Page 139 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost
Through the comm, I hear Cole coordinating our movements, his calm voice a lifeline in the mayhem. "Saint, hostiles approaching your three o'clock. Reaper, we need support on the east side."
I steal a quick look at Alina. She's found cover and is shooting to protect Damian while he fights hand-to-hand with a pair of Steele's goons. Her aim is dead-on, and she moves like water.
Pride in my chest watching her—this fierce, beautiful woman who's mine in every way that matters. The urge to protect her battles with the pride of seeing her hold her own.
My woman. My warrior.When we get back, I'll show her exactly how much I appreciate that fire.
But we're outnumbered, and Steele clearly has the home-field advantage. This was supposed to be a simple recon mission. Now we're fighting for our lives.
The gunfire intensifies, and I feel the familiar rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins. This is what we've trained for.
"Frost, I need eyes on Steele!" I shout into my comm.
"Working on it, boss. He's slippery."
I duck behind a stack of crates as bullets pepper the metal around me. My mind races, analyzing our options. We're pinned down, but I refuse to let Steele slip away again.
"Chaos, deploy smoke screen delta. Nitro, be ready for a hard push on my mark."
Acknowledgments crackle through the comm as I catch Alina's eye across the tarmac. She nods, understandingour unspoken plan.
Even in this hellish firefight, the connection between us pulses like a living thing. That's my girl—reading me without a word.
The air fills with thick smoke, obscuring our movements. I signal to Alina, and we move in tandem, covering each other as we advance. Our bodies sync perfectly, a dance we've practiced in very different circumstances.
The memory of her beneath me, moving with this same perfect rhythm, flashes through my mind. I push it away. Survival now, fantasy later.
Suddenly, a figure emerges from the haze. Steele.
"Ghost," he sneers. "Always cleaning up other people's messes, aren't you?"
I remain silent, conserving my energy. Steele and I crash together in a vicious dance of fists and elbows. His technique is impressive, but I've got the edge.
My fist connects with his jaw, snapping his head back. He retaliates with a knee to my ribs that knocks the wind from my lungs. We grapple, muscles straining as we each fight for dominance.
Through the chaos, I catch a glimpse of Alina advancing, her movements calculated. The sight of her, focused and lethal, sends a surge of heat through my veins that has nothing to do with the fight.
I twist, using his momentum to slam him face-first into the wall. Blood sprays from his nose, but he doesn't slow down. We're both breathing hard now, circling each other like caged animals.
I can taste victory, but Steele isn't going down without a fucking fight.
With a swift move, I pin him to the ground, my knee digging into his chest. "It's over, Steele."
The team converges, securing the area with practiced efficiency. Blade approaches, zip ties ready.
"Nice work, boss," he says, binding Steele's hands.
I haul Steele to his feet, my grip tight on his collar. "Start talking. Who's behind all this?"
Steele laughs, a cold sound that sets my teeth on edge. "You really think it's that simple? You have no idea how deep this goes."
Alina steps forward, her eyes blazing with that fire that makes me want to claim her right here, mission be damned.
"Cut the cryptic bullshit. Names, locations, now."
"Oh, the journalist wants answers," Steele mocks. "Be careful what you wish for, sweetheart. Some truths are better left buried."
The endearment on his lips makes my blood boil. My grip tightens until he winces.Mine.No one gets to call her pet names but me.
