Page 59 of Shadowed Vows: Ghost
"We don't need paperwork. If you turn on us..." he trails off, letting his gaze flicker meaningfully to the window. "You won't see what hits you until it's too late. If ever."
A chill runs down through me at the calm certainty in his voice. The sniper. Right.
Kade just raises his eyebrows at the exchange, neither confirming nor denying the threat.
"Is that supposed to scare me off?" I challenge, though my dry mouth betrays my bravado.
"No," Cole says matter-of-factly. "It's supposed to establish parameters."
My annoyance flares, but I push it aside. I'm too close to answers about Jenny to let pride get in the way.
"Alright," I square my shoulders. "But that still leaves one question. Kade, why were you at the warehouse? What does it have to do with your missing friend?"
Kade's jaw tightens as he meets my gaze. "I was at the warehouse retracing Roman's footsteps."
"Roman?" I lean forward, eager for any new information. "Your missing friend?"
He nods, his expression guarded. "Roman Thorne, Shadow. CEO of Centurion Protection Group."
My eyebrows shoot up. "Wait,theRoman Thorne? The golden boy of Silicon Valley security?"
"That's his public image, yes."
I narrow my eyes. "But there's more to it, isn't there?"
Kade sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Roman and I... we started Centurion Protection Groupand Nightfall Syndicate together. With help from some…wealthy connections in San Francisco."
My mind races, trying to piece this new information together. "So the CEO of a major security firm is secretly running a mercenary operation on the side? That's... quite a story."
"It's more complicated than that," Kade's voice is low. "Roman isn't just some corporate suit playing at being a badass. He's ex-Navy SEAL, with years of covert ops experience."
I let out a low whistle. "Okay, that changes things. But why disappear now? What was he working on?"
Kade's expression darkens. "Roman suspected one of our clients was involved in human trafficking. But he was being careful, gathering evidence before making any accusations."
My heart races. Human trafficking. The same thing I suspected at the warehouse. "And then he vanished?"
"A few weeks ago," Kade confirms. "No trace, no message. Just... gone."
I lean back, processing this information. "So you went to the warehouse hoping to find some clue about what happened to him?"
Kade nods. "It was the last place we know he visited before disappearing. I was hoping to find something, anything, that might point us in the right direction."
"Instead, you found me," I muse.
A hint of a smile flickers across his face. "Instead, I found you."
I tap my fingers on the arm of the chair, my mind whirling. "Kade, this can't be a coincidence. Roman investigating trafficking, Jenny's death, now this warehouse..."
"I know," his voice is heavy with unspoken concerns. "That's why we need your help, Alina. Your knowledge of Jenny's case... it could be the key to unraveling all of this."
I meet his gaze, seeing the determination—and maybe a hint of desperation—in those piercing blue eyes.
"I'm in, whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this."
Kade nods, a look of relief passing over his features. "Thank you," he says softly.
Then his expression hardens, all business once again. "But Alina, you need to understand something. This isn't just another story. These people we're up against—they're dangerous, ruthless, and it seems they have resources we can only guess at."
