Page 55 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost (Nightfall Syndicate #1)

forty-three

Kade

I sit at Roman's old desk, the leather chair still holding the imprint of my friend and mentor.

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of tying up loose ends and getting back to some semblance of normalcy. We've ensured Alina's contact and his family are safe, dealt with the traitorous informant, and now it's time to focus on the legitimate side of our business.

A stack of security requests sits before me, each one a reminder of the delicate balance we maintain between our covert operations and our public face. I thumb through them, assigning tasks to various team members and employees.

One request catches my eye—CEO of the Winchester Foundation needs a security detail. For a moment, I consider assigning one of our core team members. The high-profile nature of the client makes it think I might want to keep it in-house.

No, I remind myself. This is exactly the kind of routine job we need to delegate. Keep the team focused on our real mission.

I pull up the employee roster on my computer, scanning for someone with the right combination of skills and discretion. My finger hovers over the name "Jacob Reeves"—ex-military, solid performance reviews, and just the right level of experience for this kind of assignment.

As I type up the assignment, my mind drifts to Alina. She's adapted to our world with an ease that both impresses and worries me. I push the thought aside, refocusing on the task at hand.

"Knock knock." Jax's voice pulls me from my thoughts. He leans against the doorframe, a knowing smirk on his face. "You look like you're a million miles away, boss."

I lean back in my chair, stretching muscles stiff from hours of desk work. "Just sorting through the day-to-day. What's up?"

Jax saunters in, dropping into a chair across from me. "Got those reports you wanted on the tech company's financials. Looks like there might be something there, but it's buried deep."

I nod, my interest piqued. "Good work. Have Cole take a look, see if he can dig anything else up."

"Will do." Jax pauses, his expression turning serious. "How are you holding up? With everything that's happened…" His voice drifts off.

I feel my jaw tighten involuntarily. "I'm fine. We've got work to do. "

Jax holds up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. Just checking in. You know we've got your back, right?"

"I know," I say, softening my tone slightly. "Thanks, Jax."

As he leaves, I turn back to the pile of work on my desk. There's always more to do, more threats to neutralize, more innocents to protect. But for now, we focus on maintaining our cover, on being the security company everyone thinks we are.

I pick up the phone, dialing the number for Jacob Reeves. It's time to brief him on his new assignment - keeping Margaret Winchester safe.

I hang up after briefing Jacob on the Winchester assignment, then take a deep breath. Time to shift gears.

"Team meeting in five," I announce over the intercom. My heart rate picks up slightly at the thought of seeing Alina again. I push the feeling aside, focusing on the task at hand.

As the team files in, I notice Alina's eyes linger on me for a moment before she takes her seat. I keep my expression neutral, all business.

"We've got some shadow contracts to vet," I begin, passing out folders. "Jax, I need you on standby for potential extractions. There's a high-risk target in Bogotá we might need to move quickly."

Jax grins, cracking his knuckles. "Fast and furious. Got it."

"Cole, I want you analyzing the intel on this tech mogul. Something's not adding up with his security requests. "

Cole nods, already flipping through the file with laser focus.

"Damian, we've got a delicate situation in Dubai. Possible double agent feeding information to multiple parties. I need options for containment or elimination."

Damian's eyes gleam with dark anticipation. "Consider it handled."

I turn to Alina last, steeling myself. "I want you reviewing these financial records. Look for any patterns that might connect to human trafficking operations."

She raises an eyebrow. "And the assassination? Are we just glossing over that?"

The room goes silent. I meet her gaze steadily. "We take those contracts very carefully, Alina. Only when the target poses a clear danger to innocent lives."

"And who decides that?" she challenges. "Seems like a slippery slope."

I feel my jaw tighten. "I do. After thorough investigation and consideration of all options."

Jax whistles low. "Ooh, trouble in paradise?"

I shoot him a warning look, but Damian chimes in with a smirk. "The little journalist still has a conscience. How quaint."

"Enough," I growl. "We all have our assignments. Let's get to work."

As the team disperses, Alina lingers. I can feel the tension crackling between us.

"I know you don't like it," I say quietly. "But sometimes, taking one life can save countless others."

She sighs, running a hand through her hair. "I understand the logic, Kade. I just worry about where we draw the line. "

I nod, acknowledging her point. "That's why I need you here, Alina. To keep asking those hard questions. To make sure we never lose sight of why we do this."

For a moment, her expression softens. Then she squares her shoulders, all business again.

"I'll get started on those financials."

This push and pull between us is exhausting, but I wouldn't have it any other way. She challenges me, keeps me honest. In our line of work, that's more valuable than gold.

I reach out and gently grasp Alina's wrist before she can leave. "Wait."

She turns back, curiosity in her eyes. Without hesitation, I pull her close and capture her lips in a searing kiss. My hand slides to the small of her back, pressing her body against mine as I deepen the kiss.

A soft whimper escapes her throat, igniting a fire in my veins. I break away, my breath ragged.

"Oh, you like that, huh?"

Alina's cheeks flush pink as she bites her lower lip.

"Maybe," she murmurs coyly.

"Just maybe?" I growl playfully, nipping at her earlobe. "I think you can do better than that."

She shivers against me. "Fine. Yes, I like it when you take control like that."

"That's my good girl," I purr, satisfaction coursing through me. "And what are you going to do for me later to show how much you appreciate it?"

Alina's eyes darken with desire. She leans in close, her lips brushing my ear as she whispers, "I'm going to get on my knees and suck your cock until you're begging to fuck me. "

A jolt of lust shoots through me at her words. Before I can respond, the door swings open.

"Hey Ghost, I think I found something in those—" Cole stops mid-sentence, his eyes widening as he takes in our intimate position.

Alina smoothly steps back, composing herself with impressive speed.

"We're done here," she announces breezily. As she saunters past Cole, she throws a smoldering look over her shoulder at me.

Her hips sway as she exits, my body still thrumming with arousal.

Fuck. This woman is going to destroy me.

Cole clears his throat, snapping me back to reality.

"So... I take it the 'hard questions' have been answered?" He smirks, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

I shoot him a warning glare. "What did you find?"

I nod at Cole, my mind still buzzing from the encounter with Alina. "Alright, what have you got?"

Cole's eyes dart to the door Alina just exited, a hint of amusement in his expression. "Well, I know my assignment was to analyze the tech mogul's security requests, but I stumbled onto something else while digging into Steele's operations."

My interest piques. "Go on."

"I found some encrypted communications suggesting someone called 'Echo' has been systematically hacking Draven's systems. They're good—really good. But they've left just enough of a trail for me to track them to the Sacramento. "

I lean back in my chair, processing this new information. "Interesting. Any idea who they are or what they're after?"

Cole shakes his head. "Not yet. But whoever it is, they were causing Steele some serious headaches and seem to be harassing whoever's left in his network. Could be a potential ally... or a major threat."

I tap my fingers on the desk, weighing our options. "We can't risk leaving an unknown player in the game. Especially not one with that level of skill."

A plan starts forming in my mind. I reach for the intercom. "Asher, I need you in my office. Now."

While we wait for Asher, I turn back to Cole. "Good work. Keep digging. I want to know everything you can find about this 'Echo'."

Cole nods and starts tapping away at his tablet. A few minutes later, Asher walks in, his face impassive as always.

"You called, boss?"

I gesture for him to take a seat. "We've got a new priority target. Cole, brief him."

As Cole explains what he's found, I watch Asher's reaction carefully. His expression barely changes, but I catch the slight narrowing of his eyes—a sign he's intrigued.

When Cole finishes, I lean forward.

"Asher, I'm redirecting you from your current assignment. I need you to track down this 'Echo' in Sacramento. Find out who they are, what they know, and eliminate the threat."

Asher raises an eyebrow. "Eliminate? Are we sure that's necessary?"

I understand his hesitation. We don't take termination lightly. "For now, your primary objective is intelligence gathering. But be prepared for any scenario. This hacker could have information that puts our entire operation at risk."

He nods, accepting the assignment. "Understood. When do I leave?"

"As soon as possible," I reply. "Cole will send you all the intel we have. Keep me updated on your progress."

As Asher stands to leave, a thought occurs to me. "And Asher? Be careful. Anyone who can hack Steele's systems like this isn't to be underestimated."

"Never do," he responds with a hint of a smirk before exiting the office.

I turn back to Cole. "Keep monitoring the situation. If you find anything else, I want to know immediately."

Cole nods, his fingers already flying over his tablet. "On it, boss."

As he leaves, I lean back in my chair, my mind racing. This 'Echo' could be a game-changer. But I'm confident Asher can handle the situation, whether they're an asset or a liability.