Page 111 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost
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 andwild 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? Whyaren'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.
