Page 45 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost
Ghost's grip tightens. "Now!"
He yanks me out of the booth and into a tiny utility closet, slamming the door behind us. My heart pounds as I'm pressed against his solid chest in the cramped space. The smell of cleaning supplies mingles with his woodsy scent.
"Don't. Move." His whisper tickles my ear.
I freeze, aware of every point where our bodies touch. His muscles are coiled tight, ready to spring into action.
"I'm not an amateur," I whisper back, unable to help myself. "I know how to hide."
His hand slides from the small of my back to grip my hip, fingers digging in just enough to assert control.
"Could've fooled me. Now be quiet before you get us both killed." His breath fans hot against my neck. "Unless you want me to find other ways to keep that mouth occupied."
The authority in his tone travels through me like an electric current—not because I'm scared, but because it triggers something riskier in my core. My teeth press together hard as conflicting emotions collide inside me.
His take-charge attitude pisses me off, yet my body betrays me with a hot flush of desire I didn't invite and definitely don't welcome. Different emotions battle inside me, making my head spin and my thoughts blur.
His arm is braced against the wall beside my head, his face mere inches from mine. In the dim light filtering through the crack around the door, I can make out the sharp line of his jaw, the intensity in his eyes as he listens for any sign of danger.
My fingers twitch, wanting to trace the contours of his face. At the same time, I have an overwhelming urge to punch him.
This is ridiculous. I should be terrified, not... whatever this feeling is. Get it together! He's dangerous. You don't even know his real name.
But another part of me whispers:He's saved your life multiple times now.
Ghost shifts slightly, and his thigh brushes against mine. A jolt of awareness shoots through me. I bite my lip to stifle a gasp, and his eyes snap to mine.
Time seems to slow as we stare at each other in the darkness. The tension between us crackles like a live wire. Ghost leans in, almost imperceptibly. My breath catches in my throat.
Is he going to...?
My body moves on its own, pulling me closer to him as if he has some hidden gravity. I let my eyelids drop shut, my insides twisting with excitement and hunger.
Just as his breath whispers against my lips, a soft crackling sound reaches my ears. It's coming from the earpiece, barely audible in the stillness of the utility closet where we're hidden.
Before I can process what's happening, Ghost's fingers wrap around my wrist. He yanks the door open and pulls me out of the closet.
"More are coming," he says gruffly, not meeting my eyes. "We're going to have to fight through, or we're sitting ducks."
The bright light of the restaurant is jarring after the darkness. I blink, trying to orient myself. My skintingles where Ghost touched me, and I can't quite catch my breath.
I steal a glimpse at Ghost's impassive face.
What just happened in there?
My heart's still racing from what happened in the closet when chaos erupts. Three men lunge at us with murderous intent.
Around us, diners finally register the danger. A woman screams, the high-pitched sound cutting through the restaurant's cheerful buzz. Chairs scrape against tile as people scramble to their feet. A child wails somewhere to my left.
Adrenaline floods my system. Without thinking, I drop into a fighting stance. Thank God Carlos drilled those self-defense moves into me and Jenny.
One attacker comes at me swinging. I dodge the first punch and land a solid kick to his knee. He grunts in pain but keeps coming. Behind him, a table overturns, sending dim sum clattering across the floor. People push toward the exits, creating a stampede of panicked bodies.
Ghost is a blur of lethal motion, taking on the other two with ruthless efficiency. The sound of fists connecting with flesh fills the air beneath the cacophony of screams and breaking dishes.
An elderly man falls in the crush of fleeing diners. A server drops an entire tray of food, adding to the chaos.
My opponent gets in a lucky shot to my ribs. Pain explodes through me, but I push through it. I slam my elbow into his stomach, doubling him over. A woman rushes past us, nearly knocking me off balance as she clutches her childto her chest.
