Page 134 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost
The sound of her voice triggers an immediate response in my body—a heightened awareness I can't control. My eyes slide to her, taking in the determined set of her jaw, the loose tendril of hair framing her face.
"No time." I tear my attention back to Cole. "What kind of files?"
"Shipping manifests, personnel records..." Cole's fingers fly over his tablet, his expression focused. "Wait—there's something else. Looks like detailed logs ofpayments, dates, locations, ones we haven' been able to access."
"Evidence," I mutter, standing. My hand automatically reaches for Alina, drawing her to my side. "Call the team in. Now."
Minutes later, the command center fills with controlled tension as the core team assembles. I study their faces—Damian's cautious skepticism, Cole's analytical focus, Jax's barely contained energy.
"What we're looking at," I begin, gesturing to the data Cole's projecting, "could be our best shot at finding those kids. But meeting this source in person..." I let the implications hang in the air.
Damian's eyes narrow. "You sure about this, Ghost? Meeting an unknown source in person is risky."
"No, I'm not sure. But right now, it's our only shot at getting those children out safely." My hand finds the small of Alina's back, a possessive gesture I don't bother hiding from the team anymore.
Cole pulls up additional data on the main screen. "Naomi's the informant. Her digital footprint checks out. She has access to Steele's shipping manifests, personnel files, everything we need."
I nod. "Exactly. Set up a secure location. Warehouse district, multiple exit points. Asher, you're on overwatch."
As the team disperses to their tasks, Alina and I huddle over the blueprints. Her proximity sends heat pulsing through my veins—the sweet torture of her scent filling my senses while we discuss potential matters of life and death.
"We need to be careful how we communicate with this informant," she says. "Too aggressive, and they might clam up. Too soft, and they'll try to play us."
"Agreed. You take point on the conversation." I lean closer than necessary, my chest brushing her back. "Your investigative skills will pick up on things I might miss. I'll be the muscle if things go sideways."
Alina raises an eyebrow, her body subtly arching into mine. "Just the muscle?"
I smirk, dropping my voice to a whisper only she can hear. "The devastatingly handsome muscle who made you scream my name three times last night."
Her cheeks flush, but her eyes flash with challenge. "Focus, Ghost. Lives are at stake."
My expression sobers, but I don't step back from her space. "You're right. Let's run through our approach one more time."
Hours later, we're set up in an abandoned warehouse. The air is thick with tension as we wait for our contact. Alina stands beside me, her posture alert but calm. I fight the urge to keep her behind me, to shield her body with mine. She's earned her place at my side, not at my back.
The door creaks open, and a figure steps inside. It's a woman, mid-thirties, with haunted eyes that have seen too much.
"You're Ghost?" Her voice is barely above a whisper.
I give a nearly imperceptible nod, feeling Alina tense beside me as she takes a step forward.
"We got your message through our network," Alina says, her tone gentle but firm. "You said you have information about the children?"
The woman—Naomi, according to Cole's intel—begins to speak. Her words paint a picture of a vast, intricate web of corruption.
"It's not just about moving people." Her hands shake. "It's about creating leverage. The shipping logs I found show fourteen containers that came through Pier 80 last quarter. Manifest listed 'electronic components' but dock supervisor Peterson found children's clothing inside when he checked."
My fists clench at my sides. "What happened to Peterson?"
"Car accident a week later." Naomi's eyes dart to mine, then back to Alina. "The same 'accident' pattern happened in Vancouver and Singapore. Each time, Steele arrives to 'clean' afterward. He's creating a network—blackmailing officials with evidence they approved the shipments."
She pauses to take a steadying breath." I found a ledger with payments to Judge Harmon, Councilman Lewis, even Lieutenant Garcia at SFPD. It's a meticulous operation designed to gain control of port authorities across the Pacific Rim."
Alina leans in, her investigative instincts kicking into high gear. "What kind of leverage?"
Before Naomi can answer, a phone buzzes. It's not ours. Naomi's face goes pale as she reaches for her pocket. "I... I have to take this."
My instincts scream danger. I reach for Alina, my fingers closing around her wrist. "Wait—"
