Page 128 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost
"What's their problem?" Alina turns to me, a small crease forming between her brows.
"Nothing you need to worry about." I step closer, my gaze sweeping over her, checking for any signs of the shock I know could be setting in soon. "We're leaving."
"Leaving? We just got here—"
"Now, Alina." I use my command voice. My hand settles at the small of her back, guiding her toward the door. "My place."
She opens her mouth as if to argue, then closes it again.Good. She's learning.
In the garage, I open the passenger door of my Audi for her before sliding into the driver's seat. I can feel the tension radiating off her, see the slight tremor in her hands that she's trying to hide. The adrenaline crash is starting.
I grip the steering wheel tighter, keeping my eyes on the road as we pull out of the parking garage. Every instinct screams at me to comfort her, to tell her the first kill is always the hardest, that it will get easier—but that isn't what she needs to hear right now.
What she needs is structure. Control. Someone to take the burden of choice from her shoulders, even if just for a little while.
"Say it," she finally breaks the silence as we merge onto the highway.
"Say what?" I keep my eyes forward.
"Whatever's making you look like you're about to snap that steering wheel in half."
My mouth tightens. "Not now."
"If this is about what happened at the warf—"
"I said not now, Alina." My tone is final.
The rest of the ride passes in tense silence. By the time we reach my penthouse, the tension between us feels like physical weight on my shoulders, vibrating in the air between us like a live wire.
We step into the private elevator, and as soon as the doors close, I slam my hand against the emergency stop button.
I turn to her, letting her see the anger I've been keeping leashed. "You disobeyed a direct order."
She lifts her chin, defiant even now. "I saved your life."
"You could have been killed." Each word comes out precise, controlled. "Do you understand that? You could be dead right now."
"But I'm not."
"That's not the point." I step closer, backing her against the wall. "When I give you an order in the field, you follow it. No questions. No exceptions."
Color floods her cheeks. "I'm not one of your soldiers, Kade."
"No." My voice drops lower. "You're mine. And that means I protect you."
"I don't need—"
I cut off her protest with my mouth, kissing her hard and deep, pouring all my fear and frustration into it. Her initial resistance melts quickly, her fingers tangling in my hair, pulling me closer instead of pushing me away.
When I finally break the kiss, we're both breathing hard.
"You killed a man today," I say quietly. "Your first."
She flinches, the memory clearly cutting through her. "I did what I had to."
"I know." My expression softens slightly. "But that doesn't make it easier."
I release the emergency stop, and the elevator continues its ascent. When the doors open to my penthouse, I guide her inside.
