Page 143 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost
He looks at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "You should be running away from me right now, Alina. Not trying to comfort me."
I step closer, ignoring the voice in my head screaming that he's right. "I'm not going anywhere, Kade. We're in this together, remember?"
Kade closes his eyes briefly, and when he opens them again, I see a vulnerability there that takes my breath away.
"I need to clean up, we'll talk later, okay?" He breathes out.
I nod. He lets go of my hand and turns and steps into the elevator.
As the elevator doors start to close, I slip inside, my heart racing. Kade's eyes widen in surprise.
"Alina, what are you—"
"No, we need to talk now," I insist, my voice steadier than I feel. "I'm not letting you stew on this alone."
Kade sighs, a sound somewhere between exasperation and... something else. "Alina..."
The way he says my name sends heat through me. I can't tell if it's a prayer or frustration, but I stand my ground.
"I'm not budging on this, Kade. Talk to me."
He stares at me for a long moment before reaching out to press the button for B3. As the elevator starts to move, his hands are still stained with blood. My stomach churns, the metallic scent filling the small space, but I force myself to focus on Kade's face.
"My parents," he begins, his voice low and rough. "What Steele said... it wasn't just taunting. It was the truth."
I hold my breath, afraid to interrupt.
"I was eight when it happened. We were having a normal night—Mom was singing in the kitchen, Dad was helping me with homework. Then there was this sound of breaking glass, and..." Kade's voice trails off, his eyes distant.
The elevator dings as we reach B3. Kade steps out, and I follow close behind. He's heading towards the shower facilities, his strides long and purposeful.
"What happened next?" I prompt gently.
Kade's jaw tightens. "Screams. Then silence. The police called it a robbery gone wrong, but even then, I knew it wasn't true."
We reach the shower room, and Kade pauses at the door. I can see the internal struggle on his face—he clearly wants to clean up, but he's also caught up in the memories.
"Go ahead," I say softly. "I'll waitout here."
He shakes his head. "No, I... I need to finish this." Kade pushes open the door with his elbow and steps inside. I hesitate for a moment before following him in.
The room is utilitarian—all sleek metal fixtures and muted gray tiles. Kade moves to one of the sinks and starts washing his hands, the water turning pink as it swirls down the drain.
"After that, I ended up in the foster system," he continues, his eyes fixed on his hands. "Home after home, school after school. I learned to become invisible, to read rooms and anticipate moods. It was the only way to survive."
My heart aches for the young boy he was, forced to grow up too fast. The weight of his confession settles in my chest, making it hard to breathe. "Kade, I'm so sorry."
He looks up, meeting my eyes in the mirror. "Don't be. It made me who I am."
"And who is that?" I ask, barely above a whisper.
Kade turns to face me, his expression full of pain, but not despair. "Someone who won't let innocent people suffer the way I did."
I step closer, drawn to him despite the gravity of the situation. "Even if it means crossing lines?"
"Even then," he admits, his voice low. "I know what I did to Steele was... extreme. But when he mentioned my parents, then you, something in me just snapped."
I reach out, hesitating for a moment before placing my hand on his arm. "I understand, Kade. I don't condone it, but I understand."
