a larger part—a part I'm only now discovering—wants to submit to him completely.

"Kade, I..." I start, but he releases my hair to silence me with a finger to my lips.

"Shh," he murmurs. "No more talking. It's time you learned to listen, Alina."