Page 68 of Duty Bound

It was different now. Gentle, tender. It felt like they’d both given everything and now were broken. There was nothing to hide, no walls between them. Just brutal honesty and raw emotion.

He knew. Just like she knew.

Whatever happened tomorrow, they’d always have this.

CHAPTER 24

Blade checked his backpack, stopping every now and then to kiss Lily full on the lips before carrying on. It felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Even though it wasn’t.

As far as mistakes went, this was probably the biggest fucking one he’d ever made. But it was worth it. She was worth it.

Hell, he’d do it again in a heartbeat if he got the opportunity.

Lily laughed and swatted him away. “You have to stay focused.”

She wasn’t wrong.

Still, it was fun to pretend, even if for a short time.

Blade went back to sorting his pack. He was traveling light, as the damn thing needed to fit in the spare tire well of Stitch’s Land Rover—along with the tire. He hoped to hell they didn’t search the vehicle at the checkpoint.

The odds of them getting through were about fifty-fifty. Not great, but he and Stitch had ruled out all the other options. The river was wild and flowing fast, the land around it built up and populated. They couldn’t cross without a boat, which would be seen, making them sitting ducks. And they couldn’t walk. Without a vehicle, they wouldn’t have a hope in hell of getting Lily to Kabul.

They’d both freshened up after their frantic love making, and he’d dressed back in his army fatigues, ready for the arduous journey ahead. They were leaving at first light to catch the guards before they changed shift, when they were dopey with fatigue, not inclined to work hard, and unlikely to react fast if the shit hit the fan.

Lily was curled up on a cushion, watching him. Blade couldn’t believe how easy it was with her. Like he’d been doing this all his life.

He loved her lingering kisses, her soft hugs, and the way her eyes shone as she looked at him. Nobody had looked at him like that in a long time.

Nobody he’d cared about, ever.

It was a heady feeling.

He was still reeling from her encasing him. She was so tight, so warm. Shit, he was getting a hard on just thinking about it. He crouched, kissed her again, then muttered, “Can’t help it.”

She pulled him close. Each moment felt loaded, like it could be their last. They were both trying to make the most of it, clinging to what little time they had.

The sound of the front door opening shook them apart. Blade stood and turned away to tighten the straps on his pack. Lily straightened her skirt and looked up as Stitch walked in.

“Hey, you two. Feeling better?”

Blade turned. “Yeah, rested up. Ready to go.”

“I think so.” Lily smiled nervously at Stitch.

“Great. Soraya’s on her way. We’ll have supper then turn in early, that way we can head off at first light.”

Blade gave a steady nod. “Sounds like a plan.”

Dinner was more subdued than lunch, the air thick with a sense of expectancy. Soraya took Lily upstairs, leaving the guys to talk. Blade watched her go, his stomach in knots.

He wanted to protect her so goddamn badly, yet he didn’t know if he could. She’d been through so much. First she’s lost her parents and home. Then she’d lost Joe. After that, she’d been kidnapped and imprisoned. Her rescue resulted in hiking endlessly, nearly freezing to death, and watching him kill people—not to mention suffering the constant swell of fear. She’d endured a week of hell getting to this point.

What if it all went to shit now?

“Don’t do that,” Stitch said, quietly.

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