Page 53 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost (Nightfall Syndicate #1)

forty-two

Alina

M y heart pounds as I hurry after him, desperate to make sense of what just happened.

"Kade, wait," I call out, my voice shaking slightly. "Are you okay?"

He stops abruptly and turns to face me. For a moment, I see a flicker of something—pain, maybe?—in his eyes before it's quickly buried beneath a cold exterior.

"Am I okay?" Kade repeats, his tone dry and almost mocking. "You just watched me kill someone, Alina. And you're asking if I'm okay?"

I flinch at his words, the reality of what I witnessed hitting me all over again. My stomach twists with a sickening lurch. But beneath the shock and horror, there's a part of me that's more concerned about Kade than anything else.

How messed up is that? What does it say about me that I'm worried about the man who just slit someone's throat ?

Kade reaches out toward me, then seems to remember the blood coating his hands. He lets them fall to his sides, shaking his head in disbelief. I take his bloodied hand in mine, squeezing gently. The warm stickiness against my palm makes my skin crawl, but I don't let go.

"I don't understand you sometimes," he mutters.

I inhale deeply, attempting to arrange the chaos in my mind. "What I witnessed was... brutal. But Steele mentioned your parents. I noticed how it got under your skin."

Kade's jaw clenches. He shakes his head. "It wasn't about my parents, not really. When he said your name..." His voice trails off. "That doesn't excuse my actions."

"No, it doesn't," I acknowledge in a hushed tone. "But it gives me insight into your reasons."

He looks at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "You should be running away from me right now, Alina. Not trying to comfort me."

I step closer, ignoring the voice in my head screaming that he's right. "I'm not going anywhere, Kade. We're in this together, remember?"

Kade closes his eyes briefly, and when he opens them again, I see a vulnerability there that takes my breath away.

"I need to clean up, we'll talk later, okay?" He breathes out.

I nod. He lets go of my hand and turns and steps into the elevator.

As the elevator doors start to close, I slip inside, my heart racing. Kade's eyes widen in surprise.

"Alina, what are you—"

"No, we need to talk now," I insist, my voice steadier than I feel. "I'm not letting you stew on this alone. "

Kade sighs, a sound somewhere between exasperation and... something else. "Alina..."

The way he says my name sends heat through me. I can't tell if it's a prayer or frustration, but I stand my ground.

"I'm not budging on this, Kade. Talk to me."

He stares at me for a long moment before reaching out to press the button for B3. As the elevator starts to move, his hands are still stained with blood. My stomach churns, the metallic scent filling the small space, but I force myself to focus on Kade's face.

"My parents," he begins, his voice low and rough. "What Steele said... it wasn't just taunting. It was the truth."

I hold my breath, afraid to interrupt.

"I was eight when it happened. We were having a normal night—Mom was singing in the kitchen, Dad was helping me with homework. Then there was this sound of breaking glass, and..." Kade's voice trails off, his eyes distant.

The elevator dings as we reach B3. Kade steps out, and I follow close behind. He's heading towards the shower facilities, his strides long and purposeful.

"What happened next?" I prompt gently.

Kade's jaw tightens. "Screams. Then silence. The police called it a robbery gone wrong, but even then, I knew it wasn't true."

We reach the shower room, and Kade pauses at the door. I can see the internal struggle on his face—he clearly wants to clean up, but he's also caught up in the memories.

"Go ahead," I say softly. "I'll wait out here."

He shakes his head. "No, I... I need to finish this." Kade pushes open the door with his elbow and steps inside. I hesitate for a moment before following him in.

The room is utilitarian—all sleek metal fixtures and muted gray tiles. Kade moves to one of the sinks and starts washing his hands, the water turning pink as it swirls down the drain.

"After that, I ended up in the foster system," he continues, his eyes fixed on his hands. "Home after home, school after school. I learned to become invisible, to read rooms and anticipate moods. It was the only way to survive."

My heart aches for the young boy he was, forced to grow up too fast. The weight of his confession settles in my chest, making it hard to breathe. "Kade, I'm so sorry."

He looks up, meeting my eyes in the mirror. "Don't be. It made me who I am."

"And who is that?" I ask, barely above a whisper.

Kade turns to face me, his expression full of pain, but not despair. "Someone who won't let innocent people suffer the way I did."

I step closer, drawn to him despite the gravity of the situation. "Even if it means crossing lines?"

"Even then," he admits, his voice low. "I know what I did to Steele was... extreme. But when he mentioned my parents, then you, something in me just snapped."

I reach out, hesitating for a moment before placing my hand on his arm. "I understand, Kade. I don't condone it, but I understand."

He looks down at my hand, then back up to my face. "How can you still be here, after what you saw? "

"Because I see you," I say simply. "The good and the bad. And I'm not walking away from that."

I take a step toward Kade, my heart pounding.

"Let me be here for you," I say softly.

His eyes lock onto mine, filled with a storm of emotions. Without a word, he closes the distance between us. His lips meet mine in a kiss that starts tender but quickly ignites into something more.

Heat floods through me as the kiss deepens, becoming hungry and desperate. I tangle my fingers in Kade's hair, pulling him closer. His hands roam over my body, leaving trails of fire in their wake. My skin prickles with goosebumps despite the warmth building inside me.

We break apart, both breathing heavily. I can see the conflict in Kade's eyes—the desire warring with his guilt over what just happened. But in this moment, I don't care about any of that. I just need to feel close to him, to reassure myself that we're both still here.

I reach for the hem of his shirt, tugging it upward. Kade hesitates for a split second before helping me remove it.

My hands explore the planes of his muscled chest, tracing old scars and fresh bruises. The firm warmth of his skin under my fingertips grounds me, making everything else fall away.

Kade's fingers fumble with the buttons of my shirt. Growing impatient, I bat his hands away and undo them myself, shrugging out of the garment. His eyes darken as they roam over my exposed skin.

"You're beautiful," he murmurs, his voice rough with desire .

We come together again in a clash of lips and tongues. I nip at his bottom lip, drawing a low growl from him. His hands grip my hips, pulling me flush against him. I can feel every hard line of his body pressed to mine, his arousal evident against my stomach.

I push Kade backwards until his back hits the tiled wall. My lips trail along his jaw, down his neck. I taste the salt of his skin mixed with something metallic—a reminder of what transpired earlier. But even that can't dampen the fire burning between us.

Kade's hands slide lower, cupping my ass and lifting me.

I wrap my legs around his waist as he spins us, pressing me against the wall.

His mouth descends on my neck, sucking and biting.

I know it will leave marks, but I can't bring myself to care.

Each nip of his teeth sends sparks of pleasure-pain radiating through me.

"Kade," I moan, surprised by the neediness in my own voice.

His hands make quick work of my pants, shoving them down my legs. I kick them off, along with my shoes, leaving me in just my bra and panties. The cool air against my heated skin makes me shiver.

We're both still half-dressed, but I'm already trembling with need. I roll my hips against him, drawing a sharp intake of breath. Kade's fingers dig into my thighs almost painfully.

"Alina," he groans, his voice rough with desire.

In response, I capture his lips in another searing kiss. My hands roam over his back, nails raking across his skin. I pour all my frustration, fear, and longing into the kiss. My head spins with the intensity of it all, nearly drowning in sensation .

I pull Kade closer, craving more of his touch. My fingers tangle in his hair as I kiss him fiercely. He responds with equal passion, his hands roaming over my body and setting my skin on fire. Every touch makes my nerves sing, my body arching toward him instinctively.

I break away, panting. "I want you. Now."

Kade's eyes turn black with desire. He sweeps me up in a single smooth movement and takes me to the shower.

My back meets the cold tiles as he pushes me against the wall.

I lock my legs more firmly around his waist, rubbing against his body.

The contrast between the cool tiles and his burning hot skin makes me gasp.

Kade reaches behind him and twists the shower knob. Water cascades down, washing away the crimson evidence of Steele's murder, the proof disappearing down the drain beneath us.

"Alina," he moans.

I reach between our bodies, my fingers trembling as I struggle with Kade's belt buckle.

Damn, why are my hands shaking so much? I'm usually not this clumsy.

The metal finally gives way under my urgent fumbling. I yank at his zipper, desperate to feel his skin against mine. Kade grunts and helps me, roughly shoving his pants and boxers down in one swift motion.

My breath catches as his cock springs free. I wrap my fingers around his thick, hard length, stroking him firmly from base to tip. The velvet hardness of him in my hand sends a bolt of desire straight to my pussy.

"Fuck," Kade hisses, his head falling back in pleasure. His muscles tense beneath my palm .