Page 11 of Shadow

As Priest excused himself, Rooster turned to Shadow with a grin.

“Go see your girl. Ernie and I can manage here,” he said, clapping Shadow on the back.

“Thanks, Rooster,” Shadow replied before making his way to Camilla’s room.

What if she was no longer there? Shadow realized she could’ve snuck off the night before and … no. He was probably overthinking things. He knocked on her door and waited.

Chapter Five

Stay or leave? Both options sucked but if Shadow found out who she was, or if her brother sent one of his men to pick her up, or if Fernando came here himself … things would get really messy. Camilla struggled to catch her breath, her chest feeling tight and constricted. She felt she was suffocating, like the walls of the room were closing in on her.

A knock on the door made her jump, and she opened it without thinking, only to stare at Shadow. She gasped and his smile faded and now he looked at her with concern.

“Camilla?” he asked, setting his bags down at a nearby table.

Food, she realized, and a black shirt peeked out from the other paper bag. Clothes. Could this biker be even sweeter?

“Can’t breathe,” she whispered.

“Hey, it’s okay,” he murmured soothingly, his voice soft and reassuring.

“Focus on my voice, Camilla,” Shadow said. He moved his hand to her back and began rubbing soothing circles there. “Take slow, deep breaths. In and out.”

Following his instructions, Camilla closed her eyes and tried to regulate her breathing, the sound of Shadow’s calm voice guiding her through each inhale and exhale. Gradually, the tightness in her chest began to ease, replaced by a sense of calmness washing over her. Opening her eyes, she found herself gazing into Shadow’s reassuring gaze.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Shadow curved his lips into a sexy smile as he reached out to brush a stray lock of hair away from her face.

“You don’t have to do anything alone, Camilla,” he said softly. “I’ll always be here for you.”

Reluctantly, Camilla pulled away from him, her defenses still up.

“Do you have a habit of making such lofty promises to women you’ve just met?” she asked lightly, unable to hide the skepticism in her voice.

“No, just you,” Shadow replied, meeting her gaze.

Her heart hammered in her chest at his words, a mixture of fear and excitement coursing through her veins.

“For all you know, I’m not a good person,” she whispered.

“No one deserves to go through what you and the other women did,” Shadow answered. “And I’d like to get to know you better, no matter what you decide to do next.”

“Even if I live halfway across the country?” Camilla joked weakly, trying to lighten the mood.

In truth, the cartel’s main headquarters was just two towns away. Part of her felt guilty for not reaching out to Fernando immediately. Despite their complex relationship, he was still her brother. He was family, but if she contacted him now, then whatever she had with Shadow would end.

Her brother would insist on keeping her close. Fernando might not even allow her outside the compound for awhile and she’d feel like a prisoner all over again.

Shadow was undeterred. “Distance doesn’t scare me, Camilla,” Shadow murmured, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine as he reached out to cup her cheek.

In that moment, she felt a rush of emotions flooding through her, overwhelming her senses. Unable to resist the pull between them, she stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips against his, the kiss soft yet filled with an undeniable passion.

It felt like time stood still, as if they were the only two people in the world, lost in the moment. Shadow secured his hand on the back of her neck and she parted her lips so he could thrust his tongue down her throat. Once again, her body betrayed her. Her nipples hardened and she grew wet between her legs. Part of her hoped he’d take advantage but Camilla also understood she wasn’t ready for that step yet.

They both drew back at the same time. Camilla was still panting a little. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment as they broke the kiss. Slowing down was a good idea, she reminded herself.

As she looked into Shadow’s eyes, she saw a flicker of understanding, a silent agreement that they were both on the same page.

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