Page 56 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost
I should be annoyed at his high-handedness, but after what he's shared, I understand it better.
"I know," I reply. "But it's a start."
Ghost's eyes hold mine for a beat longer, then he steps aside. "Sleep well, little hellcat. Tomorrow won't be easy."
seventeen
Alina
"Alina!"
Bright rays slice through my window drapes as a crashing sound yanks me from sleep. My chest pounds while I jerk upright, momentarily confused about where I am.
"We need you in the living room." Ghost's deep voice carries through the door. "Five minutes."
I rub my eyes, trying to shake off the fog of sleep. What's going on? My mind races through possibilities, none of them good.
Throwing on my rumpled clothes from yesterday, I splash water on my face and run a hand through my tangled hair. It'll have to do. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for whatever's waiting.
As I step into the hallway, the house is alive with restless activity. Voices murmur from downstairs, and I catch a whiff of coffee. At least there's that.
I pause at the top of the stairs, my stomach twisting. What if they've decided I'm too much of a liability? The thought of disappearing without a trace makes my blood run cold.
Get it together, Alina,I scold myself.You've faced worse.
But have I? These people are professionals at making problems vanish.
Ghost stands at the bottom of the stairs, his expression unreadable.
"Everyone's waiting," he gestures toward the living room.
I nod, not trusting my voice, and follow him. The team's gathered around, looking far too alert for this hour. Frost, his wound still bandaged, gives me a slight nod. Saint offers a small smile that does little to ease my nerves.
Ghost clears his throat. "We've come to a decision."
My heart pounds so loud I'm sure they can all hear it. This is it. I brace myself for the worst, my mind already racing through escape plans.
"About your involvement in our operation," he continues.
I hear Ghost say "Nitro, don't—" but he's cut off as Nitro suddenly wraps me in a crushing bear hug. His strong arms squeeze me tight, nearly lifting me off my feet. I gasp in surprise at the unexpected embrace, wincing.
"Welcome to the team, little journalist!" he booms, his grin infectious. I wince again as Nitro's squeezes again.
"Oh shit, I'm sorry! I forgot about your ribs." Concern is etched on his face.
But I barely register the pain. My mind is still reeling from the fact that I made it in. I'm actually going to be part of this. I wave off his apology, too stunned to care about a little discomfort right now.
I blink, stunned. "Wait, what?"
Ghost's lips twitch in what might be amusement. "We've decided your skills could be valuable. If you're willing to work with us, of course. Of course, this is interim."
Relief floods through me, followed quickly by a surge of excitement.
"I'm in," my voice steadier than I feel.
Ghost clears his throat, cutting off my barrage of questions before they can start. "Before we get into details, let me properly introduce the team."
I nod, grateful for a moment to collect my thoughts. My mind is still reeling from the sudden shift from potential prisoner to... what? Team member? I focus on memorizing faces with names, a journalist's habit I've relied on for years.
