Page 71 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost
"That's it," Kade mutters, taking over the keyboard. "It's Roman's personal code. Give me a minute."
Kade's fingers fly across the keys, mesmerized by their strength and precision. A strand of hair falls across his forehead. Without thinking, I reach out and brush it back.
His gaze snaps to mine, shock evident in those piercing blue eyes. He catches my hand, giving it a brief squeeze before returning to the code.
"Got it," he says finally. "Coordinates and a date—three days from now. Plus a warning: 'Trust no one outside the team.'"
"What's at those coordinates?" I lean closer, studying the decryption.
"Not sure." Kade frowns. "But whatever it is, Roman thinks it's crucial—and dangerous."
"Then we need to move on this immediately." My reporter instincts kick into overdrive. "Every second we wait—"
"We can't just rush in blindly," Kade cuts me off, voice low and controlled.
I straighten, squaring my shoulders. "People could be suffering right now! How can you just—"
"Because I've seen what happens when you don't plan properly," he snaps, stepping into my space. "I've lost people. Good people."
"And how many more will we lose if we wait?" I challenge, refusing to back down despite the dangerous flash in his eyes.
"Ooh, Mom and Dad are fighting," Jax quips, spinning in his chair.
"Shut it, Jax," Kade and I snap in perfect unison.
"My money's on the little journalist," Asher drawls, his amusement audible. "She's scrappy."
I turn back to Kade, holding his gaze despite the heat building in my cheeks. "I understand caution. But what if Roman's in trouble?"
Frustration radiates from him as he runs a hand through his hair. "He's my friend, Alina. You think I don't know what's at stake?"
"Holy shit." Cole's quiet voice cuts through our argument. Unlike his teammates' teasing, his tone is all business. "You both need to see this."
We crowd around his screen, our conflict temporarily forgotten. Cole has cross-referenced the coordinates with data from the tech company's servers.
"These transaction patterns match the locations Roman was investigating," he explains, fingers flying across the keyboard. "It's all connected."
"That name keeps appearing." Kade taps the screen. "Steele."
"Steele?" I frown. "Like the metal?"
"Probably thinks it makes him sound tough," Jax snorts, spinning his chair.
Cole shakes his head. "Whoever's behind it knows how to cover their tracks. The alias leads to shell companies, offshore accounts—layers of protection."
I turn to Kade, determination burning in my chest. "This is our breakthrough. We can't let this slip away."
The struggle plays out across his face before he finally nods. "You're right. But we do this smart. No unnecessary risks."
Relief floods through me. "Agreed."
"Aww, the lovebirds made up," Jax coos, mimicking a kissing sound.
Kade's eyes narrow dangerously. "One more word, and you'll be running laps until your grandchildren feel it."
Jax holds up his hands in surrender, but his grin remains firmly in place.
My heart races as the team huddles, mapping our next move.
